Dear Editor,
Did you get a card in the mail from Congressman Reed stating erroneously that “Martha Robertson doesn’t support our second amendment rights”? Robertson signed a pledge with the New York State Sheriff’s Association to repeal the Safe Act last winter. As a Tompkins County Legislator she voted against the Safe Act.
This kind of campaigning happens when a candidate (Reed) has nothing to run on and turns to lying to the public. Another card from the Reed campaign came this past week stating Robertson supported the cuts that were made to Medicare Advantage programs. She did, and for good reason.
Our tax dollars were going to private insurance companies who could well afford to offer these policies. The program was started under the Bush administration and there was never really a need for our tax dollars to be used to subsidize private insurance companies.
Reed ignored the fact that the Paul Ryan republican budget – which he voted for – used that cut to propose the same reductions in Medicare Advantage but for different purposes. The Ryan budget wants to use it to create tax cuts for the rich. Those cuts are now being used, appropriately, as an off-set to the Affordable Care Act, thereby strengthening, not weakening, Medicare the much needed program for seniors.
Martha Robertson is a clear-headed, experienced legislator, energetic and honest candidate. Working families and indeed all of us in Tioga County need a representative in congress with these attributes.
Patricia J Bence
Owego, N.Y.
