Despite the discord in politics today, there are many things the people in our district can agree on.
• Healthcare. We all need it and it’s too expensive without some form of coverage.
• Prescription drugs. Most of us would agree that the drug companies gouge us, especially when the same drugs we buy here are 50 to 100 percent cheaper in Canada.
• Social Security and Medicare. Many of us couldn’t survive without them and many more will need them soon, when they retire.
So how has Jaime Herrera Beutler represented us on these issues? Her website says: “Standing up for Seniors — We must keep our promise to Americans who depend on programs like Social Security and Medicare. This means ensuring that these programs are strong now and in the future, and not raided by D.C. politicians to fuel government overspending.”
• The tax reduction she voted for gives most of the benefit to businesses and rich individuals and will place our grandchildren in debt to the tune of trillions of dollars in the next 10 years. The Republican leadership has announced that they plan to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, in order to make up some of the deficit.
• With the federal budget in enormous debt, Herrera Beutler voted to spend $25 billion on a wall along our southern border. It was voted down, but it surely demonstrates support for government overspending.
• Herrera Beutler was able to take advantage of one of the most generous health insurance plans in the country (provided at very low cost to congress) to pay for the unfortunate difficulties in her last child birth, but afterward, she voted to abolish the Affordable Care Act, without any realistic alternative. The ACA is far from perfect, but no insurance is certainly worse. Her vote demonstrates a lack of empathy and understanding for her constituents needs, despite the flowery words on her website. She became the DC politician her website words disparage.
• Lastly, Herrera Beutler voted to detain and imprison asylum seekers and would-be immigrant children with their parents, for indefinite periods of time at the border. This also demonstrates a lack of empathy and complete support for the Administration’s agenda. How do you think she will vote when her party brings the cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to the floor?
A vote for Carolyn Long, will be the right step in having all of the people of District 3 represented, by someone who cares about people. I encourage everyone to look at the issues, not party, and vote for Carolyn Long.