Lawmakers respect our thoughts

We will never agree with every vote made by our state representative and senator.
To expect that would be unrealistic. There are always going to be some issues on which we differ.
But we’re lucky in Jay County to have legislators who are ready and willing to listen.
Rep. Greg Beumer (R-Modoc) and Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle) are accessible.
Beumer stopped into The CR office a few weeks ago to chat about the first half of the legislative session. And Holdman was more than willing to give of his time over the phone.
But it’s not just the press they’re willing to talk and listen to.
Both legislators put out an annual survey, and they take to heart its results.
This year the Republican-dominated General Assembly is moving to remove State Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz as chair of the State Board of Education. But Beumer voted against that measure.
He did so, in part, because the results of his survey showed area residents are against such a move by a 55 percent to 34 percent margin. (About 10.5 percent said they were undecided.)
A year ago, Travis Holdman was in favor of a constitutional amendment to define marriage in the state of Indiana as a union between one man and one woman. But he didn’t come to that conclusion lightly.
He listened to constituents on both sides of the issue at a Third House Session in Portland and consulted at least one member of the clergy in his district to help him work through some difficult questions.
It’s a difficult task to represent the interests of thousands of citizens. No legislator is ever going to make everyone happy.
But Beumer and Holdman listen to what we think and respect our opinions. In representative government, it would be hard to ask for more than that. — R.C.