To the editor:

Per recent articles and letters, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is either a diehard Trumpster unfit to represent the 21st Congressional District, or a great choice for vice president. In fact, while sounding pro-Trump, her voting record and positions confirm she is a neoconservative likely to sabotage Trump’s agenda.

For example, on March 6 and March 22, Stefanik voted yes with Democrats to pass HR.1061 and HR.1102, two 1,000-plus page pork-laden Omnibus spending bills totaling over $1.7 trillion, thereby continuing wasteful and unconstitutional spending and adding billions to our national debt.

Stefanik also voted (7/13/23) against Amendment 226 to HR.2670 to prohibit more funding to Ukraine, although we’ve already provided $113 billion; voted (3/8/23) against HCR21 to remove troops from Syria, although we intervened without Congressional approval; voted (7/18/22) to support Finland’s NATO application, a costly entangling alliance increasing the likelihood of America going to war protecting 30 nations; and voted (7/14/22) against House Amendment 272 to HR.790 to prohibit deploying troops to Syria, although Congress never issued a declaration of war.

Stefanik voted (5/31/23) for HR.3746 to suspend the debt limit through Jan. 1, 2025, thus continuing reckless spending and debt; voted (3/29/23) against Amendment 144 to HR.1 to repeal Section 115 of the Clean Air Act which enables the EPA’s unconstitutional control over domestic energy; and voted (12/8/22) for HR.8404, repealing the Defense of Marriage Act that defined marriage as “only a legal union between one man and one woman.”

Stefanik is also a member of the House Climate Solutions Caucus described as “working together to combat climate change.”

Finally, Stefanik is a member of the Young Global Leaders program of the World Economic Forum headed by Klaus Schwab. Per Schwab: “The world must act to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies, from education to social contracts and working conditions. Every country must participate, and every industry, from oil and gas to tech, must be transformed. In short, we need a ‘Great Reset’ of capitalism,” i.e. global governance.

Although every member of Congress takes an oath to “support and defend” the Constitution, to me, it is obvious from their votes and positions that many ignore that oath. Stefanik is a good example. Under the Constitution, only powers enumerated in Article 1, Section 8 or elsewhere are legitimate. The 10th Amendment confirms that “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.” As James Madison explained in Federalist No. 45, “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce.” Further, Article 6 confirms that only those laws made “in pursuance” of (i.e. in keeping with) the Constitution, are legitimate. Thus, I judge the above votes by Stefanik to be unconstitutional, wasteful and contrary to her oath.

Clearly at odds with Trump, Stefanik would undermine the MAGA agenda and empower the Deep State.

Robert Dufresne

Rensselaer