Post Star – Letter to the editor: Stefanik chose not to Fight for district
Jun 6, 2017
Editor:
Representative Stefanik sold out her upstate constituents. She tries to defend her vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), but it’s undeniable; this bill will deeply hurt our communities. Besides failing as a health care policy (which it does), the bill serves as payback for Rep. Stefanik’s donors.
At its core, this legislation is not a health care law at all. It is a tax cut. It’s not even a tax cut for the middle class. It is nothing more than a tool for congressional Republicans to provide tax benefits to their core constituency — the wealthiest 1 percent.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the bill transfers $275 billion from public health spending to the wealthy by repealing the 3.8 percent tax on capital gains for couples making over $250,000 (singles over $200,000) and the .9 percent wage surtax on the same groups. According to the Tax Policy Center, the top 1 percent would receive 40 percent of the tax savings.
Why would Rep. Stefanik provide a tax cut for the wealthiest of Americans, many of whom do not even live in her district, while at the same time cutting health care coverage and support for the sick, the poor, and the elderly?
Rep. Stefanik’s list of donors shows that most of her money comes from outside the district and from financial institutions. These groups will benefit from these tax cuts. Her district, her constituents, the vulnerable will not. What do they get? Worse care, worse coverage and more expense.
Brian Harrington, Cambridge