The most salient question voters should be asking as they look at the candidates vying for their votes in November is, "Who has or will perform in the best interest and wishes of the voters?" While a candidate with a stellar personality is nice, a more important characteristic is the candidate's ability and willingness to represent their constituents' desires.
Too often voters use party to determine for whom they will vote. Sadly, using political party as the major criterion for decision-making is not the best use of someone's vote. A review of voting history on important issues and/or previous successes in their fields of employment are better indicators of how someone will act in the future.
By all accounts, Stell Parker Selby is a lovely person and is well liked by all who know her. However, in reviewing her history of accomplishments, I was hard-pressed to find anyone who could point to one achievement or project she was able to take from inception to completion. Instead of being a voice for her constituents, Stell is a dependable vote for her party no matter the issue.
As an example, during this last General Assembly, one of the most contentious bills presented was House Bill 350. This bill, meant to control healthcare costs, created the Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board, a panel of unelected, politically appointed members who will review, approve and monitor Delaware's hospital budgets. It is anticipated that the board will cost taxpayers $700,000 per year. The most outrageous aspect of this bill is that it was fashioned after Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board.
Created in 2011, Vermont's board was to lower healthcare costs for consumers without impacting access or quality. To date, this has not happened. Instead, according to Dr. John Brumsted, the former president and CEO of the University of Vermont Health Network, the largest hospital system in the state, the Green Mountain Care Board's negotiated hospital budgets have seen artificially low margins. In fact, recently some hospitals are experiencing negative margins. According to Dr. Brumsted, "If there's no margin in the hospital, there's no capital reinvestment. So there really hasn't been any investment in facilities, programs, rejuvenation or certainly innovation over the past several years." Is this Delaware's healthcare future?
In typical fashion, the Democrat-led General Assembly ignored their constituents and the experts. The current representative from the 20th District, Stell Parker Selby, followed her party's lead and voted for this ill-conceived bill. Is it because she didn't believe the experts or care what her constituents wanted? No one disputes that spiraling healthcare costs need to be addressed. But copy a plan that has failed? Further, why not listen to the experts who offered other options to lower costs?
Voters have a choice in November to elect a young, energetic, creative, independent-thinking representative in the 20th District. Nikki Miller possesses the desire and intellectual curiosity to listen to her constituents and the experts. This is what voters should demand of their representatives.
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