Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 7 · column 4 of 4 · from the scan, no model involved
Vote BushCheney
-Alien-Wolf
Over the past weeks, we've seen many letters
about the elections. Some discussed the abilities and characters of candidates, others the merits (or reverse) of proposals.
I suggest our attention in any political discussion should concentrate on principles: which person, party, platform advocates those principles of government that education (study of history) and experience convince each voter are best.
If we do that, and most voters here will, there can be little doubt about which side will win. The Gore-Lieberman-Robb Democratic platform promises to grow government, spending more on existing and new programs, complicating the tax code even more, enlarging government's role in every aspect of our lives. The Bush-Cheney-Allen Republican platform is not perfect, but it promises to reduce the costs, power and reach of government.
History’s lesson in that regard is clear: none of the thousands of experiments in socialism, whether voluntary or dictatorial, has ever worked! Each has failed, including one at the beginning of Virginia's history, at Jamestown!
The most recent was the collapse of the Soviet Union, after seventy horrendous years. Why? To cite an example meaningful to residents of a rural, farming area, Russia before WWI was an exporter of wheat. After decades of government-controlled farming, the USSR in its last few years was a major net importer of wheat, kept from starvation by the free market farmers of the United States, Canada, Australia... Think about that: if we keep moving toward dominating, controlling government, as our Democratic friends urge, who would then feed us?
What "works" for farming applies to all parts of our economy. We do not benefit when the initiative, energy and entrepreneuring spirit of Americans are muzzled and bled dry of capital by expanding government controls, regulations and spending.
No, nothing is perfect, not capitalism, not Democrats, not Republicans. Still, today’s Republican candidates and platform lead in the right direction. Support and vote for Bush-Cheney-Allen-Wolf on Nov. 7.
John L. Marocchi
Sperryville
91.1%