Does anyone living in the 23rd congressional district really believe that Tom Reed is any kind of “Problem Solver?” At what point does it become crystal clear that false claims and misinformation is a political tactic that Mr. Reed takes comfortably from the President Donald Trump playbook.

Has anyone forgotten that Mr. Reed had a major role in the Trump transition prior to Trump’s inauguration? Is Mr. Reed speaking out strongly against any of the misguided Trump agenda?

Does Mr. Reed have any opinion about the charges and indictments against Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort, General Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, or the litany of Trump staffers who have had to leave or resign in the wave of dishonest conduct, failure to uphold their sworn oaths to the constitution, or more commonly, a complete lack of competence to perform their appointed jobs.

Is the wall along the Mexican border any more feasible or attainable now, than Trump’s promise to build it with Mexico’s money? Do most Americans favor Trump’s agenda? Is Reed an opponent of Trump’s misguided policies? If so, it’s very hard to tell. Is Mr. Reed calling out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his unwillingness to end the current government shutdown?

Citizens in the 23rd are weary of Reed doublespeak … having town hall meeting and not really listening to half of the attendees is not a commendable pursuit … it is simply is circus sideshow that, as Shakespear once wrote, ” is full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Trump and Reed are equally tone-deaf.

Neither are delivering societal improvements or social progress to citizens, and both exemplify the essence of what is wrong with Washington, D.C. (Swamp creatures both, very at home in D.C. swamp water with other swamp creatures.)

Mr. Reed, if you want to be a real problem solver, you would have voted to end the shutdown for more than three weeks by backing a long term funding bill that does not include money for a wall that won’t address the problem of illegal immigration and please end your predictable, Trump friendly, political posturing. It is self serving and unproductive to tacitly support the president’s agenda when most of your constituents disapprove of the way the shutdown has been handled when most see this crisis is truly being extended by politicians who offer no real long-term bipartisan plan.

And please end your town hall meetings soon and forever. We’ve all had our fill of your brand of pablum for the mind.

Mike Seifert is an Elmira resident.