An Open Letter to Congressman Hultgren: "Who Are You?"

Dear Congressman Hultgren,

When we vote for someone, we like to have an idea of what they believe. That’s why most of us always look first at what they do, not at what they say. Congressman Hultgren, using this measure it’s virtually impossible to know who you really are. 

First and foremost, we guess you’re a Republican because you vote 96% of the time with your Party.  Apparently, you’re not much of an independent thinker and not willing to go out on a limb.  Well, maybe that’s not fair, because you certainly bucked your party by voting to continue the Government shutdown (the only member of the Illinois Congressional delegation to do so.) Same with denying victims of Hurricane Sandy.  Not exactly noteworthy accomplishments though.

You say you proudly support veterans for the sacrifices they make to keep us free.  But, in reality, what you did was vote to cut food stamps, which many military families use to help feed their children.  And you supported the original Ryan budget, which would have effectively ended Medicare. (Veterans rely on Medicare for medical care in greater numbers than the general population.)

When it comes to disasters, people in Illinois can count on you to advocate for them. You co-signed that letter urging President Obama to declare the towns stricken by tornados in November as disaster areas. You said in your press release that “we are our brothers’ keepers …let’s do our part to care for them.” Unfortunately, the folks outside of your immediate geographic sphere of influence will apparently have to fend for themselves because what you did was vote against relief for those impacted by Hurricane Sandy. 

You also confuse us on the economy.  On the one hand, you sponsor and vote for a bill that increases the risk that financial institutions placing reckless bets on complex financial derivatives will receive another taxpayer bailout if those bets tank (again). But, you also voted in 2011 to end the Home Affordable Modification Program that was providing relief to homeowners in danger of foreclosure because of the banks’ misadventures. 

We’re even more suspicious when we find out that most of your derivatives bill was apparently ghostwritten by Citicorp, not exactly our idea of a friend to small business (as you claim to be).

Since farmers are so important to your district, let’s look at one more inconsistency: Despite your website telling us “this year in Congress, our top priority in agriculture is the passage of a comprehensive Farm Bill”. Yet, it appears that you and the rest of your friends in Congress can’t seem to agree on just what that bill ought to contain (other than more cuts to food stamps). So, now that you’re on vacation, forget that “top priority.”

An interesting conundrum.  But now that we think more about it, maybe we know exactly who you care about and where you stand.  It’s just not for a lot of us anymore.