Senator Todd Young's tour of Howard County on April 20, 2017, was a single meeting with officers of the Kokomo Grain Company, his true constituents -- male, white executives, espousing the ultra-conservative economic/political position which the Senator holds but rarely mentions in writing or in person (he never holds public meetings). I don't meet these criteria, and I wonder how many Hoosiers do, whether in Howard County or the rest of the state.
If you are one of Young's true constituents, know that he considers you, his echo chamber, as "the real frontline experts" (his words) on national issues. And so, like the Kokomo Grain execs, you'll affirm him in discounting objections to trickle-down economics and an obscenely inflated defense budget, getting rid of Dodd-Frank and EPA regulations, confirming Sonny Perdue and Betsy DeVos, and saying "no" to any requests/needs for public funds that you don't benefit from (e.g., SNAP, earned income tax credit, low -income housing programs, etc.).
If you're not a true constituent, too bad. Young has little regard for you, as he denigrates (and I quote again) even "visiting with the world's foremost experts who descend on my office."
Senator Young still has about 5 1/2 years to pander to his true constituents and ignore the rest of us. What to do? Work short- and long-term: Voice your objections now in phone calls, postcards, and letters both to him and to Republic Party officials. Raise cain with local and state Democratic leaders to ensure strong candidates and better alternatives in 2018, reelect Senator Donnelly and oust Young's fellow-travelers in the House, including Reps. Hollingsworth, Stutzman, and Rokita, evict the White House incumbent in 2020, and in 2022, fire Young.
(Bonnie Fisher, Bloomington, IN)