Lauren Boebert is toast
Boebert doesn’t seem bothered that her actions are making things harder for families, seniors, workers, and farmers, ranches, and small businesses across western Colorado. She should be.
Those of us in Chicago know a thing or two about elections. We know that voters’ choices are complicated and personal. Sometimes we really like a candidate. Other times we want to send a message. We know that partisan loyalties matter. Sometimes we get things wrong and elect a crook. Sometimes we elect a guy who immediately lets the office go to his head and just as quickly forgets the rest of us.
There’s a big difference between Chicago and western Colorado. The issues people face in Grand Junction, in Pueblo, in Durango throughout the San Luis Valley, in mountains town, on ranches and farms differ from the ones we face in this big city. But we share a common fate. And sometimes we both elect folks who end up sticking it to us.
The good news is that, unlike some big New York law firms and universities, those of us in the middle of the country aren’t so easily bullied. When politicians turn their backs on us, we tend not to beg them for favors and opt instead to throw them out.
That’s something for Lauren Boebert to think about. I’m not second guessing the 546-vote margin that sent her back to Congress. Usually, a narrow victory like that means the pol pays more attention to voters, not less. But just like those guys we sometimes elect here in Illinois, Boebert doesn’t seem bothered that her actions are making things harder for families, seniors, workers, and farmers, ranches, and small businesses across western Colorado.
Photo Credit: Phelan M. Ebenhack/ AP
Health Care. Boebert’s district has the highest percentage of Medicaid enrollees in Colorado. Nearly one in three -children, seniors, people with disabilities, and working families- depend on Medicaid for basic health care. Slashing Medicaid threatens to take coverage away from over 100,000 people in western Colorado. Everyone else will be impacted as rural clinics lay off staff and close their doors.
Jobs and the Economy. Those same Medicaid cuts cost Colorado up to 14,000 jobs and over $1 billion in economic activity. That’s not just hospitals and clinics-it’s local businesses, too. When people lose coverage, they stop spending, and the whole economy suffers. Meanwhile, farmers and ranchers are losing overseas markets, first because of the gutting of USAID then because countries are slapping the US with tariffs in response to the ones we put on them. Those tariffs are now creating shortages and renewed inflation, so everyone gets hurt.
Roads, Bridges, and Safety. Federal cuts impact state spending, and those cuts less money for roads and bridges. Projects are being delayed or canceled, making it harder and less safe to get to work, school, or the grocery store-especially in mountain and rural areas. Local governments are losing grants for revitalization and transit. These hit small towns hardest.
Public Lands and Recreation. Forests and parks are a big part of what makes western Colorado special. But federal cuts put that at risk. The White River National Forest, which is vital to the Western Slope economy, lost 43 full-time staff (a 29% reduction) and will not hire 50 seasonal workers this year. That means less oversight, more trash, and fewer safe, accessible places for families and tourists alike.
Social Services and Education. Food banks, job training, and senior property tax help are all on the chopping block. Higher education funding is barely keeping up, and tuition is set to rise. Workforce programs for young people are being slashed. Instead of creating opportunities for the future, these cuts create new burdens the country will bear in the years ahead.
Weather. Farmers need to know when to plant and when to harvest. Cuts in the National Weather Service and at NOAA are already making weather forecasts less accurate. Farmers are already reporting that this has forced decisions that negatively impact crop yields.
The folks in western Colorado didn’t vote to push for cuts that hit communities like theirs hardest. And like those of us in Illinois, who have elected our share of fools, they know how to send folks packing. Ms. Boebert isn’t alone. There are a handful of representatives in Congress who got there by small margins and promptly sold out their constituents. No wonder Speaker Johnson wants to make it harder to vote.