Rep. Roskam, do the people’s work

Rep. Roskam, do the people’s work

Recently we inaugurated President Obama for his second term. His speech referred often to “We, the People.” In this speech, the president pointed out, “Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time — but it does require us to act in our time. For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect.”

Rep. Peter Roskam voted on Jan. 15 against the HR 152 Disaster Relief Appropriations Act. This legislation was for Hurricane Sandy relief and Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie spoke candidly and publicly about the shameless, do-nothing politics of the Republican led House of Representatives when they initially adjourned before taking the legislation to a vote.

The next act we can anticipate is games about raising the debt ceiling (something which we have never failed to do) — a process that, at the minimum, will cause uncertainty around the world over whether the U.S. will pay its debts on time. Americans cannot continue to tolerate representatives who substitute “absolutism for principle.” Representative Roskam, do the people’s work.

Lane R. Reed

Glen Ellyn