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Stefanik fails her district’s people

To the editor:

Congresswoman Stefanik has once again demonstrated that she does not vote in the best interest of her constituents, but instead votes along party line by voting “yes” to the American Health Care Act. This act would replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and would NOT be affordable for many people in the 21st District if enacted. Mostly the “winners” of the new act are wealthy people and young people with no pre-existing conditions. Mostly the “losers” of the act are lower-income people, older people, people with pre-existing health conditions, Planned Parenthood, hospitals and state governments.

What I find disturbingly ironic is that last year, Ms. Stefanik voted to not impose pollution regulations on power plants. Most of the acid rain, mercury deposition, ground-level ozone and other pollutants in the 21st District come directly from power plant emissions to the west. These pollutants cause a myriad of health conditions, which lead to more doctor visits, which means that it is essential that Ms. Stefanik’s constituents have readily accessible health care. Which Ms. Stefanik just voted to make less readily available. Many of the health problems will qualify as pre-existing conditions, which further impacts both availability and affordability.

I don’t think it is in the best interest of the 21st District to have a representative whose votes lead to more pollution and less affordable health care. It certainly makes me wonder just whom she is representing, and it seems pretty clear that we need a representative whose votes are governed by the welfare of the people who comprise her constituency, not by those who comprise her donors.

Cheryl Joyce

Saranac Lake

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