An open letter to congressman Tiffany

To the Editor:

Tom, this is no time for the House of Representatives to be on vacation! There is so much you could be doing besides preparing to run for higher office.

The government shutdown is not really about who to blame; it’s about food benefits and health care assistance, it’s about flight delays because air traffic controllers aren’t paid; its about any number of bad effects hurting ordinary people — right here in this district.

But first and foremost, there’d be no need for continuing resolutions if the Congress were doing its job preparing budgets in a timely manner. So why aren’t you all hard at work — right now — on an actual budget that can be passed without any more continuing resolutions? In fact, why aren’t you beginning to prepare next year’s budget — right now? This is when the process should be starting, not fighting over what wasn’t done last year.

Maybe you are not interested in budgets. There’s plenty of other work you could be focused on right now. Like protecting our republic from autocracy, or planning for the effects of AI on our economy, or reclaiming Congress’ authority over the way appropriations are used, or tariffs are levied, or wars are declared. Lots of serious stuff that we really need done, and that are part of your job!

Take your choice: there is more than enough to keep you busy working for the people. Please do something!

Gerald Anderson

Rhinelander