Cole: Town Hall Takeaways
By U.S. Rep. Tom Cole
During the month of August, I had the opportunity to have conversations with hundreds of individuals across the Fourth District through town hall meetings, local business visits and other informal meetings. As we visited together at every meeting, there were several recurring questions and issues that came up, particularly those concerning the future of Obamacare, the National Security Agency, immigration reform and American military involvement in Syria.
The fact that Obamacare still exists weighs heavily on all of us, and the great unknown future of our healthcare system is a genuine concern that brings out the grand American spirit of speaking out and taking action. Over the last several weeks, there have been efforts made by some Senate and House Republicans to refuse passage of a continuing resolution if it includes funding for Obamacare. While this effort is well-intentioned and certainly speaks to the hearts of many Americans, it is a faulty tactic that will never work or ever receive support in the Democrat-led Senate or be signed into law by President Obama. Instead, it will force a government shutdown and adversely affect millions of hardworking Americans.
To review, we must remember that Obamacare has always been a Democrat-led and Democrat-imposed effort. No Republicans, in either chamber, have ever voted in favor of the law. In fact, ever since its passage in 2010, Republicans have continued to voice their opposition to the law, leading efforts to repeal it in full or in part. Currently, House Republicans have voted 40 times to repeal this flawed law partially or completely, and seven of the partial-repeal bills have been signed into law by the president. So we have experienced small victories in dismantling portions of the law, and the president even announced delay of the mandate requiring business to purchase insurance for their employees. We must continue similar efforts.
While I agree with the goal of defunding and eliminating Obamacare, I will not vote for a government shutdown because it will be catastrophic for our economy, troops and veterans, national security and numerous other government-funded organizations and employees. Shutdown will lead to lost jobs, military personnel and their families won’t get paid, and veterans will not receive their hard-earned and well-deserved benefits. Our national security efforts will be at risk because of weakened counterterrorism efforts, aviation security and cyber security. Closer to home, areas still recovering from recent disasters, including Oklahoma tornados and Hurricane Sandy, will not receive necessary relief funding. The same is true of federal fire fighters combating wild fires throughout the west.
I will continue to vote for the repeal of Obamacare, and I will continue to look for strategic ways to dismantle the law that will actually work under a Democratic-led Senate and president. But I will not sacrifice the livelihood of millions of Americans just to make a point that will only end in failure.
Another issue of concern to residents across the Fourth District involves the current role of the National Security Agency (NSA) and whether or not it serves its purpose of protecting our security. After the heavily publicized “whistleblower” incident with Edward Snowden, the country demanded answers and investigations into the work of the NSA and whether or not it sacrifices or infringes upon privacy rights. It is evident that there is an outcry to correct abuses in the program or eliminate the NSA altogether. The question that we must all ask is how much of our privacy are we willing to sacrifice for increased security? It’s a profound challenge to find the proper balance between protecting Americans from acts of terror and defending the civil liberties that our forefathers fought so hard to secure. Congress must act to find the right balance that respects our privacy and defends our people.
It was not surprising that many were eager to discuss immigration reform during town hall meetings. With recent debates in the Senate, many of you were ready to hear about what we can expect in the coming days. This is a discussion that is not likely to go away or get solved until we get serious about securing our borders and enforcing the laws already in place. While I am sympathetic to children of illegal immigrants because they are here at no fault of their own, I am not supportive of amnesty. Deliberate, illegal behavior cannot be tolerated or rewarded.
I cannot support the legislation that was recently passed by the Senate. And until I know what legislation will be presented in the House, I cannot promise that I will support or oppose it, but we must continue talking about the issue and find ways improve the current system.
The weekend before my Midwest City town hall meeting, we all watched the aftermath of chemical attacks in Syria, and we heard the president’s call for a military strike. After the president capitulated – and rightly so – and agreed to ask for Congressional authorization for a military strike, American voices united and made it clear that our nation should stay out of this civil war. This sentiment resounded during that last town hall meeting, and it has continued throughout every public and private meeting or casual encounter I have had since then.
I remain strongly opposed to involving our military in the conflict. When the president first proposed military intervention in Syria, I participated in numerous briefings and studied all of the relevant information regarding the situation before firmly joining the side of opposition. I was pleased when the president decided to listen to the American people and not force a vote on Syria or authorize a military strike there. Unfortunately, the president’s weak performance in this situation reveals a vacillating, indecisive commander-in-chief whose country lacks confidence in his leadership.
There were many other issues that we discussed throughout August, and these conversations will certainly serve as reminders to me as I represent the Fourth District in the various debates facing our nation in the coming months.