Letter: Two reasons to unseat Rep. Patrick McHenry

Graphic by Lori Deaton

A few weeks ago I called Congressman Patrick McHenry to express my support for a carbon fee and dividend program. I support such legislation despite the fact it is not radical enough to sufficiently address climate change. It is certainly better than nothing.

Mr. McHenry responded to my phone call with an email that mentions H.R. 3420 (The American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act) introduced by Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., last summer.

Mr. McHenry stated in the email that he does not support such legislation because he believes “a carbon fee would harm the best interests of the United States as well as American families and businesses.” Apparently, Mr. McHenry believes that one of the most conservative means of addressing climate change is against the interests of American families.

Mr. McHenry also stated the following in his email: “With a stagnant national economy, the absolute last thing American families need is to be burdened with skyrocketing utility bills.”

A stagnant national economy?

News outlets and Republicans are consistently trumpeting about how booming our economy is. So, Mr. McHenry, is our economy actually booming like your Republican comrades say it is, or is it not?

We need politicians in office that are willing to propose radical and even not-so-radical solutions to climate change, which is an existential threat to human civilization. We also need politicians in office that are authentic, can keep their story straight and speak the truth.

It is time to unseat Mr. McHenry.

— Clay Hurand
Asheville

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9 thoughts on “Letter: Two reasons to unseat Rep. Patrick McHenry

  1. luther blissett

    McHenry’s not going to be defeated. What’s worth doing — he’s in Riceville on Wednesday morning, dodging constituents who have day jobs — is getting him on record about his positions and whether as a supposed free-market “traditional family values” conservative he supports the policies and conduct coming from the White House.

  2. don

    The not so brilliant good people of WNC deserve McHenry….. just like they deserve TheRump whom they so ardently support. The rest of us -the gerrymandered ones- have to live with it. That’s the deal. Sad ;)

    • Enlightened Enigma

      all of us are gerry mandered in NC until they implement that everyone votes by the county they live in …. the simple solution.

  3. Mike

    I agree … unseat RINOs like McHenry, Tillis, and Burr and replace with REAL conservatives like Mark Meadows!

      • Mike

        Sure I am. Been voting for 50+ years. I’m the type of voter you guys want to ban from voting… Phd in Math, MS in Computer Science, former Army Officer, NRA life member, still making about $90K from working 1/2 time at age 72. Folks like me are indeed a definite threat to what you want …. But you can wait .. In another 10 or 20 years folks like me will be gone and will no longer try to prevent you from turning the USA into Venezuela :-) !!!

        • luther blissett

          Congrats on enjoying the benefits of being born in an economic boom, going to college when tuition was cheap, getting a taxpayer-funded salary and benefits, and then voting yourself tax cuts and expanded Medicare.

  4. Stan Hawkins

    Let me see now, Hmmmm. Affordable housing, living wage, paying for education, transportation, enforcement of our laws, equitable treatment under the law, integrity in local government, how am I going to care for Mom or Dad, healthcare, traffic, and oh yes I can’t find a place to park in Asheville, and why can’t we get rid of those monuments?

    Your topic proves just how out of touch you are.

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