Hayworth Declines
By Jeffrey Page
Still no response from Rep. Nan Hayworth on what seemed like a fairly straightforward question following her recent Town Hall declaration in Warwick. “I want taxes to be lower,” she said. “Our mission is to cut federal spending.”
Very courageous, but I thought there would be more to it than that. So I dashed off an email to Hayworth asking her if she would please be specific.
You say your “mission” is to cut federal spending, I said, so how would you do it? Specifically, which federal programs would you cut back? And by how much? And which programs would you eliminate altogether?
In a piece for Zest of Orange, I offered her some possibilities. Would Haworth eliminate the Veterans Administration? NPR? Maybe Farm aid? Or Yellowstone National Park? How about the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, which provides milk, eggs and cheese to poor women and to their children younger than 5? How about cutting Congressional salaries? Social Security? Medicare? Medicaid?
It’s so easy for politicians to stand up with a microphone and tell us how profligate we all are if we fail to agree that spending must be cut. But isn’t it astonishing how reluctant the pols – Republicans and Democrats alike – are when someone raises his or her hand and asks for a little preciseness?
Hayworth isn’t the only politician to take the easy way out by refusing to name the programs that would have to go. But she’s the one whose House web site contains this invitation: “Learn my views on spending cuts and debt.”
Now, that sounded promising. Maybe there would be some serious answers at last, something a little more substantial than: Spending is bad, not spending is good. But I was to be disappointed. If you want to learn her views, she responds with: “Spending cuts and debt affect us all and dealing with these issues are [sic] important to my work in Congress.”
That’s her “view?”
That’s it.
Only in Washington could 19 words be the definition of one’s “view” on anything.
In case you wish more than 19 words, Hayworth invites constituents to contact her Washington office. Well, I tried that in March and got no response when I asked that dangerous question about naming the programs she would kill.
Meanwhile, this from a friend of mine. “I called Hayworth’s office in Washington out of concern for the new bill that would severely cut Medicaid and Medicare in the future…. I told [Hayworth’s aide] that as a constituent this is of great concern to me.”
The aide took his name and phone number and promptly never got back to him.
Has this happened to you when you tried to contact Hayworth at her local office (845-206-4600), or John Hall before her, or Sue Kelly before him? Drop me a line here at Zest with your thoughts about being taken for granted.
Jeff can be reached at jeffrey@zestoforange.com
Tags: Jeffrey Page
April 20th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
When state and federal governments reduce financial support (taxes) for local concerns such as schools and seniors it does nothing more than move that financial burden to a local level.
The need is still there and the mandates from the feds and state still need to be satisfied. Just another meaningless paper shuffle.
April 20th, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Jeff, both my husband and I contacted John Hall’s office a couple of times regarding issues of concern and we received prompt, personal, and relevant responses each time. Too bad Hayworth can’t or won’t do the same.
April 20th, 2011 at 11:47 pm
Jeffrey: And all of this surprises you how? The Republicans know their “positions” make no sense and have no real goals beyond the political one of perpetuating them. The Tea Partyers know this, too, which is why they keep pressing Boehner. Problem is, Tea Partyers will answer your question and you won’t like the answer. Nor will I, or a majority of Americans, which is why I’m glad most of their candidates seem to have IQs of 13. Which is why Obama is much more than the lesser of two evils. Hayworth is an empty suit.
April 21st, 2011 at 7:58 am
perhaps you could get a response by telling her that she’s been named a beneficiary in a will and all she has to do is respond or her name has been picked in a foreign lottery. Come Jeff, you can do it. you’ve been tracking down the shy and timid for years.
April 22nd, 2011 at 10:27 am
Bob, Push comes to shove, they’re all empty suits.