Letter to the editor: Mankato Free Press

Your View: Democrats are no better

By Wayne Comstock, North Mankato

August 19, 2008

The Democrats were elected in 2006 to a majority position in the U.S. Senate and House. It was the result of a failed Republican leadership. They promised to immediately provide a new and progressive leadership. We have since only seen lockstep partisanship and unyielding negativity.

Rep. Tim Walz, D, 1st District, has been in Washington for less than two years and he’s already rolling over to the failed House leadership. With the nation in energy crisis, important pending energy legislation was disallowed a vote by the Democrats (Roll call vote 537). Instead of taking care of critical legislative business Waltz and his party voted to adjourn and go home for a 5 week break. No wonder they only have a 17 percent approval rating.

Instead of debating energy crisis legislation, Walz now brings up a diversionary legislative proposal to reduce deficits and cut taxes on the middle class. He plans to accomplish this by raising taxes on higher incomes and closing certain corporation loopholes? Higher corporate taxes always lead to higher prices for their products and job layoffs. Who ends up paying for the consequences of higher corporate taxes? We do.

Walz also flaunts a stringer of 47 earmark legislative bills for 2009. Transparent or not, earmark legislation is one of the major causes of deficit budgets. Local proponents of pet pork project funding bills are just cheering on deficit spending.

I’m disappointed with our Washington representatives and it only worsened as we replaced them in 2006.

They just don’t get it.

Don’t just vote for a political party or personality. Cross party lines and vote for “get it done” leaders and hold them accountable.