An open letter to Todd Young

Dear Mr. Todd Young,

This year must be a whirlwind.

You announced your candidacy for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District and went toe-to-toe against Mike Sodrel and Travis Hankins, winning the nomination by more than 1,200 votes.

Though you went to Tea Party rallies across the 9th District (trust me, I was there for a few), you’ve managed to steer clear from the ultra right-leaning label, calling yourself more of a Republican “young gun” than a Tea Party sponsor.

Furthermore, I must give you credit. Your television ads, which have flooded this district since the semester began, are really scary. It’s no wonder FiveThirtyEight, one of the nation’s best political forecasting companies, has said this seat has a nearly 57 percent chance of switching parties.

The fear these ads convey scare all voters to support you.

But with all that aside, I want to get to know the real Todd Young — because I do know there is some good in everyone, no matter what kind of public image they choose to carry.

For instance, do you really believe Social Security and Medicare are forms of welfare? To support this argument, you did call these programs (primarily Social Security) a “Ponzi Scheme” this past summer.

This program has positively contributed to American society and benefits more than 36 million people at any given time. So how is this a “scheme?” Or maybe it isn’t. If this is the case, you might want to change your campaign website. You’re misleading your supporters, and you don’t want to be that kind of politician, now do you?

Also, do you really want to lead this district on what the Constitution exactly says, word for word? Your website says you believe in limited government, but while you’ve been on the campaign trail, you’ve said you are a social (and fiscal) conservative, claiming yourself as a ”marriage defender.”

Now fiscal conservatism is not a bad concept. Nearly all of the Democratic candidates are Blue Dogs as well, but your idea to take the Constitution word for word is unbecoming.

If this is the case, what year do you support? It has developed throughout the years. Does the original 1789 version suit you, or the one in 1865? What about the 1919 version, or even the 1992 copy? It’s unclear where you stand, and we (the voters) want to know.

Finally, why have you been avoiding the national press? It seems every news feature hitting the stands comes from traditionally right-leaning publications. Granted, it is working to your advantage, but sooner or later you’re going to have to face every side of the press.

If elected congressman, you won’t be able to choose which news organization you want to speak to. Every sentence you say will be under a microscope.

These questions are just the tip of the iceberg for me; I would love to sit down with you sometime before the election. I realize you’ve chosen not to thus far (because you’ve ignored my e-mails), but I do want to get inside that head of yours sometime.

Clearing the air for all constituents in this district will be nothing but a positive step for your efforts as a public servant.

Yours truly,
Drew Anderson


E-mail: dreander@indiana.edu