Letter Without a Title

This is in response to Sue Ward's letter accusing Tedra Cobb of "blanket statements" on affordable healthcare. Not sure if it qualifies as blanket or not, but Donald Trump said his replacement for ACA would be "terrific" and there would be "insurance for everybody." Progress seems as slow as that on the Great Wall of Mexico. There certainly was no improvement in AHCA that Rep. Stefanik voted to send to the Senate. It was estimated that would've cost over 64,000 of her constituents their health insurance. Not terrific, nor insurance for everyone. Since that Keystone Kops attempt at repeal and replace, Mr. Trump has just sought to continually undermine ACA. Rep. Stefanik has done nothing to stanch that.

Aside from the order killing the individual mandate, pushing short-term and association health plans is probably his most destructive actions. These are exempt from consumer protections required under ACA. There seems to be a theme under the Trump administration when it comes to protecting consumers. Anyone not familiar with caveat emptor likely should become so. Quoting a New York Times fact check on the recent Trump editorial in USA Today: "The Justice Department ... would no longer defend provisions in the Affordable Care Act that protect patients with pre-existing conditions."

Tedra Cobb has years of experience in the healthcare field and will work to ensure that folks in the North Country have access to insurance. Elise Stefanik spent two years voting ACA repeal bills to be sent to Barack Obama for veto. She has spent another two years as a bystander while it's been systematically crippled.  

In Defense of Elise Stefanik

I did this once before. Don't remember what the situation was, but I believe the Stefanik may, at some point, ask me to stop defending her. Here's a link to the Dylan Ratigan piece.

     I'm writing to defend Elise Stefanik from the charges made by Dylan Ratigan.  He said, "My number one problem with Rep. Stefanik is that she's a career politician and she's part of the system." First, that’s just meaningless cliches. Second, I don't believe she is a career politician. Before coming back to the district, long enough to get elected to Congress, she was a gofer in the Bush Junior White House. She's been in Congress for only 3 years. Third, it presupposes that there's something wrong with being a politician with experience. I'm getting a hip replacement in a couple of months. I'm not looking at my doctor and saying, "I don't want him operating, he's a career surgeon!" Not being a career politician was supposed to be a selling point for Donald Trump's election. How's that working out? The White House running pretty smoothly? Like them or don't, politicians like Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell know how to get things done.

     I don't like hearing nonsense attacks from Republicans. I like them even less from Democrats. One of the reasons I'm supporting Tedra Cobb is because she has been involved in politics. She won an election to the St. Lawrence County Legislature. She has served in government. If elected, she has more maturity than Ms. Stefanik did going in. I like prepared people. Mr. Ratigan has run a business and has been on CNBC. Those qualifications are pretty similar to what Mr. Trump had going for him. He needs to explain how those prepare him for the US Congress. I have problems with our rep, as regular readers will attest. I can tell you what they are without making ad hominem attacks on her, though. Her opponent should be able to as well.