On Jan. 17, I attended a town hall held by Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. While I understand that we will not agree on everything, I do expect her to uphold her responsibility to represent me in Congress.
There was one theme throughout the entire meeting: the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Constituent after constituent expressed concerns. She was asked for a specific plan for replacement and while she could quote general ideas, there was no specific plan. At one point she asked, “Are you here to make a point, or do you want to listen to what I have to say?”
The room was full of community members who were clearly there to make a point and, as our representative, she has a responsibility to listen. A recent poll showed that of those that support a repeal, the majority support a simultaneous replacement, yet Herrera Beutler and her Republican counterparts continue to push for a repeal without a solid replacement plan in place. She asked us if we were there to make a statement, but what statement is she making by failing to respect the explicit desires of those she has been elected to represent?
