Editor, The Herald:

Joe Kennedy, the father of the Kennedy family, once said, “That it is not important what you are, but what people believe that you are and if you say it enough then the public will believe you.” I believe Tom Perriello is doing a great job of trying to change his image to a conservative or moderate politician.

His interviews and radio ads present him as a fiscal responsible politician and his church appearance and radio ads portray him as a pro-life, traditional family with moral values.

I personally contacted Mr. Perriello's office and asked, with the support of my reasons, to vote against adding homosexuality to the hate crime list. Later calling his office after the passage, I was told he was at a picnic in Danville at the time of voting. I contacted Mr. Periello's office, leaving my name and number and he has yet to return any kind of response.

His vote for Nationalized Health Care continues the liberal agenda of more government control over its citizens. The government is not the savior of the people, but is to provide citizens the opportunity to develop their God-given abilities, not to punish them with higher taxes and give-always to those who are envious, jealous and covetousness of others success.

Mr. Perriello's vote for the trillion-dollar stimulus has added more to the national debt than the two wars over the last eight years. I believe these liberal government give-always has not worked.

The campaigning Tom Perriello is not the same as the voting Tom Perriello. It's like the Fifth District is to support his liberal agenda, not him supporting the Fifth District.

I believe his voting record for bigger government, out-of-control spending, government bail-outs of major corporations, nationalizing health care and higher taxes for all Americans, with less benefits from the Government, speaks louder than his interview and ads.

Steve Conwell

Farmville