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Our view: Embrace progress made by women in athletics

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Their view: Independent commission should be considered for Russian affair

<p>SCRANTON &#8212; U.S. Senator Bob Casey returned to his hometown on Sunday for a town hall meeting to give his constituents an opportunity to provide input and voice concerns about issues impacting their lives. &#8203;</p><p>Several issues immediately rose to the surface, as many of the approximately 200 attendees assembled at Lackawanna College asked questions on issues ranging from healthcare to taxes to Russia&#8217;s possible interference in the presidential election.</p><p>Casey, a democrat whose democrat father served as governor of the state from 1987 to 1995, toed the party line, but also encouraged cooperation between Republicans and Democrats, saying his door was always open to fellow senators on both sides of the aisle for discussion on matters affecting the country.</p><p>Lotti Schultz, a 57-year-old factory worker from Pittston, said she was attending because of her concerns about several issues.</p><p>Schultz said provision of health care, Social Security and the availability of social services become more pressing as one gets older.</p><p>&#8220;Put them in a basket and pick,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Each are equally important.&#8221;</p><p><ins>Schultz said she believes it is the duty of Americans to participate in the political process.</ins></p><p><ins>&#8220;We need to get involved, and not just on the presidential level,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We need to be involved in local government, in our own boroughs and townships.&#8221;</ins></p><p>Many attendees asked Casey to elaborate on his views about actions taken by President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration during its first 100 days.</p><p>Casey said he believed that Scott Pruitt, appointed by Trump to head the Environmental Protection Agency, was a poor choice.</p><p>Deep cuts to the EPA proposed by the administration&#8217;s 2018 budget, Casey said, would demolish environmental safeguards guaranteed to the people.</p><p>Quoting the state constitution, Casey said, &#8220;The people have a right to clean air, pure water and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. The state&#8217;s public natural resources are the common property of all people.&#8221;</p><p>On the appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, he said the voice of the people had been heard despite her confirmation.</p><p>&#8220;When the vice president of the United States has to cast a tie breaking vote &#8212; well, it was an embarrassment to the administration,&#8221; he said.</p><p>In response to a question about the legality of abortion, Casey said people on both sides of the issue &#8220;have much in common. Both sides want to ensure that women have safe and healthy pregnancies, that children are supported before and after birth.&#8221;</p><p>Casey also pointed out that a significant percentage of pregnancy-related health services are funded by Medicaid.</p><p>&#8220;And yet the current administration wants to cut funding for Medicaid from many who need it the most,&#8221; he said.</p><p>In answer to a question about the Affordable Care Act, Casey admitted that the legislation and structure of the act was less than perfect.</p><p>&#8220;The answer isn&#8217;t to repeal the Affordable Care Act &#8212; it&#8217;s to modify it, to address such issues as high deductibles and co-payments,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Attendees were passionately divided in opinions about that legislation.</p><p>Kim Krupka, of Bethlehem, said that under the legislation, her premiums went from $9,000 a year to $24,000.</p><p>&#8220;Sure, they make things like birth control available,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But, I&#8217;m not worried about birth control, I&#8217;m worried about asthma treatment for my son. I think we should do exactly what Trump said we should do &#8212; repeal the Act.&#8221;</p><p>Rosie Davitt, of Scranton, also has reservations about the ACA, but believes it should be corrected and not repealed.</p><p>Debbie Skripkunis, of Exeter, said the ACA made health care possible for several members of her family.</p><p>&#8220;My husband has a pre-existing condition which did not disqualify him from health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act,&#8221; she said. &#8220;That was so important.&#8221;</p><p>Throughout the event, attendees held placards with the words &#8220;agree&#8221; or &#8220;disagree&#8221; on them, holding them up to let Casey know when they felt strongly about an issue.</p><p>On several issues such as Russia and the ineffectiveness of the Trump administration, &#8220;agrees&#8221; went up across the theater.</p><p>On other issues, such as restrictions on abortion, many &#8220;disagrees&#8221; went up.</p><p>What was significant to Schultz, she said, was not the agreement or disagreement, but the willingness for people to engage in the political process and that a lawmaker was willing to fully hear them.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Attendees listen to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey speak during a town hall meeting Sunday in Scranton. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_casey2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Attendees listen to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey speak during a town hall meeting Sunday in Scranton. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_casey3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Town hall attendees held up placards to show Casey their agreement or disagreement on certain issues. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_casey3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Town hall attendees held up placards to show Casey their agreement or disagreement on certain issues. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_casey1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Attendees listen to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey speak during a town hall meeting Sunday in Scranton. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_casey1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Attendees listen to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey speak during a town hall meeting Sunday in Scranton. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Town Hall attendees share concerns on many issues with Senator Bob Casey