Hello Peter,

This is a response to your March 24 column, “An open letter to Rep. Cliff Bentz.” And let me just ask you, Peter-what happened to you?

Did you know that while you were in the Oregon Legislature from 2005 to 2017 that our state budget grew from $42.37 billion to $68.98 billion. Let me just add that in your 12 years of public service, you and your party were in the majority for eight of those years. During your tenure, you supported tax increases, cap-and-trade, and regulations that have helped drive businesses out of Oregon.

Should I begin to question whether you are a man of strong principles, as you did to Congressman Bentz? Should I begin to question whether you upheld your constitutional oath as you did to Congressman Bentz, just because I disagree with you politically? I won’t do what you did to Congressman Bentz, Peter, because I believe in taking the high road.

I’m sorry that you feel so strongly about Congressman Bentz supporting the Department of Government Efficiency and being fiscally conservative — something, you could not do while you were in the state Legislature. Congressman Bentz is fighting for people like me — young people who care about our future. He understands the danger we are facing by continuing to waste our tax dollars on unnecessary spending.

Do you support USAID spending $2.5 million on electric vehicles in Vietnam, $6 million for tourism in Egypt, $1.5 million to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia, and $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia? Do you think that is necessary spending, Peter?

I find it ironic that you have the audacity to say, “Elon Musk’s destruction of USAID is even worse … his reckless cutting of foreign aid programs has not only impacted farmers in our district and around the state.” Yet Peter, you supported cap-and-trade policies while in the state Legislature that would have hurt farmers far more in our district than cutting wasteful spending from USAID.

Let me repeat that: You supported cap-and-trade policies while in the state Legislature that would have hurt farmers far more in our district than cutting wasteful spending from USAID.

Congressman Bentz ended up walking out of the state Senate in 2019 to protect our farmers and ranchers in Oregon from the devastating impact of cap-and-trade.

I can tell you that Congressman Bentz is a man of strong principles and integrity. After working for him and knowing him for five years, he’s a person I look up to you and see as a role model. Keep in mind, Peter, that Congressman Bentz won reelection by 32 points.

Cliff Bentz has not changed since he was in the state Legislature. Maybe you have.

———

Tanner Elliott is chair of the Young Republicans of Oregon.