Stumbo’s values
Recently I was reminded that we live in a Republic, not a Democracy. If I remember my 101 political science class, the difference is that in a Democracy the elected official votes the will of the people, whereas in a Republic, an elected official votes in a way that reflects what they feel would be best for the state, based on their own value system. Given this difference a person running for office in a Republic must state his/her values but also hold true to those stated values once in office.
This is not the case for Speaker of the House Stumbo. Just last year Senator Stumbo stated, “I don’t have an appetite to turn my back on the needs of our state.” Now in the current budget debate Senator Stumbo seems to have developed an appetite for cutting back on the state’s needs. Namely he advocates shorting the public school year by two days (and thereby lowering teacher pay), cutting funding for services like poison control hotlines, and cutting community college funding by 2%. All this and more while still leaving a 400 million dollar shortfall.
With this letter I am asking Senator Stumbo to return to his stated values and control his appetite to balance the budget on the backs of the states needs.
Sincerely,
Jerry Moody
Surveillance at NoC
When I saw a front page with a diatribe against corporate personhood; a reasoned, factual plea for the decriminalization of useful plants; and accounts of freaky radio drama and MTR struggle music I was concerned. “I am being watched. Spied upon. . .”
Please forgive this irrational impulse. I had no prior experience with a newspaper so connected with its people and place that it wrote exclusively about things of interest to people in that place.
Keep up the good work, thank you, and give’em hell.
Your neighbor,
Jonathan Hampton
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