To the editor:

Just recently, the citizens of the Fourth District received a tax cut, but their representative in Congress decided to cast his vote against the middle class and against this tax cut. I commend the men and women who voted to make this relief possible for the hardworking people of the district.

I agree with the majority of Virginians: this bill, in its entirety, is tough to understand. This difficulty is compounded by the Republican Party’s faltering messaging and inability to convey their mission through biased political pundits and others in the media. The truth is that most of what is passed down from Washington is too complicated to boil down to simple terms — it becomes almost meaningless. This is why Shion Fenty’s campaign will be one that is accessible to the average citizen. Results triumph over rhetoric any day, and Virginians know this. It is time our obstructionist politicians like the Fourth District’s current congressman take this to heart.

Just hours after being passed by Congress, the results were already speaking for themselves. Fourth District employers such as Wells Fargo and AT&T announced hourly pay hikes to $15 and $1,000 holiday bonuses to employees, respectively. That is real money in the pockets of real people. Not only are these people being paid more, but they are also being taxed less. In the coming weeks and months, people will be lifted by a bolstered job market and people will continue to see the tax cuts help make ends meet. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act gives back to the citizens an opportunity to succeed.

Alex Lemieux

Richmond