Staff Report

LAPLACE – When the U.S. House of Representatives voted on the health care reform bill, New Orleans-area Rep. Joseph Cao was the only Republican to vote in favor of the bill. His vote caused quite an uproar both locally and nationally.

While some felt he was to be congratulated for standing up for his beliefs, others felt betrayed, believing he was ignoring the wishes of both his constituents and his party.

L’Observateur asked its readers to weigh in on the subject in its latest online poll, posing the question, “What do you think is an elected official’s primary responsibility when voting on legislative matters?”

According to poll results, a majority of respondents feel it is the duty of those elected to represent the wishes of those who elected them.

The complete results of the poll are as follows:

• 38 percent of respondents chose “They should follow their hearts and vote how they feel.”

• 59 percent of respondents chose “They should vote the way the majority of their constituents want them to vote.”

• 3 percent chose “They should vote along party lines.”