The following is a script used to call Representative Davis’ office in Washington today. He responded late last week to my initial correspondence indicating he agreed with me that Obamacare should be repealed and defunded. This is my response:

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Hello,

My name is Martin Wolske and I live at 1806 Clover Lane in Champaign, IL. Last week my wife and I sent a note about our 23-year-old son’s motorcycle accident this past week and the value of Obamacare that assures he is covered until 26. The response I received from your office begins the second paragraph by stating “I agree with you that we must repeal and defund Obamacare.” I am calling first to indicate that I strongly disagree that the Affordable Care Act should be repealed or defunded. As indicated in my first letter, I believe that it is an important first step towards affordable health care for everyone and must be supported. Second, I am calling to express my great frustration with that faction of the Republican party who have worked aggressively at the national, state, and political action committee level to sabotage this act. At the national level I find the votes to repeal the act nothing less than an attempt to cast doubt on the appropriateness of the act. Further, there has been a refusal to work across the isle to make modest changes to the act that would address minor problems that are creating problems, for instance on the part of churches, to provide appropriate care for their employees. At the state level, executive and legislative branches in several Republican-controlled states have found ways to disrupt or stop the work of navigators to help people understand the new act and make appropriate choices to take advantage to receive the care they are now eligible for. At the PAC level, 10’s of millions of dollars have been spent to fund campaigns to cast doubt on this important act. So when Representative Davis in his letter suggests this a failed act, I see instead a major effort of sabotage.

There was a time when I voted equally for Republicans and Democrats. However, today I see a major effort by a growing faction of the Republican party that is declaring war on the poor, as suggested by Jim Wallis and his colleagues at Sojourners. As a follower of Christ, I find this completely unacceptable. I ask that Representative Davis instead work to bring the best of Republican ideas to the table to inform better policy instead of joining with those forces that are destroying and sabotaging important programs that build a strong safety net for citizens of our country.