Portman could profit from more tours

It is commendable that Sen. Rob Portman’s central Ohio tour of military-related institutions and facilities sustains his fight in Congress for Ohio’s military installations (“Defense tour heartens senator,” Tuesday letter). However, it would be equally commendable if he would tour Ohio’s hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities and talk to the medical professionals, other health-care providers and their clients before he opposes meaningful healthcare reform, as he did earlier this year.

It would be equally commendable if he would tour Ohio’s local government offices and speak with officials, employees, recipients of their services, and taxpayers before he votes on any tax plan that includes more tax cuts that starve needed government services.

It would be equally commendable if he also were to speak with these people about the need for infrastructure support before he votes on any infrastructure legislation. And it would be equally commendable if he would tour Ohio’s schools, colleges and universities, private businesses, government offices and social-service agencies and speak with their administrative personnel, students and employees about the overwhelming value of immigrants to them and this country before he votes on DACA or immigration reform. If he hasn’t done so already, there are so many tours he could do for the benefit of all his Ohio constituents and this country.

T.J. Feldman Columbus