Republican Values..

This is the silliest letter I've seen in the DNR in a long time. (Better stop and read it HERE.) Who decided that it is "Our Conservative Community?" What about "Our Liberal Community?" Thanks Chuck, Love you too! Logic? "Rockingham County is predominantly Republican" and so everyone has the same values? How big is that brush you are trying to paint us all with? What is it that makes you think that it is actually a benefit to be IN LINE, following orders...? FROM YOU! Dude! I can think for myself thanks very much!

How about that limited Constitutional Government? Are you concerned at all about the "unitary executive?" Does the word "Tory" come to mind? How about "King George?"

Does lower taxes mean lower prices too? Privatizing those "non-critical" government functions means that those private companies can raise prices, deny benefits, go out of business, fire workers, pay minimum wage, and maximize profits... WITH NO OVERSIGHT OR PENALTY! Prices go up benefits go down and THAT'S GOOD?? I'll listen when your concern about my money extends to the boondoggles of health care and national security too! These two "non-critical" government functions aren't going so well in the private sector are they? (You might say that national security would be a "critical function," but what about Blackwater? and Haliburton? and Bechtel? and the myriad private defense contractors.. How are they working out?)

How about that strong national defense? How about that 500 BILLION DOLLAR WAR that's soon to be a TRILLION dollar war? Are we safer? Where's that concern about fiscal responsibilty and sound monetary policy? Why do your values give a blank check for anything in the defense budget, but nothing (literally... remember the transportation bill? or the famous "underwear" bill? or the rebuilding of New Orleans?) for the citizens. Support the troops? Sure, but do you also support "We the People?"

Show me some righteous concern about the phenomenal waste and fraud in the defense budget. Show me some concern about butter and not so much macho posturing about guns. Show me some concern about making the government work, including the clerk's office, instead of simply assuming that "He's Republican, He's one of us, 'nuf said."

Your values sir, are admirable. It's when you pull back the screen and see what's really going on that your letter just sounds silly! I'm a Liberal, I live in the valley, I get to vote for the clerk, and WE HAVE TO ALL GET ALONG! I think we'd all do better if we remembered that we are Americans, NOT Republicans.