Bauer letter: Betsy DeVos

The historical confirmation of billionaire Betsy DeVos as secretary of education represents not only the embodiment of partisan politics but also a classic example why Washington is broken. Senators were overwhelmed with e-mail, phone calls from their constituents to not confirm DeVos. There were also petitions signed by tens of thousand opposing DeVos. Sen. Mike Crapo attended the committee hearings in which DeVos demonstrated her lack of knowledge and experience in terms of public education. It was also discovered she may have plagiarized material she submitted for her vetting process. Despite the fact that DeVos was demonstrably not qualified or fit for the position, Crapo and Sen. Jim Risch supported her confirmation. Politicians are quick to point out that they know what the American people want. In this case it was ignored. Instead, it was money that talked, and Crapo and Risch listened. Support works two ways. If our senators cannot respect the will of the people and support those they represent, maybe the voters should consider who they support.

This story was originally published February 23, 2017 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Bauer letter: Betsy DeVos."