This is in response to “3rd District, first debate” (Aug. 9, The Columbian). On the topic of town halls, Carolyn Long stated, “you have to look your constituents in the eye and talk about why you voted the way you did.” Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler said, “I think they’re important and I’ll continue to do them.” Please note that Herrera Beutler does not do face-to-face town halls.
On health care, Herrera Beutler stated, “I think I voted more than 80 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act.”
In a face-to-face town hall, as a constituent, I would ask, “As the father of and caregiver for a 39-year-old, law-school-educated son with schizophrenia, I note you voted 68 times to take away his health care and voted twice to allow him to buy firearms. Congresswoman, how did you think this through?”
The response would be most interesting.
