The Country Curmudgeon: Ode to a good guy
By Roy Hicks
Thursday, August 27, 2009 10:48 AM PDT
Mike Simpson is currently a U.S. congressman in Idaho’s second congressional district, serving his sixth term. He was formerly an Idaho state representative for many years, the last six being speaker for the state assembly.
I used to write regularly to our Idaho representatives: former congressmen Helen Chenoweth, Butch Otter and our U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Larry Craig, expressing my concerns about current legislation.
Over the last few years, I’d relaxed because, although we’re a small state by census, I’d come to trust our four legislators as always representing my interests.
Mike represents the eastern Second District, but he has been supportive of everything concerning our entire state, including my own First District. He’s always voted the right way on every piece of legislation affecting our vastly conservative majority, which just barely missed being the fourth solid “red state” in the 2004 presidential election: the only blemish on our map being the blue bird-stain of Ada County where most of our liberals live.
I recently wrote to Mike regarding concerns about “Obama-Care Health Reform” and the underhanded gun-grabbing measures described last week (see “Another Sneak Attack,” Aug. 20, 2009). He responded as follows.
“I strongly oppose HR3200, the ‘America’s Affordable Health Choice Act of 2009’. HR3200 will cause millions of Americans to lose their current coverage.”
Exactly right, including me.
“At a cost of more than a trillion dollars, it would do little to reduce reduce the numbers of the uninsured.” And, “I will not support any legislation (which infringes on the Second Amendment).”
Right again for the vast majority of Idahoans.
The jury is still out on new First District Democrat Congressman Walt Minnick. At first glance, he seems to be voting the right way in resisting President Obama’s ghastly spending bills but has yet to weigh in decisively on Obama’s ruinous “Health Care Reform” ... essentially a dreary re-run of “HillaryCare,” which she surreptitiously (and illegally) tried to sneak by us in 1993.
Latest polls indicate an awakening majority of Americans fiercely resist “ObamaCare.” Most of them are afraid of a government takeover of the satisfactory insurance they already enjoy. Others (including GI’s wounded in battle) fear their VA benefits might be superseded by a proposal of “Well, they knew when they volunteered for service, they might get hurt. Now it’s up to their private insurance carriers to provide for their welfare and rehabilitation.” This is an unforgivable insult.
To Idaho and southeastern Oregon residents: If you have serious concerns, write to Congressman Mike Simpson. Trust me, he’ll do the right things.
Roy Hicks, a Payette resident, writes a weekly column for the Argus Observer. Comments or questions for Mr. Hicks can be directed to: Roy Hicks, Argus Observer Newsroom; 1160 S.W. Fourth St., Ontario, OR 97914. The views and opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily represent those of the Argus Observer
