Dear Editor,
Like everyone, I have an opinion. If it’s about an issue I believe to be important, I’ll share with my wife and maybe even some of our adult children. When it negatively affects my family, neighbors, and our community, it becomes difficult not to speak out to anyone who will listen.
For the past two months I’ve received multiple “post card type ads” regarding the upcoming Republican primary and more specifically, the state representative race. I’ve always done my best to sort through the information each candidate shares with what they’ve done in the past, are doing presently, and plan to do in the future, should they win. I consider information presented by local news outlets, both radio and paper, local political parties, as well as friends and individuals that are knowledgeable, honest, and that I respect. Why? Because these “sources” have an interest in the outcome, they live here, and it affects them and their families just as it does mine and yours. This is where, in my opinion, one of the problems comes in. Outside organizations.
The organization I’m referring to goes by the name of “Make Liberty Win”, and is based out of the state of Virginia. They have a web site of www.makelibertywin.com that I took off of the ads that have been coming to my mailbox. If you go to their website you’ll see in their own words, they’re “dedicated to deploying activists to state legislative races across the nation. They further state, “Our activists, stakeholders, and candidates are fighting to advance the cause of liberty and defend our only special interest: the U.S. Constitution. Make Liberty Win specializes in mobilizing voters to engage in primary and general elections through direct voter contact. Door knocking, phone calls, and texting are the best way to establish an authentic connection in today’s political environment.” I think they left out mailings as a primary method of contacting us. For this organization to do what they advertise they do for their clients, they require large amounts of money which, when reading further on their site their contributors say, “we certify the following statements are true and accurate – This contribution is made by a U.S. citizen, lawfully admitted permanent U.S. resident (i.e. Green Card holder), corporation, labor organization, or political committee and not a foreign national or entity, federal government, contractor or national bank.”
The other problem, as I see it, is the large amount of “mud slinging.” When anyone resorts to crude and deceitful comments about someone or feels the need to go digging for indiscretions from more than 20 years ago, I have to wonder if there’s nothing more relevant to discuss. I weigh my decision for a candidate based more on a recent and proven record, the positives. I hate being asked to chose someone because their “mistakes” aren’t as bad or plentiful as the other guy. Sounds a lot like what we’ve come to expect on the national level. Do we, in Union County and surrounding areas, need to lower our standards because others do? We have the benefit, in many cases, of being able to personally know the people and issues we’re voting for. I want the residents of our state and our community to make the decisions for our future. I want us to decide who is the best candidate to represent us and our families.
Ray Zimmerman
Marysville