To the Editor:

It is amazing how out of touch Elise Stefanik is with her constituents. She seems quite intelligent and certainly she has benefitted from the best education that money can buy; attending the exclusive Albany Academy for Girls in her hometown and then Harvard. Upon graduation she went directly to Washington where she has remained; the consummate DC insider.

It is sad that she treats the residents of NY21 as beneath her; not bright or educated enough to understand issues. Rather than an intelligent exploration of positions and differences, Stefanik repeatedly resorts to false claims and name calling to degrade her opponent Tedra Cobb. We recall Stefanik’s refusal to take the Post Star’s honesty pledge and the numerous times North Country papers have had to refute her falsehoods.

Stefanik is stuck on name-calling: “socialist”, “gun grabbing” and the tired, proven false “taxin’Tedra” claim. Stefanik sinks to the lowest politics, aiming to confuse and demean. She wants to instill fear with the “socialist” label. She thinks us simple minded; unable to understand that social programs that benefit hard working Americans are neither Communist, nor mean the loss of freedoms or private enterprise. Is Stefanik against all manner of socialist type programs? If so, then logic follows that Stefanik is after your Medicare and Social Security. Indeed, she has supported cuts to these very popular programs, upon which many seniors rely. She has also voted to take health care away from 64,000 North Country residents.

Our Constitution states that a purpose of the federal government is to “promote the general welfare.” It is hard to find anyone who thinks socialist programs like Medicare and Social Security, and our National Defense for that matter, are bad for our nation. But Stefanik’s words indicate that she thinks otherwise.

Tedra Cobb believes in government for the people and by the people. She does not accept Corporate PAC money. Stefanik acts as if government is for the wealthy and by corporate donor’s influence.

Tedra Cobb believes everyone should have access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare and with her legislative experience she understands that in working together, the best solutions are achieved. Tedra has pledged to protect Medicare and Social Security. Tedra is a gun-owning second amendment supporter who believes reasonable steps like universal background checks can help stem our epidemic of gun violence.

Unlike Stefanik, Tedra Cobb respects us. She has been our neighbor for over 30 years.

Peggy Wiltberger

Saranac Lake