Letters to the Editor for Sunday, October 4, 2009

Garrett, because he’s a Republican
Both candidates for the 23rd District seat are outstanding.

Scott Garrett has the advantage in that he will be able to do more for our residents, as he will be part of the majority party in the House of Delegates. Party politics is what it’s all about. Bipartisan voting occurs when everyone agrees on the proposed bill such as the CSO money for our city sewers. To take singular credit for that bill is not reality. The difference in parties and candidates are in how they disagree.

Del. Shannon Valentine voted to allow illegal immigrants to receive in state college tuition rates. Her response, I believe, was “they are here.” These illegals are hard working but poor people. We have some here in our city. My objection is that I have to pay higher health insurance premiums and who knows what else while they send their money home and get free medical care. The law is the law, and legislators should not violate it with their votes.

When the rubber meets the road, politicians will vote with their party. The Democratic Party in Virginia has a history of tax and spend. Gov. Mark Warner had the largest tax increase in our history and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine spent our increased revenues and raided the reserve fund, leaving us in bad shape for today.

Democrats in Washington are in the process of shoving socialized medicine down our throats, and wait ’til you see your energy costs when they pass the cap-and-trade bill.

That’s why I’ll vote for Garrett.
M.J. DONOHUE
Lynchburg

Obama’s change
Let’s be clear about the current anger that we are witnessing in town hall meetings and in radio and TV talk shows by certain individuals. This anger has very little to do with the issue of health care. These folks are angry that their political party lost the presidential election to an African-American and are further infuriated that this African-American might actually make a difference and be successful in accomplishing things that he promised in his campaign.

President Obama was elected to change some things in this country. Big money operations (banks, insurance, oil and auto) were unbridled and out of control. Our country’s energy policy was not designed to end our dependence on foreign oil. The Defense Department was building expensive, unnecessary weapons and fighting the wrong war. The State Department was damaging relationships with other countries at a time when we needed their help. The national parks and the nation’s infrastructure were being ignored.

A lot of damage was done in George W. Bush’s first term when Dick Cheney was manipulating things. Some believe that Bush did better in his second term when he pushed Cheney aside, but much of the damage was done.

Obama is supremely qualified to work with the Congress and get the job done. This is very frustrating to some folks who have been fed the lie that an African-American is incapable of doing great things. We need to get behind this man and help him, because helping him is helping ourselves. He understands what needs to be done to repair some of the wrongs of the past and supporting him will bring our country out of the hole we are in and put us in competition again with the forces of the world. It has to be done.
VINCENT HOVDA
Lynchburg

Time for pink slips
Help! I saw the latest ad on TV from the White House about health care reform, and it said to go to Whitehouse.gov to read the president’s plan.

Well I went there and what I saw was pretty disappointing. I thought I would find something to read; was I ever disappointed. It was like trying to find and read the plan from the Senate. There was a broad outline and no specifics, which is how the Democrats in the Senate want to keep it.

I was watching the markup in committee one night when the senators were told that they basically have to vote on a bill that is not written completely, and they will not have time to find out the final cost until after the vote.

I don’t feel any more comfortable now than I did a month ago about what is happening with this government-proposed plan.

Please, someone tell me what is going on here and why every American isn’t calling their representatives and telling them not to vote for a bill that hasn’t even been written or that they don’t have a cost for? I look forward to hearing someone support this madness.

Maybe it is time to give everyone of the 535 folks in Congress a pink slip and start over.
ROBERT HOLMES
Forest