To the Editor:
The Star Tribune owes its readership an apology and must take some responsibility for the passage of the American Health Care Act (AHCA, aka Trumpcare) in the US House.
Rep. Erik Paulsen was endorsed for re-election in 2016 by this newspaper [1]. The editorial board told us “Paulsen has said he favors a nuanced, bipartisan fix on health care, which could make him a needed voice of reason in a Republican caucus that is fixated on just a wholesale repeal of the Affordable Care Act.”
Sure, Paulsen favored a bipartisan fix on health care when campaigning. He also said he didn’t support Mr. Trump.[2] Once re-elected he evolved quickly. His record, tracked at fivethirtyeight.com, shows Paulsen with a 100.0 percent Trump score.[3] This includes the recent vote for the AHCA.
May 4, 2017, the day Mr. Paulsen voted ‘yes’ on AHCA, I received an email from him stating:
“…any reform efforts should maintain important provisions that expand access to health care. These include protecting patients with pre-existing conditions, allowing dependents up to age 26 to stay on their parent’s plan, and prohibiting insurers from placing lifetime caps…”
Over 50 prominent organizations, such as AARP, American Medical Association, and the American Hospital Association,[4] stand opposed to the AHCA largely because it does not preserve these protections.[5]
In my opinion, the Star and Tribune should retract their endorsement of Erik Paulsen and in the future look with extreme skepticism on any claim he makes.
Clara McIver, Plymouth
Submitted to the Minneapolis Star Tribune May 5, 2017
- http://www.startribune.com/editorial-board-endorsement-erik-paulsen-earns-nod-in-third-district/399103721/
- http://www.startribune.com/trump-loses-support-of-minnesota-gop-leaders-including-u-s-rep-erik-paulsen/396411701/
- https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/erik-paulsen/
- https://cooper.house.gov/groups-opposing-republican-health-plan
- http://www.latimes.com/business/lazarus/la-fi-lazarus-gop-healthcare-macarthur-amendment-20170504-story.html