Dear Editor,

Going to a Town Hall meeting to hear your Congressman is good because you get a lot to think about. The problem comes when you are thinking when you really want to be sleeping. Rep. Marshall brought good news: the stock market is way up, our IRAs are doing great, and unemployment is way down. We learned that the recent tax “reform” law will put a couple thousand extra dollars in the average man’s pocket for a few years. That’s good. Companies and corporations (whose stocks were up already) that received the greatest (permanent) tax breaks, are now giving dividends to stockholders, raises to their employees, and bonuses to their executives. That’s good. Tax-relieved companies and corporations with overseas operations might bring them back to the USA, hopefully — but they are not required to.
Yes, this tax reform does add over a TRILLION dollars (that’s with 12 zeros) to the national debt. Not so good. But, not to worry, our economy, which has only been growing at 2 percent will now grow 3 percent, which will generate over a TRILLION dollars!! Oh, that must be okay, then.
What about Medicaid expansion and other “entitlements” like food stamps, and welfare programs? Medicaid expansion would cost over a TRILLION dollars!! That’s bad. Definitely, too much. Must be cut back. Here is where I lost sleep asking myself, “where does Medicaid money go, actually?” The vast majority of Medicaid recipients are children and elderly people. Medicaid money goes to local hospitals, doctors, nursing homes, and home health caregivers. It provides jobs and pays wages for local, hometown people who provide these services. Perhaps wages for these service providers could be raised a bit? Food stamp and welfare money is spent locally, which helps our local economy. That might not be so bad.
Chain immigration — families bringing family members to join them in a new country — which our country’s forefathers and foremothers have been doing since the beginning of our country, is now considered bad and must be stopped. But communities like ours have lost population, and now want and need more people. People with family connections make good residents, and people with children help our schools stay open, and our local economy is improved with more people starting businesses and spending money. That’s good, isn’t it?
Perhaps I need to do less thinking and more sleeping?

Dee Anne Grummon
Great Bend