Letter to the Editor: Make your voice heard to our elected officials

US Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa

(Decorah resident Julie Fisher has submitted the following Letter to the Editor):

Ten adults and four children attended the listening post on Wednesday in Decorah with Brittany Carroll, a staffer for Senator Joni Ernst at her Cedar Rapids office.  Ms. Carroll proved to be a very genuine, attentive listener and public participants were respectful in their discourse.

Concerns voiced covered these main areas: 1) requesting that senators speak out against war-like rhetoric and seek more diplomacy with other countries; 2) opposition to selling arms to Saudi Arabia to use in the war on Yemen; 3) the injustice of tax changes to benefit the richest; 4) the real causes of ever increasing medical insurance premiums, on the rise for the past 20 years, before Obamacare, the suggested solution being Medicare for All (this from a person who has been in the insurance business for 20 plus years); 4) the need to continue DACA so that children raised in this country will not be deported; 5) the benefits of our RSVP program in three northeast Iowa counties. 6) the extreme difficulty for parents of developmentally challenged children in navigating the system for obtaining services they desperately need. A mother brought her developmentally challenged child with her because she cannot find home nursing care for her child when she needs respite. Ms. Carroll attested that there is a shortage of nurses throughout Iowa in all venues. One gentleman stayed after to speak with her about a VA concern.

Hearing the thoughtful comments of fellow citizens is meaningful.  I strongly recommend that all come to these meetings whenever they are announced. I regret that no news reporters were present."

(Note: decorahnews.com was not notified about Senator Ernst's staffer's visit to Decorah)