This letter was sent to my rep in the House:
Dear Representative Huizenga,
In your constituent newsletter of February 27, 2025, you included a poll asking what issues we, your constituents, are most concerned about. However, the poll options are worded in a way that my answers could be easily misconstrued. So, let me clarify the two things that are most important to me right now:
1. The number one problem in our federal government right now is government waste and fraud. However, do not think for one moment that I support the illegal activities of Elon Musk and DOGE. DOGE is actually the heart of the fraud that needs to be stopped. Despite swearing an oath to uphold and defend the constitution, Trump has done nothing but undermine it. We’re told that Musk’s takeover of multiple federal agencies, despite not having proper the legal authority to do so, is all about finding corruption. Yet, many of Musk’s and Trump’s first actions have been to fire the employees and close the agencies whose job it is to watch for and report on corruption. Those aren’t the actions of someone rooting out fraud. They’re the actions of people not wanting to get caught. Musk and Trump have routinely ignored legal processes and scoffed at the constitutional role of Congress in favor of implementing their poorly informed whims. They need to be stopped. Do not claim you are fighting fraud and waste when Trump and Elon continue to govern via bullying, bribes, and blackmail.
2. Since you wanted to limit responses to two issues, I will name protecting critical programs such as medicare and medicaid as my second priority. I would also add Social Security and services such as the US Postal Service to the list. Because the Republican party seems intent on cutting taxes for billionaires and corporations (an immoral and irresponsible plan in my view), it puts all of these programs at risk as you seek to balance those tax cuts. Medicare and medicaid provide an important safety net for our most vulnerable citizens. Social Security is sometimes called an entitlement but it is not. It’s a program I’ve been paying into my entire working life. Unless you plan to refund all of those decades of payments with interest, you should be making sure the program is stable and viable. Likewise, services such as the Postal Service are critical to our nation. And none of these programs should be privatized in any way, which would only make costs skyrocket for the average citizen.
Thank you for asking for my opinion.
Sincerely,
Rev. Kenneth Arthur