Tipton talks healthcare, energy with constituents in Pueblo West
There were some agreements, there were some disagreements.
By Kara Mason
‘AGREE’ and ‘DISAGREE’ signs were distributed to attendees at a town hall hosted by U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton at Pueblo West High School Thursday evening. The signs, not handed out by Tipton’s crew, became a staple of the near hour-long Q/A session.
When the conversation turned to healthcare, the bright red 8.5 x 11 inch papers noting difference of opinion spotted the auditorium and ‘boos’ broke out among those who disagreed with repealing the Obama-era Affordable Care Act.
“You’re going to kill people,” one man shouted from the middle of the auditorium.
Tipton said he will not support a replacement measure that does not cover pre-exhisting conditions or that didn’t support Coloradans residents that get heathcare from Medicaid. With the original text of Trump’s American Healthcare Act, Tipton said he would have been a no vote on the bill that ultimately was pulled for not having enough Republican support.
At one point the emcee of the event said he would not read the next question until “everybody calmed down.”
While healthcare was the most contentious issue at the town hall, several raised vocal concern when Tipton wouldn’t go as far as to support an independent investigation of the Trump administration’s alleged ties with Russia.
“The trail needs to go where the trail needs to go,” the congressman said of the ongoing congressional investigations.
Overall the hour-long event was civil — and covered several of the same issues as the teletownhall Tipton hosted earlier this year.
Tipton was met with green ‘AGREE’ signs when he talked about aspects of immigration, education, military and economic issues. Larger protest signs were disallowed from the event.
“If you’re born here, you are an American,” Tipton said when he was questioned about ‘anchor babies,’ or children born in the U.S. to immigrants seeking citizenship.
That one got a nod of approval and a wave of the ‘AGREE’ sign from the majority of the crowd.
Tipton also told attendees that he supports an ‘all above’ approach to energy, supporting specifically wind energy, as Vestas employs several people in Pueblo.
As the town hall came to end after more health care talk, Tipton addressed more questions from attendees before leaving through a back door.
PULP asked Tipton’s communications director why the Pueblo West location was chosen over a Pueblo location. The representative alternates, the director said. More town hall meetings across the district, which reaches from Pueblo to the Western Slope, will happen over the upcoming spring and summer months.
