In Wendy O’Connor’s letter to the editor published May 11, she complained that Congressman Erik Paulsen is a (President Donald) Trump puppet. (“What we have is a Trump puppet.”)

But I am most grateful to the congressman for his all-important vote in favor of U.S. House legislation to fix and replace the disaster known as Obamacare.

Even Minnesota Democrat Gov. Mark Dayton points out that Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable. Many hardworking American families are coping with huge yearly increases for healthcare premiums (59 percent in Minnesota in 2017 alone, on top of huge increases in earlier years). And yearly deductibles are as high as $30,000 for many income-earning families in Minnesota.

Making matters worse, insurance companies across the country have pulled out of the Obamacare program, leaving ever fewer choices to consumers, with spiraling costs. Additionally, many thousands of employers have been forced to reduce employees from full-time to part-time status, or off the payroll altogether in order to comply with heavy handed compliance regulations related to Obamacare.

Congressman Paulsen’s recent vote in favor of the American Health Care Act has been the most important vote he’s cast this year and Ms. O’Conner needs to understand that the congressman had to vote in favor of a fix for the American healthcare system, because it’s an absolute certainty that Obamacare is in a death spiral with a very short life expectancy.

Although the big government control freaks in Washington have supported Obamacare and all the control over our lives that it’s given them, Congressman Paulsen voted against them and the damage that Obamacare has done to Middle America, and in favor of a badly needed fix.

My thanks to the Congressman.

Vince Beaudette

Victoria