Voices
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
In the wake of the Scott Brown victory in Massachusetts, the patriots in the rest of the country who have been so discouraged by the "politics as usual" attitude of our elected officials must be rejoining that finally, maybe, their voices will be heard. Unfortunately, many of those politicians, both state and federal, don't view Brown's victory as a repudiation of the current out-of-control spending policies or intend to stop pushing for government infringement on the rights of Americans.
As most are fully aware, the federal government has been usurping states' rights and the rights of American citizens for a very long time, and we have let them get away with it. This is not a Democrat or Republican problem, but rather more of an incumbent problem, exacerbated by the lure of power and the lack of term limits or any form of accountability to those who elected them. A prime example is Indiana's junior senator, Evan Bayh.
Anyone who has ever tried to contact Senator Bayh knows that a response is highly unlikely; his constituents, even those with appointments, and his appearance at town hall meetings is unheard of. I think that Mr. Bayh has spent too much time in Washington and has forgotten who he works for. Consider that the Senator's father, Birch Bayh, was himself elected to the Senate in 1962, when son Evan was just a schoolboy, and served until 1981, along with the 10 years that Evan has held the office and you get a picture of a "representative" that can barely say he is from Indiana at all. After reflecting on the additional fact that he spent a couple of years as Indiana's Secretary of State before his two-term stint as governor, followed by a very brief foray into the private sector before heading back to D.C., it becomes evident that Bayh's loyalty lies not with the average Hoosier but rather with the political machine that his biography so aptly personifies.
It is time to say "good-bye" to the Bayh dynasty and others like it and return to a true representative government of, by and for the people.
The disconnected and unrepentant members of the Congress who have worked feverishly in the last year to capitalize on their filibuster-proof majority by forcing legislation against the will of the people, using bribery, closed-door backroom deals, and midnight votes may have gotten a wake-up call by Scott Brown's victory. Hopefully, the upset in Massachusetts is only the beginning of the revolution to come in 2010.
I challenge each of you reading this to become informed and involved in the political process. Of particular concern is the race for Evan Bayh's senate seat. That his $12 million "war chest" is 85 percent comprised of out-of-state funds is further evidence that he does not consider representing Indiana his first priority.
There are currently five candidates that have joined the battle to be on the ballot to oppose Bayh in 2010. Each must collect 500 verified voter signatures in each congressional district just to be put on the primary ballot in May. The winner of the primary, of course, would then run against Bayh in November. There are those of you who are satisfied with the status quo. If there are enough of you, Bayh will remain our senator and Washington politics will go on as usual, raising taxes, creating laws that politicians don't have to follow (but you do), and ignoring the will of the people.
If you want to see things change, check out the Web sites of the other candidates, or go to a meeting to hear them speak. Decide for yourself who would best represent the interests of Hoosiers: Don Bates Jr., a financial advisor; current State Senator Marlin Stutzman; Dr. Tom Haney; former Congressman John Hostettler; or small-business man Richard Behney.
All are good men, but Behney stands out as a fiscal conservative that wants to reduce the size of government as well as limit its intrusion into the private and corporate lives of Americans. He believes in strong national security, including respect for our country and its armed forces as well as securing our borders. Above all, Behney is an unapologetic Christian who believes in the Constitution and pledges to cast votes based on the parameters set forth in that document as the Founding Fathers intended.
Regardless of how you cast your vote, make sure that it is an informed one.
LaVerne Marion
Wabash[[In-content Ad]]
In the wake of the Scott Brown victory in Massachusetts, the patriots in the rest of the country who have been so discouraged by the "politics as usual" attitude of our elected officials must be rejoining that finally, maybe, their voices will be heard. Unfortunately, many of those politicians, both state and federal, don't view Brown's victory as a repudiation of the current out-of-control spending policies or intend to stop pushing for government infringement on the rights of Americans.
As most are fully aware, the federal government has been usurping states' rights and the rights of American citizens for a very long time, and we have let them get away with it. This is not a Democrat or Republican problem, but rather more of an incumbent problem, exacerbated by the lure of power and the lack of term limits or any form of accountability to those who elected them. A prime example is Indiana's junior senator, Evan Bayh.
Anyone who has ever tried to contact Senator Bayh knows that a response is highly unlikely; his constituents, even those with appointments, and his appearance at town hall meetings is unheard of. I think that Mr. Bayh has spent too much time in Washington and has forgotten who he works for. Consider that the Senator's father, Birch Bayh, was himself elected to the Senate in 1962, when son Evan was just a schoolboy, and served until 1981, along with the 10 years that Evan has held the office and you get a picture of a "representative" that can barely say he is from Indiana at all. After reflecting on the additional fact that he spent a couple of years as Indiana's Secretary of State before his two-term stint as governor, followed by a very brief foray into the private sector before heading back to D.C., it becomes evident that Bayh's loyalty lies not with the average Hoosier but rather with the political machine that his biography so aptly personifies.
It is time to say "good-bye" to the Bayh dynasty and others like it and return to a true representative government of, by and for the people.
The disconnected and unrepentant members of the Congress who have worked feverishly in the last year to capitalize on their filibuster-proof majority by forcing legislation against the will of the people, using bribery, closed-door backroom deals, and midnight votes may have gotten a wake-up call by Scott Brown's victory. Hopefully, the upset in Massachusetts is only the beginning of the revolution to come in 2010.
I challenge each of you reading this to become informed and involved in the political process. Of particular concern is the race for Evan Bayh's senate seat. That his $12 million "war chest" is 85 percent comprised of out-of-state funds is further evidence that he does not consider representing Indiana his first priority.
There are currently five candidates that have joined the battle to be on the ballot to oppose Bayh in 2010. Each must collect 500 verified voter signatures in each congressional district just to be put on the primary ballot in May. The winner of the primary, of course, would then run against Bayh in November. There are those of you who are satisfied with the status quo. If there are enough of you, Bayh will remain our senator and Washington politics will go on as usual, raising taxes, creating laws that politicians don't have to follow (but you do), and ignoring the will of the people.
If you want to see things change, check out the Web sites of the other candidates, or go to a meeting to hear them speak. Decide for yourself who would best represent the interests of Hoosiers: Don Bates Jr., a financial advisor; current State Senator Marlin Stutzman; Dr. Tom Haney; former Congressman John Hostettler; or small-business man Richard Behney.
All are good men, but Behney stands out as a fiscal conservative that wants to reduce the size of government as well as limit its intrusion into the private and corporate lives of Americans. He believes in strong national security, including respect for our country and its armed forces as well as securing our borders. Above all, Behney is an unapologetic Christian who believes in the Constitution and pledges to cast votes based on the parameters set forth in that document as the Founding Fathers intended.
Regardless of how you cast your vote, make sure that it is an informed one.
LaVerne Marion
Wabash[[In-content Ad]]
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