Lynn R. Webster, M.D.

I recently received a newsletter from my congressman, Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah). While it touted many accomplishments, which I can appreciate, it also quietly sidestepped two serious issues that demand accountability. We cannot allow our representatives to polish their own images while ignoring the concerns that shape our safety, our democracy, and our health.

This letter is my attempt to push back, respectfully but firmly. Civic engagement must remain civil, but civility should never mean silence. Our democracy depends on citizens speaking up when our leaders fail to represent us. As Alice Walker, novelist and activist, reminds us: “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”

I urge you to raise your voice—whether you agree with me or not. Let your representatives know where you stand. Staying quiet only guarantees that others will decide for you.

Subject: A Balanced View on Violence and Health Care Coverage

Dear Congressman Moore,

Thank you for your recent newsletter and for keeping constituents updated during such turbulent times. I want to raise two concerns.

First, while I appreciate your acknowledgment of recent tragedies, I was troubled that your message did not also mention violence against leaders on the other side of the aisle—for example, the attempted abduction and assassination of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and the recent killing of a Minnesota State Representative and the injury of her husband. When political violence is framed as one-sided, it distorts reality and plants the seeds of further violence rather than mitigating it. Such selective condemnation fuels mistrust, deepens division, and risks normalizing aggression against those with different political views. If your goal is truly to “turn down the temperature,” then every act of violence, regardless of ideology or party affiliation, must be condemned with equal force. Anything less suggests tacit acceptance, and that is dangerous for our democracy.

Second, regarding the Affordable Care Act subsidies: if Congress allows the enhanced premium tax credits to expire at the end of this year, the consequences for Utah will be severe. Analyses project that as many as 80,000 Utahns could lose health coverage under the combined effects of subsidy expirations and related cuts (Utah News Dispatch, 2025). For tens of thousands of families, this would mean being priced out of insurance entirely. Is this truly the outcome you are willing to accept for your constituents?

I urge you to commit to condemning violence wherever it occurs, without exception, and to support policies that strengthen—not weaken—the health and security of Utah families.

I’ve shared this letter not just to voice my own concerns, but to encourage others to speak up as well. Our democracy is stronger when we engage in open, respectful dialogue and hold our leaders accountable.

I welcome your thoughts in the comments. More importantly, I urge you to share your own views directly with your representatives. Silence is a choice, and too often it’s the choice that leaves power in the hands of a few. Let’s not give up our voice.