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Bob Rankin: We need honest compromise

Rep. Bob Rankin/For the Craig Daily Press
Colorado House District 57 Rep. Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale
Courtesy Photo

It seems that some crisis always is upon us. Our fellow Coloradans on the Front Range have suffered fires and floods of historic proportions. And now the federal government has shut down because of the debate on Obamacare. While we sympathize and pray for our fellow citizens and closely monitor the news on the shutdown, some crises affect our daily lives more directly than others. I’m proud of our state agencies, the National Guard and the federal resources that came to the rescue and support of flood victims, and I read with great concern the ongoing daily reports and developments.

But a greater crisis than flood or fire looms with the implementation of Obamacare. And this crisis hits those of us who live on the Western Slope of Colorado especially hard. The law will sink the country further into debt. Families are suffering as full-time jobs turn into several part-time jobs to make ends meet. The implementation process is failing as citizens try to access the exchanges at the federal and state levels. And the administration is exempting Congress, unions and large corporations. The law and its implementation are fundamentally unfair to small business and individuals and injurious to the economy.

The question is asked, is it worth a shutdown of the government to call attention to this crisis and possibly delay or repeal the disastrous law that a majority of Americans now view as a mistake? There are other approaches, including letting the implementation collapse under its own failures. How important would it be to avert a fire or a historic flood if that were even possible? This man-made crisis is bigger than these natural disasters and affects all of us.



My hope is that an even greater majority of Coloradans will realize the negative impacts of Obamacare as the shutdown continues and the implementation fails. If we all contact Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and other senators who refuse to treat Americans equally or delay the bill and let them know we will not vote for them in the future, perhaps they will listen and reach across the aisle to negotiate with members of the House. They owe us decent legislation, honest compromise and fair government.

Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, represents Colorado House District 57 at the state Capitol in Denver. HD 57 encompasses Moffat, Garfield and Rio Blanco counties.




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