Perhaps it’s not too late to recall U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas. While I like her personal style, I find her May 29 letter, “Work to change course has just begun,” extremely disturbing. Quoting Beutler, “I may not always agree with you, but I need to hear from you, and if the facts are on your side, I’m willing to change my mind.”
I think Beutler thinks she is a senator, not a representative. It is the job of a U.S. senator to advise and consent. While senators need to keep the needs of their constituents in mind when they vote on an issue, they are not bound to vote in agreement with them.
It is the job of a representative to represent the will of the constituents in her district. Tom Foley was Speaker of the House, until he voted against his constituents on term limits. He was justly kicked out of office. No representative has the right to vote against the wishes of constituents, no matter if the people are against some legal precedent, or the facts aren’t on their side. You represent your district, or you don’t. Beutler apparently doesn’t understand that.
John Knapp
Vancouver
