To the Journal editor:

I am writing regarding the ads run by the campaign of “Dr. Dan Benishek.” I know Benishek and would call him a nice guy and a good doctor although he is no longer practicing medicine. The white coat and the stethoscope look impressive but are not really relevant to the present.

Dr. Dan has stated repeatedly he went to Washington to warn of “the dangers of Obamacare” and that “Obamacare is hurting Michigan.” He provides no evidence to support his statements.

It seems that providing health insurance to a half million people in Michigan that did not previously have insurance would not be a bad thing, so I really don’t think that he has reasoned this through.

He states he has tried to protect Medicare and Social Security for the future. Unfortunately his voting record would suggest otherwise.

He has voted for the “Ryan budget” that actually suggests privatizing Social Security and eliminating Medicare in favor of a voucher system to help seniors pay for private health insurance … certainly not at all what he says he is doing.

He has an ad which is very nice, appearing with his grandchildren and recounting all of the opportunities he had as the child of a widowed mom who succeeded in his pursuit of a career in medicine despite all of the odds against him.

He states in this ad that he wants to provide similar opportunities for the children of his nation. Unfortunately, in a recent 8-18 media interview when the kids asked what he would do to help ease the burden of student loans he answered that “not all kids need to go to college.” In other words, he wants all kids to have the same opportunites he had except he doesn’t.

And who could forget the photo op of the good doctor, standing on the steps of the World War II veterans Memorial after he and his party allowed the government to shut down, blaming the shutdown on the president.

This seems to set the tone for Dr. Dan: put on the “moderate” costume during the elections while pursuing a radical agenda favoring the wealthy and those who would dismantle our social safety net rather than supporting programs that would actually help his constituents.

These are a few of Dr. Dan’s inconsistencies. When you go to the voting booth this November, remember that politician’s actions speak much louder than their empty words.

James R. Addison

Marquette