Voice of the People - January 18, 2008
Hunter unfairly barred from debate
The decision to exclude California Congressman Duncan Hunter from the Jan. 10 presidential debate in Myrtle Beach smacks of censorship on the part of both corporate media (Fox) and the S.C. Republican Party.
Hunter is the last bonafide active member of Congress who has an established record against amnesty for illegal aliens. It was his bill that authorized the building of an 834-mile fence to keep illegals out. His exclusion from the debate is open censorship because he has been in the race from the beginning and paid the S.C. Republicans $25,000 to be on the ballot.
Never in American history has the concept of free speech been so challenged as the political hacks and their corporate media insiders conspire to control the political process. It shows a lot about the other candidates, too, that they are willing to go along with this "blackball" as long as they are "in." Ron Paul, for instance (Mr. Libertarian) squealed like a stuck pig when he was threatened with exclusion from the New Hampshire debate, yet neither he nor anyone else utters a word in defense of his fellow Republican Duncan Hunter, who faces elimination in the corporate boardroom. This is not the America I grew up in!
William G. Carter
Clover
Huckabee is a man of faith
Having served as teacher and principal/administrator in the public and Christian schools in York County for 34 years, I trust this letter will be read by many of the 10,000-plus folks who "knew me then."
When I retired in 1985, I became involved in trying to learn more about politics, or what I call public policy. Since then, when election times come along, many of you have called me about the issues and candidates. I appreciate that confidence and have tried to give sound advice.
The presidential primary elections this month and the general election in November are the most vital ones in my lifetime. I believe, as Billy Graham has been quoted, "If this nation is to survive, we must elect godly men to lead our country."
Each voter should study the issues, learn how the candidates of both parties stand on them and how their voting records show they have voted on the important issues to each of us. I believe that how one stands on the issues of family, traditional marriage, abortion, gun control, along with character and moral values of the candidate are vital to anyone we should support. I believe there is only one candidate, Gov. Mike Huckabee, who stands head and shoulders above the rest in all these areas of concern.
Mike Huckabee was a Baptist pastor for seven years and governor of Arkansas for 10 years before running for president. He and his wife have been married since 1984, and they have three children, John Mark, Sarah and Mary. Huckabee is an avid hunter and plays the bass guitar in a rock band, Capitol Offense. He is being attacked by other candidates for his faith, but he always defends his belief and trust in God, and will not apologize for believing in the Bible story of creation (not in evolution). If you will go to his Web site, www.mikehuckabee. com, you will be able to see how he stands on many other issues.
John Hunter
York
Exercise your right to vote
The other day, Mojo saw I was sad. He put a paw on my leg. That's his way of saying, "Let's talk about it." I shared with him about the killing of a candidate for office in a far-off land. And I shared other memories of other candidates who had been killed in this country, and even how the president of the United States had been murdered. He understood my sadness.
I continued sharing how I wished that people would come to understand just how precious the right to vote is and how people have literally put their lives on the line and even given their lives to make the system of representative democracy work.
Mojo really had me going. He sat with that wise cocked-head look of his as I told a story. The U.S representative that I worked with, Ben Jones, better known as "Cooter" in the "Dukes of Hazard," was chosen by President Carter to be part of a team to monitor elections in the war-torn country of Nicaragua. The Carter Center was in the district we served. We often referred to the Center as "State Department South."
Ben's job was to watch the voting in a regional town on the Atlantic side of that Central American country. The area could be reached only by riverboat or helicopter. The roads ran out, and no airport existed.
On the morning of the election, converted helicopter gunships were loaded with ballot boxes. Ben took off. Everyone hoped that the word had gotten out that the shooting war was over.
The remote town was nestled among mountains. As the choppers landed, Ben thought that there must have been a mistake. The town square was deserted. But then the ballot boxes were unloaded. Suddenly, the town square filled with people as hundreds of voters came streaming down from the hills.
Would that streams of voters might show up on our election days.
Mojo asked if he could vote. He said he would certainly sniff out the poll no matter where it was and, after all, the thing hanging around his neck is proof that he is registered.
Jim Watkins
Chairman
York County Democratic Party
Ron Paul offers a real alternative
Republican control of the government has resulted in burgeoning debt, war, the decline of the middle class, insecure borders, astronomical health-care costs, loss of civil liberties, worry and fear. The Democrats took over control of Congress in the last election and have done nothing. The Federal Reserve continues to bail out Wall Street hucksters and financial institutions by means of inflation. Our future earnings are owed to the Chinese, Arabs and other foreign governments that finance our deficit spending. Voters have been selling their children into economic slavery and sacrificing them in never-ending foreign wars in return for broken government promises of cradle-to-grave security.
There is hope. His name is Ron Paul, an obstetrician and congressman from Texas who has earned the nickname "Dr. No" for consistently voting against legislation not authorized by the Constitution. Dr. Paul is not only for ending the war in Iraq immediately, but also is for bringing our troops home from Germany, Japan, Korea and countless other countries to secure our own borders. This position has earned Dr. Paul more donations from active and retired military members than any other candidate for president.
Dr. Paul wants to abolish the Department of Education, Homeland Security, HUD and all other unconstitutional cabinet departments. The savings from downsizing the government would be used to eliminate the federal income tax and the IRS, and replace it with nothing. The government would still have the same amount of revenue it did in 2000 from other taxes to maintain constitutional government services. Our children could opt out of Social Security and Medicare and put that money in IRAs and HSAs that would provide a far better future.
Ron Paul has shown no fear of standing up for his positions when other candidates and the media have ridiculed him. He refuses to collect a congressional pension he is qualified for and returns a portion of his congressional budget to the Treasury each year. If you want a president who promotes hope over fear and doesn't pander to special interests, vote for Ron Paul.
Frank Stephenson
Rock Hill
Do the research on candidates
The reason that John McCain has had to fight against the Republican establishment is because he is a moderate Democrat.
The reason he has received the endorsement of Joe Lieberman (former Democrat) is because he is a moderate Democrat.
The reason he is receiving support from the media and local newspapers is because he is a moderate Democrat.
The reason Lindsey Graham is in trouble in South Carolina is because he has joined John McCain in many areas, and John McCain is a moderate Democrat.
Not everyone who chooses to run on a Republican ticket is a true Republican. There is a long list of issues that John McCain has been on the wrong side of. He says that he has heard the American people on the immigration issue and that he will secure the borders first; then what? He heard our voice only after the bill was voted down and he realized that he needed to change his stand for this election.
Since this is supposed to be a South Carolina Republican primary, please choose wisely. Don't let the media tell you that you have to pick their candidate. Do your own research.
Cindy Cox
Rock Hill
This story was originally published January 18, 2008 at 12:10 AM with the headline "Voice of the People - January 18, 2008."