Congressman Huffman visits

February 24, 2018

Congressman Jared Huffman stopped in Crescent City Friday afternoon to discuss state and local topics with residents.

Billed “Coffee with your Congressman,” the town hall style meeting in the wastewater treatment facility conference room gave people a chance to simply present concerns, opinions and some ideas.

Huffman heard questions and concerns ranging from promoting local tourism and Last Chance Grade to partisan division in politics. Gasoline taxes, offshore energy, veterans’ health system, immigration and even assault weapons came up in the less-than-official conversation, which offered several personal observations, banter and ideas.

One commenter garnered some applause in the room when he said the differences between liberal and conservative citizens would not be as polarized if they were to sit down together and discuss values, family and what they want for their communities. He said the divide between liberals and conservatives is a misdirection that causes conflict between them, making them blame each other for failing schools, insufficient mental health care, crumbling infrastructure and lack of jobs.

“I think finding ways to just engage each other neighbor to neighbor, person to person, is a huge part of that,” Huffman replied, “so that we’re not just sitting in front of our computer screens getting angrier and angrier in the abstract, without having real person to person conversations.”

Huffman, first elected in 2012, is seeking reelection in 2018 for California’s 2nd Congressional District.