Stefanik giving up even playing at bipartisanship

I was dismayed to read that Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-schuylerville, recently voted against the Equality Act, a bill that would protect gays and lesbians from discrimination. I was further dismayed because she voted for the bill in 2019. Finally, it’s disturbing that she gave no rationale for why her vote changed.

As a woman married to another woman, this legislation directly affects me and raises questions. Is Stefanik no longer concerned about the discrimination my family may face? But in 2019, she was concerned?

In the past two years, the possibility of my family being discriminated against has not changed. What has changed is the makeup of Congress and who is in the White House. It appears that Stefanik changed her vote not because of any deepseated core belief but because she no longer sees any benefit in being bipartisan. Indeed, her recent votes are reflexively oppositional to anything the Democratic majority proposes.

These choices are wrong for two reasons. First, in Warren County, where I am from, residents tied in their votes when choosing between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Our county is more “purple” than she may realize.

Second, and more importantly, it is concerning that the civil rights of her constituents (my family) are not as important to her as sending political signals.

Stefanik’s recent calculations are wrong both politically and morally. In 2019, she demonstrated with her vote that she was bipartisan. Let us hope she returns to this mode of legislating again soon. Emily Hall Lake George