At SouthsideCentral, we welcome article submissions from our readers. In this OpinionCentral, Dave Cline weighs in on the 5th District election.
(Editor’s Note: This article is solely the viewpoint of the author and not necessarily the opinion of SouthsideCentral.)
I find it greatly interesting, yet tremendously sad that a sitting congressman has decided that, instead of running on his record and telling us why we should send him back to DC, has opted instead to work to get out the vote for an opponent. That’s right. He is actually encouraging people to vote for someone other than himself.
Odd, huh? Most reasonable people would find it strange that a politician would actually encourage voters to cast their vote for someone other than himself, yet that is exactly what Tom Perriello is doing.
All across the fifth district we see TV ads, hear radio spots, and receive mailers from our congressman and his tremendously supportive democrat party touting the attributes of an ‘independent third party candidate’. These advertisements essentially encourage conservatives and independents (who are obviously not going to vote for Perriello) to cast their vote for this candidate thereby taking potential votes from Republican Robert Hurt and increasing the chance of Perriello squeaking his way back to Washington. Remember he won by a mere 700 votes or so last time.
The liberal democrat congressman knows that the majority of the voters in the 5th district do not support the big spending, heavy taxing, job killing agenda running amuck in DC that he has walked in lockstep with. He knows that higher taxes, greater regulation, and deeper entrenchment of federal government control over the economy is not what we want. However, being the big spending progressive liberal that he is he just cannot help himself. So instead of telling us the truth; that he is going to keep doing what he did before and walk in lockstep with Obama and Pelosi – he seeks to siphon enough votes away from Robert Hurt by encouraging them toward another candidate hoping to once again pull out a win.
The people of the 5th district are smarter than that, Mr. Perriello. We see exactly what you did while in DC and what you are doing in this campaign. We will not be deceived. Your political spin and games will not work.
Congressman, we hope to bid you a genuine and heartfelt farewell on November 2nd. I wonder though, Ya still got that apartment you where you lived in New York before running for congress in the 5th district of Virginia in 2008? I think you will need it.
Let’s all send a message to Washington. Stop the spending, balance the budget, and do not raise taxes. We send just that message by .voting Robert Hurt on November 2nd.
I’m Dave Cline, and I approved this message!
Dave Cline
South Boston, VA
David, welcome to the Internets. I am excited to have a new voice added to the cacophony of opinionated voiced already present online. I’ve been advocating against Democrat Tom Perriello (notice my use of a capital letter to indicate that he is a member of the Democrat Party and not simply an advocate of democracy) so I wanted to provide you with some pointers.
First, as I’ve already suggested, you might want to familiarize yourself with the difference between Democrat and democrat. Certainly you’re not advocating that we vote against our very own democratic system? Are you promoting fascism? Or perhaps you are making a subtle distinction between a representative view of democracy and a delegate view. Should an elected official represent the majority of opinions in a locality, which is what Hurt is campaigning on, or what he or she feels is the right decision? As the great conservative Edmund Burke once said, “Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.”
Second, I think you need to flesh out your attacks on Congressman Perriello a little bit more. It’s easy to simply say that he’s voted in lock step with Obama and Pelosi. But can you provide more specific examples? Remember, you’re trying to convince the reader that they, the 5th District voter, is smarter than Perriello assumes. You don’t want them to think that you’re swindling them by pushing under the rug the multiple examples of where Perriello has voted against Obama and Pelosi.
Remember, you’re attacking a Democrat who has the endorsement of the NRA, hardly a liberal organization. He’s voted against Obama’s unbalanced budgets, voted to end the big bank bailouts, and voted to protect tobacco farms and other farmers in the 5th District.
Also, remember that you’re discussing an existing elected official, not a challenger. I suggest you craft a stronger narrative of why Perriello was first elected and then betrayed the district. You don’t come across as someone who voted for Perriello in 2008, or any Democrat for that matter. Maybe your frustration with Perriello would be more persuasive if you could put it in terms that someone who voted for Perriello in 2008 would understand?
These are just a few suggestions to keep in mind for the future. Thanks David, and good luck!
Dave, I think you did a great job on your first post.
breaking news now that some mail pieces touting Jeff Clark were mailed without FEC disclaimer–a big NO NO. Mr. Clark should never have gotten involved with Perriello.
Bruce,
I appreciated the “virtual debate” on Star News. I caught it last night. It is a shame that Clark was excluded from a majority of the debates.
While you may not endorse it per se, to place it just days before the election is shoddy journalism at best and down right one sided support for Hurt.
Nothing in the article could be more from the truth. There are so many errors its hard to know where to begin.
Thanks for R&B type journalism……
Watchman: I’m perfectly willing to give you the space for a rebuttal.
Karen: Thanks. I agree with your comment.
watchman, what is untrue? that Clark is sending out mailers with no disclaimers? or the mailers with disclaimers?
just saw on someone’s twitter page the following comment: they’ve seen more mailers for Jeff Clark than Jeff Clark signs.
Chuck Todd calls VA5 for Robert Hurt by 3 points. NYTimes says +8.
just keep working. Let’s prove the NYTimes correct. for once.
As a 2008 voter for Tom Perriello I have never been as disappointed in my life.Robert Hurt gets my vote.
Not AndySere….all this advice coming from a man who posted ablog stupidly claiming that any defense attorney who does his job as it relates to criminals must also be a criminal. Wow…rich.
Now let me address some of your ‘concerns’.
First, perhaps you should make sure the typos, incorrect spellings, and sentences that do not make sense are corrected on your own site before critiquing the posts of others on another site..
Second, regarding the capitalization of Democrat – although everyone knows when they read that article what is meant by it – your comments are noted and I thank you for the advice, despite the mean spirited and arrogant tenor with which that advice was offered.
Thirdly, Tom Perriello has already himself crafted a narrative for why we should not send him back to Washington…votes he himself made did that. Votes that were clearly not in keeping with the wishes or best interest of many of the people of this district, and they are well known (ObamaCare, Cap and Trade, stimulus, etc…. I was simply and purposefully posting about a PARTICULAR issue that bothers me. It has bothered me for some time, so I commented on it.
As for the NRA endorsement…this just shows that the NRA has sold itself out to Washington and no longer seeks to promote ‘gun rights friendly’ candidates, but has simply tilted their endorsement process toward incumbents. IMO, since both candidates in this race have ‘A’ ratings from the NRA and in that case, it would have been better if they stayed neutral. (Had they endorsed Hurt, Perriello would have the same basis for objection).
Lastly, since I have dared to post under my real name and you have decided to take me to task…I wonder would you give us your real name?
Great job Dave Cline.
election eve: we’ve got tents up. tables & signs go up next.
Robert Hurt is going to Congress.
thanks for the help everybody.
I must admit that these comments are amusing.
At least it’s not the same old neo-conservative circle jerk that usually transpires on sc.com’s political posts.
Yea, Andy…and I hear that the regular posters on HalifaxTalk are still the same ol’ same ol’ think tank of liberalism (admittedly to varying degrees; a few though are quite progressive/socialists) only now without much rebuttal. I assume you are happy with that?!
😉
Yeah… go count my posts on political topics in the past few months.
Minds work like a parachute. It only works when it is open. SSC, your disservice to Danville is noted.
Hysteria.
When you’re near.
Watchman,
Being too open minded can also present a problem when your brain falls out.