I voted for Trump, but I need Ashley Hinson to support the American Families Plan

I’ve lived in La Porte City my whole life, and I’ve always worked hard. I served my country in the Navy when I was younger working as a sonar tech on a submarine, and then worked construction after. The money was never great, but I’ve managed to get by. During the pandemic, it was difficult to find construction work, so I decided to pull myself up by my bootstraps and start my own construction business.

I never thought I would be living paycheck-to-paycheck at age 49, but I am. I do manual labor until at least 7 p.m. every day, but only make about $2,200 per month, which comes out to about $26,400 per year. Things would get better if I could hire another employee so I didn’t need to do all the work myself, but workman’s compensation insurance costs $3,000 plus a monthly fee, and I just can’t afford it right now.

I’ve fallen behind on most of my bills, and I’m constantly stressed about money. At this point, I try not to eat during the day in order to save money on groceries, even though I’m building porches in the heat with my hands. I have to use most of my grocery money just to cover the cost of gasoline for my truck, which I use for work. Since I don’t even have enough to cover the basics, I also stay home every night and barely socialize — it’s really isolating.

Recently, I joined a group called WorkMoney, which brings together everyday Americans like me who want to deliver a message to our politicians: If you work hard in this country, you should be able to afford a good life. As a Trump supporter and lifelong Republican, I was glad to see politicians working together to pass an infrastructure bill in the Senate. Now, I’m calling on my congressperson Rep. Ashley Hinson to do the same. We need these good paying jobs in Iowa and to get people back to work. Small businesses and working people like me need support in order to survive.

More money in the pockets of people who are working hard will save lives, literally. I’ve needed a lot of medical care in my life after suffering a motorcycle accident 11 years ago and doing manual labor all my life. I’ve had two hip replacements in the past year. The only reason I’m still alive today is because of Medicaid. But I’m one of the lucky ones. I know a lot of people are stuck without insurance, and have to choose between seeing the doctor and paying rent. It shouldn’t be that way, but those are the kind of choices that a lot of working people need to make, and I want Rep. Hinson to hear these stories.

A lot of people in La Porte City and across Black Hawk County are broke, and still trying to get back on their feet. Rep. Hinson, I know you don’t swing a hammer like me, but please vote to invest in the people who elected you. Show the people who elected you that you care about us. Support the jobs and American Families Plan in Congress

Chris Kramer is a veteran and small business owner from La Porte City.