Dear Rob Bishop: Quit Wasting Time.

The House of Representatives, continuing it's policy of wasting everyone's time, voted yesterday, yet again, for the 56th time, to repeal "Obamacare."

Washington Post Columnist Dana Milibank had a great take on it today -- these votes are so pro-forma that even the Republicans are bored. (click)

With Congress  up to nothing, I was inspired to write to my own congressman, Rep. Rob Bishop, who I used to think had his heart in the right place, at least, but now I'm not so sure.

Still, you go to war with the congressman you have, not the one you want.  Here's my letter. If you want to do the same, click on this link ---- LINK --- and do the "contact me" thing.

Dear Rob,

I note with some dismay that the House of Representatives voted, yet again -- 56 this time? -- to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

I assume you voted for it because news reports say all the GOP voted for it. Whether you did or not, I have to express my dismay that you guys are, once again, wasting time.

There is lots to do, but all I am seeing is these time-wasters. Abortion bills, pipeline bills, this. Really?

May I please note that the late and much honored Betsy Lockhart, former Speaker of the Utah House, was one of the signers of a letter to the editor in your local paper, the Standard-Examiner, calling on Congress (which means you) to approve some sort of Immigration Reform?  This letter ran in the S-E last year. It was signed by all the leaders of both houses of the Legislature. So far you've done nothing.

I note the GOP is adamant to oppose President Obama's own steps in this regard, but I have yet to see House GOP counter-proposals.

Congress has yet to take action on the military situation in the Middle East. President Obama is sending increasing levels of involvement back to Iraq, and back to the Syrian-ISIL areas, and it is Congress' role to approve or deny him the power to do this.

I strongly believe we should not be involved at all,  that we should pull our forces out and let the middle eastern nations deal with their own mess. I am extremely distressed that Congress seems to be OK with letting the President do whatever he wants over there.

It doesn't matter what I think, it does matter what Congress thinks. When will you act?

As to the ACA/Obamacare, there are several reasons why I wish you'd find something else to do.

For one, it is NOT federal health care.  I wish it were and that it were a single-payer system. If the GOP were to propose replacing it by dropping the eligibility age for  Medicare to zero, I'd vote GOP for the rest of my life.

Absent a replacement, may I note, Rob, that I am on the Union Station Foundation board of directors in Ogden. We run Union Station for the city. We employe a number of people at Union Station, none of whom we can afford to give benefits.

Several of them now have medical insurance because of the ACA.

A couple weeks ago my wife and I had dinner at Two-Bit Street Cafe on 25th Street, and I strongly urge you to give it a try next time you're in town. The food is excellent and the owners, Penny and her husband, are a strongly local business, dedicated to making it on their own, pillars of the community.

While eating we chatted with Penny, who said she finally, at last, has been able to buy medical insurance, "Thank you Obamacare," she said.

So if you are going to repeal the ACA, Rob, please come to Union Station and tell our employees that you are canceling their medical insurance. Then go over to Two-Bit Street, have lunch (I'll buy!) and tell Penny the same thing.

I might suggest telling her after she cooks your food. When she gets mad she doesn't do her best.

Charlie Trentelman