Letter: Congressman failing to represent district with vote

From: Eric C. Rodenberg

Knightstown

I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I am not a candidate – or wish to be one – for any public office. I am merely a voter.

But as a voter in Indiana’s 6th congressional district – as all of you are – I feel it is my right (and duty) to call out public officials who do not have the interests of our communities in mind when they vote.

Luke Messer, our representative in the 6th District, advocated and voted to kill Obamacare. I addressed several phone calls and emails to his office, and received nothing of substance regarding his logical/ethical thoughts on deconstructing Obamacare. I am no advocate of Obamacare. It has many faults. But, it was an existing policy to build upon.

On Messer’s website, he makes little mention of his reasons for advocating the American Health Care Act, only that, “This bill keeps protections for those with pre-existing conditions.”

I don’t believe that. But, for now, I will let Messer have that point, in that much controversy surrounds that issue. I do know this is a large issue in Indiana where 30 percent of Hoosiers under age 65 have pre-existing conditions (yes, folks we are rated among Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas and the other poorest states in the Union, topping the list of states with pre-existing issues, according to the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation.)

I do know that Messer threw we senior Hoosiers “under the bus” when he voted “yes” for this bill that allows insurance companies to raise premiums for those over 50 years old. And that’s not a matter of “will it happen,” it’s a matter of “when.”

A minimum of 24 million people could lose their health insurance. The future of Medicaid and Medicare are now in doubt. And millionaires will get an average annual tax cut of $50,000.

These are the “bare bones” of the American Health Care Act as I understand it, written nearly an hour after the measure passed. I am sure much more will become publicly known.

But, the question remains: Just who does our congressman Luke Messer represent? It’s not Indiana District 6.