Writing your Congress Person is a valid activity for all citizens
An Open Letter to the Honorable Jaime Hererra Buetler;
The outcome of your recent Town Hall meeting should be, but
may not be, fully apparent to you. When
asked what your replacement for the ACA (ObamaCare) was you stumbled and gave
platitudes. When the attending citizens
pressed you about the actual ideas that you would include in the replacement
act you stammered and stumbled some more and appeared angered that they were
not listening to you. My grandmother,
many years ago, explained to me that is difficult to listen when you are doing
all the talking.
Here is the thing about this that you seemingly missed. For several years now you and almost all of
the Republicans have been saying that you will repeal and replace the
Affordable Care Act with something that you like better. You have said you have a plan and that it is
better. You act as if this will be done
in two steps. Repeal and then at some
undisclosed point replace. The
replacement will be with better provisions you are still saying. Yet you are unable to define that better
plan. What you did not want to hear was
that it is not two separate actions.
Language is sometimes a funny thing. Repeal and replace can and should be done, if
you really have a better idea, in one single action. The same bill that repeals the ACA should and
could be the act that does the replacing.
It is not difficult. The first
paragraph of the replacing act says, simply, the former bill known as the ACA
is retracted and all the paragraphs after that would be the replacement
language. Then as it would be debated
and explored working its way through the process you (and all of us) could
decide if you really had a better plan.
If you push along a bill that does not meet that simple test you would
know that your job is on the line. You
would know, in your heart, if you were looking out for the best interests of
those you represent. If you insist on
telling us the continued untruths that you have to date we would all know that
you did not listen and traditional Republicans combined with better informed
Democrats would likely replace you. The
far Right Republicans would lose their traction if you forgot to listen to all
of your constituents but that is what Town Halls and democracy looks like.
Sincerely;
Vancouver,
WA
