Voters in other states should learn from us

I'm not surprised our national leaders are meeting with resistance when they return home.

Recently, we've seen televised reports of constituents shouting down their elected officials who serve on Capitol Hill. The two biggest issues seemed to be immigration and national health insurance.

"We love our (illegal) immigrants!" or "I wouldn't have health insurance if not for Obamacare" the picketers proclaim. Sigh. What a difference a month makes.

These may have been the first visits home after the President was in office for nearly a month.

What did these Republican senators and congressmen expect?

It was obvious during the campaign Mr. Trump would do exactly what he said he would do, if elected. Did the senators and members of Congress on Capitol Hill think he was just kidding, rip off a mask and yell "Surprise! Fooled you!" after the Inauguration?

House and Senate Republicans are in a pickle. They have three choices on their visits home: 1) Pretend the President doesn't exist, 2) Defend him and ask for patience or 3) oppose his actions and try to say he isn't really a Republican.

None of those options seem to be plausible and it seems they don't play well on the Main Streets of America.

However, there is hope in good ole Clay County, Indiana.

I attended a Republican Club meeting recently that I think demonstrates how politics in America should be conducted. State Sen. Jon Ford (38th district) was the featured speaker.

I didn't attend to watch him be attacked. I wanted to hear (and report) what he had to say.

There were no pitchforks and burning torches carried by the villagers.

Instead, a lively discussion ensued. Not everyone agreed with his positions but they listened while he explained his reasoning and they questioned him and one another on the issues he raised.

Most would agree that the office of the Indiana superintendent of public instruction and ISTEP+ are of interest, to put it mildly.

But, again, there was no shouting, there was no anger displayed, just a reasonable discussion.

Well done!

The congressman has attended public forums at local restaurants. No one yells, no one screams, he isn't picketed, even by those who probably didn't vote for him.

Compared to many Republicans and Democrats in the national media, Clay Countians are pretty much middle of the road, in temperament as well as beliefs, on issues that we can solve in Indiana.

During the presidential campaign, I heard a few cries of, "Why can't we just get along?" That remains a good question.

Anyway, I appreciated the way the Republican Club handled its discussion. I have found much the same attitude at local Democratic Party meetings and at the cracker barrel meetings I've attended.

The nation may giggle and smirk when they think of us "country-style" Hoosiers, but we have some good attitudes they should learn.