To the editor:
George Puzey writes that a straight-line Republican vote is the best choice come November 6. We’re writing to suggest that is the absolute worst thing you can do; it would be a vote against your own interests.
Puzey offers many party-line reasons for voting Republican, suggesting he has been one-sourced or does little research. It would take too long to look at each of Puzey’s assertions; we’ll only look at two and then offer a personal interaction we’ve had with Claudia Tenney as an example of Republican action and inaction.
First, Puzey implies Dana Balter wants to raid Social Security and Medicare. Absolutely wrong, but we ask him to provide evidence if he can. Balter seeks to expand health coverage, and who is it that has worked to tear down Obamacare, which had at one point covered about 57 million Americans. Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell have publicly said they want to cut Social Security and Medicare to save money to cover excesses of the recent tax bill. Look it up.
Second, Puzey blames Democrat Chuck Schumer for not negotiating with Republicans over the tax bill and praises John Katko and Tenney for voting for it. Did their vote help you? Business Insider recently wrote, “Over time the TPC said, more benefits would skew toward wealthier Americans — 65.8 percent of the total federal tax benefit would go to the top quintile.” So be happy with expediency — short time tax gains which will be phased out — while the rich get richer with no phase out. Look it up, and look up where Tenney and Katko’s campaign funds come from as compared to those of Balter and Brindisi.
Now, our interaction with Tenney. Early in her tenure, we asked for evidence for several of her assertions. First, where is the evidence of paid protesters who might attend a real town hall meeting? Her response? Crickets. Also, we asked for evidence to support her assertion that 90 percent of her constituents wanted Obamacare repealed. The response given over and over was “We’re working on it.” As of today, nothing.
We recently received a mass mailing from Tenney. In a rare moment, it contained citations to her assertions. Looking up the citations, we found nothing resembling evidence to back her statements. Tell a lie, tell a big lie, tell it often and people believe.
So, Mr. Puzey, we suggest that you do some research and do some serious reading about where this country is really heading. You might begin with Tim Snyder’s “On Tyranny,” and Madeleine Albright’s “Fascism, A Warning.” Then perhaps, your letter to the editor will better reflect opinion based on real facts instead of fiction.
Jim and Carol Coufal
Cazenovia
