Letters to the Editor: Take Note of Reed’s Actions, Not His Words

Recently, Mike Sigler published an editorial (Tompkins Weekly, “Seat at the Table,” 7/30/18) regarding our elected congressman, Tom Reed. The editorial asserted that, even though Reed’s policy positions often differ from those in Tompkins County, he listens to the concerns of his constituents. I strongly disagree. Tom Reed hears, but he does not listen. You can tell by his actions over the past eight years.

Representative Reed puts on a persuasive show here at home, but his actions in the halls of the Capitol, away from home, fundamentally neglect what the 23 District wants. Reed has consistently voted in line with his corporate donors: bankers, pharmaceutical companies, and health-maintenance organizations. He hears, but he doesn’t listen to the people of this district who do not want burdensome student-loan debt to get an education, who want reasonable drug prices and affordable health care.

His opponent in the 2018 midterm election, Tracy Mitrano, will act on behalf of the entire 23 District. Raised by working-class parents in Rochester, Mitrano has been a resident of Western NY and the Southern Tier her entire adult life. She is a nationally recognized cyber-security policy expert, a former university educator and administrator, a lawyer and a parent. With her career devoted to helping people in higher education, she understands that bankers have no place making money off students. As a moderate progressive, she believes that everyone should have basic health care not only because it’s the moral thing to do, but also because basic health care for everyone is an effective and efficient approach to driving down medical and drug costs. She also recognizes the limited but essential role that government must play to establish a workable infrastructure, including high-speed internet, and she will protect the natural beauty of our district against predatory external interests that want to exploit it.

While Mitrano has made economic opportunity the cornerstone of her campaign, Tom Reed has turned a blind eye to the poverty of this district. The Farm Bill, for example, for which Reed recently voted, includes additional reporting requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These requirements are a thinly veiled attempt to get more people off food stamps – when, on average, 40 percent of students in this district are already on free and reduced lunch.

Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in our country. Collecting medical debt is Tom Reed’s family business. When you hear him talk about health care, recall that his family business directly benefits from the struggles of his constituents.

Reed’s gross misrepresentation of Mitrano’s views is meant to enrage, rather than engage, voters and stokes the flames of political polarization that has driven Americans apart in recent years. This is one of Reed’s favorite tactics. While Mike Sigler is a well-respected legislator in Tompkins County, it is unfortunate that he has also chosen to play us against each other.
Mitrano, a strong negotiator who is focused on the issues, has traveled throughout the district many times as a candidate and genuinely listens to the people she meets. She cares about all the people of this district – farmer and urban dweller, elder and younger – who have told her that affordable health care is the issue they care about most. If Tom Reed really listened to his constituents, he would not have voted against affordable health care plans at every opportunity. The fact is, in this race Tom Reed is the extremist.

If you want a congressional representative who actually represents your interests in Congress, vote for Tracy Mitrano on Nov. 6.

 

Claudia Wheatley
Dryden, NY