U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus' first vote in Congress was quite ironic.
He had to face a challenge to the Grover Norquist pledge he signed not to vote for any bill unless it was matched with dollar-for-dollar tax rate reductions. By voting against Superstorm Sandy emergency funds, Rothfus tried to deny needed help to the infrastructure crisis in New York and New Jersey, along with 140,000 FEMA claims. Our new congressman apparently feels ideology is more important than the thousands of our fellow citizens who remain out of their homes.
“I agree that we need to do something to help people in disasters, but we also need reform to make sure that programs are adequately funded,” Rothfus said.
That statement was easier than speaking the real truth. What he should've said was: “I signed a paper from a private citizen not to vote for any funds from the government unless there were tax reductions of equal dollars and I didn't want to lose my Norquist ‘pledge pin' with my first vote in Congress.”
God help us if we have a natural disaster here during Mr. Rothfus' term that will require emergency federal funds. He'll have to vote against us just so he can keep his “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” to Grover Norquist. Think any congressmen from New York and New Jersey will vote to help us?
Raymond Anthony
Fawn Township
