A March 31 letter, “Allow independence in politicians,” by Joe and Gayle Beaudoin was correct in its premise but inaccurate with one of its examples.
Marc Boldt’s independent votes as a Clark County commissioner were enough to get him sanctioned by the Clark County Republican Committee. U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, on the other hand, has shown no substantial votes against the GOP. She has voted Tea Party extremist positions repeatedly. Twice she has voted for the U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan budgets that destroy Medicare for future generations while refusing to end the Bush tax cuts that favor the super wealthy. She is bound by her Grover Norquist anti-tax pledge, not the interests of her constituents.
Ending Medicare and replacing it with a voucher for insurance will be disastrous for future seniors. Medicare was instituted in 1965 because private insurance for seniors didn’t work. Balancing the budget requires a balanced approach — spending cuts and higher taxes on the wealthy.
Clark County needs representatives who vote for the middle class, not millionaires like Norquist and the Koch brothers.
