By State Rep. Marty Flynn (HD-113, Lackawanna County)
Town hall meetings have a long and storied history in our nation. When done right, they give everyday voters a chance to press politicians on their record — and tonight, Scranton gets a chance to ask questions directly to the President of the United States.
I know voters in northeastern Pennsylvania. We are thoughtful. We are curious. And we want to know how Donald Trump is impacting our daily lives. Here are a few questions I’d like to see the President answer tonight:
- If you wanted to make health care more accessible and more affordable for everyone, then why are you backing a lawsuit that would strip pre-existing conditions protections from nearly 5.3 million Pennsylvanians? Why would you support a lawsuit that would rip away health care coverage entirely from nearly 1 million Pennsylvanians?
- You promised that you wouldn’t go after vital earned benefits like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Why did you propose cuts to these programs in your budget? And why do you admit these programs could be on the chopping block in the next year?
- The middle class was supposed to get a tax break under your watch. Why did you sign a tax bill that gives the richest 400 families in the nation a bigger tax break than the bottom half of all working households? Why are 60 of the nation’s largest corporations paying nothing in taxes? Why does your tax bill make it easier to ship jobs overseas?
- Prescription drug prices continue to skyrocket. Why do you continue to side with the biggest insurance companies instead of working families?
- Jobs and wages for workers remain stagnant. Why did you block a minimum wage increase for nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians? Why are factories closing across the Commonwealth on your watch?
- The coronavirus is infecting more Americans every day. Why did you fire the White House pandemic specialist two years ago, and why have you tried to cut funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?
- You promised that you would make a deal to fix our crumbling roads and bridges. Why have you not delivered any progress on an infrastructure plan?
- If you wanted to put our students first, then what did you appoint a Secretary of Education like Betsy DeVos? Why have you proposed extreme cuts to public education funding and teacher training? Why have you made it harder for low-income students to prepare and pay for college?
Time and time again, President Trump has broken his promises by putting the needs of wealthy special interests and large donors above those of working families. Tonight’s town hall serves as an opportunity for the President to come clean about that record. It’s on us to make sure that happens.