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Letter: Ochoa doesn't speak for everyone

Dear Editor,

In response to Dom Ochoa's letter ("McNerney didn't represent his district," April 2) that said Congressman McNerney didn't represent his district when voting on health care, I ask, "How does he know?" Did Mr. Ochoa take a non-partisan poll of the 11th District, which stretches from Stockton through Pleasanton and down to Morgan Hill? Did he phone everyone in the district or go out knocking on doors? Of course there was opposition.

But democracy is not based on who shouts the loudest, rather on the wishes of the majority. Far from serving Nancy Pelosi or Barack Obama, McNerney took a long and careful consideration of how he would vote on this legislation, not making his mind up until he had read the final version. I know because I spoke to him personally about it. If he did not represent the people of this district fairly, he would not have been re-elected.

As for the Health Care Bill, thankfully we have at least begun the reform process. Changes can be made as we go along and find out what is working and what is not. I can't believe the majority of the people in this area have the attitude, "I've got what I need so I don't care about anybody else." We are better than that.

Trudi Hartley