Editor, The Herald:

November is coming and the time for the people of Virginia's 5th district to choose who will represent them in Washington is approaching fast. Once again we are faced with a historic choice which will ultimately, as some political pundits suggest, determine the balance of power within the House. At this point we have seen a decline in the economy, a hesitant commander in chief regarding the war in Afghanistan, an oil spill off the Gulf Coast that was handled horribly both by BP and the Federal Government, all of this while 17 Million American are still unemployed. From the time of our nation's founding until Obama's first day in office the national total debt was 9 trillion. In the last 18 months we have borrowed 5 trillion, so what happens if we give this administration 2 more years of a rubber stamp House of Representatives to push his agenda? We could easily calculate that within 4 years He would borrow more than what has been accumulated over the past 234 years and of the two candidates only one of those men has consistently agreed with this type of agenda is Tom Periello. This undoubtedly is a time which will test not only American's resolve, but it will also make us look deep within ourselves and ask “Do I still want the American Dream? the American Lifestyle? Or do I want to trade that in for something different? In this environment, we have two people who are vying for my vote and yours.

One person voted 98% of the time with Nancy Pelosi regarding crucial issues such as a failed stimulus packages which basically bankrupted our country to save not 6 million jobs but in reality only 600,000.

One person supports government run health care, which costs tax payers 1.2 trillion dollars, while also handing the government 45% of the national economy.

One person has aided and abetted an administration which has grown the tentacles of the federal government, expanding government control of our economy from 30% 18 months ago to 40% of the nation's economy now.

Who is the man? Simply put his name is Tom Perriello. However, there is another person who instead of voting for tax hikes, voted 70 times in favor of cutting taxes. There is another person who desires to protect the nation from those who seek to harm Americans home and abroad, who believes that to protect freedom we must remain vigilant not vulnerable. Who is this person? Simply put his name is Robert Hurt.

The choice is clear, one person supports a European socialism and has agreed with an agenda which hastens that result 98% of the time, while the other person has been adamantly opposed to allowing our country to slide into that pit. Yet, they cannot dictate the outcome of the nation unless they are voted into office. Let us as Americans take back our country, let's preserve that which we hold dear. Let's promote a free market economy, not duplicate one which has visibly crippled Europe. Let's meet our enemies abroad face to face and say “never will you harm my country again”, let's tell government “stay out of my life.”

One candidate supports a lurch to socialism and one candidate doesn't. Let us vote for the man who stands behind the principle of a free market, a strong military, and less government, Robert Hurt. Remember November is coming, but let us tell Tom Perriello, November is here….

Semper Fidelis,

Dean Meadows

Farmville