TO THE EDITORS:

This letter is a response to our congressman, Mr. Joe Pitts, and his anti-Affordable Care Act tirade in his column to constituents.

I am stunned by the hypocrisy of the "Yes, it's a tax" headline in reference to the mandate that some Americans be forced to buy health insurance so that everyone in this country has an affordable option to obtain care and wellness, just as Congress members do.

His column makes me wonder if he lives in some privileged vacuum where large deductibles and preexisting conditions don't exist. What is his answer to his constituents as they hold bake sales and set up extra change jars at the local market to help a desperate family with a sick child make ends meet?

Really, is petty, partisan politics the best Mr. Pitts can do? Maybe it's time for him to retire and give someone else a chance. It doesn't matter if they are Republican or Democrat. We need a representative in Washington who has a pulse on our community. A representative who wonders how the wealthiest country in the world can turn away a sick child or how the wealthiest country in the world can stand by and watch a family go bankrupt and lose their home to pay for cancer treatments.

It is time for a change, Mr. Pitts. Time to find a fresh replacement with new ideas and a positive outlook. No worries for you when you finally step down. Your continued health care will be on us. And, yes, it's a tax.

Ellen Roth

Lititz