Editor, The Herald:

The voters who participate in any given election, be it local, state, or federal, generally can be divided into two groups: 1) those who vote largely on the party affiliation, and 2) those who vote not for party but for the so-called best man in the race. These latter voters feel strongly that the “person” is what is critical and not the party. This approach to voting is definitely Wrong!, Wrong!, and Wrong! Party matters a great deal, which brings us to Tom Perriello.

One may conclude from examining Perriello's pamphlets and radio spots, that he is trying to portray himself as a conservative in this race for congress by talking about several minor votes that he cast that would demonstrate his conservative bono fides. He crows that he is an independent congressman who will oppose his party and its leaders. Of course these ads and brochures totally omit reference to his votes for National Health Care, the Stimulus Bill, and Cap and Trade or any suggestion that he is a Democrat.. The gist of the “good guy” argument asks us to forget about party and vote for the “good” person, especially when one's opponent is that “hypocrite, double-dealing, anti-poor people, tax raising, reprobate” Republican Robert Hurt. Indeed, aren't all Republicans rascals? Perriello's commercials would have us think so.

Well, however much of a good fellow Perriello is, however much he may cast a good vote now and then, however much he supports the NRA, he has cast four absolutely abominable votes-for” Health Care,” for “Cap and Trade,” for “the Stimulus Bill,” and perhaps the most egregious vote of all-a vote for “Nancy Pelosi.” To vote for Tom Perriello is to vote for Democratic control of the House of Representatives because his first vote in the next Congress would be for Speaker of the House-Nancy Pelosi–and that vote has grave consequences. The party in the majority gets to organize the House, i.e., determines the rules of procedure, determines committee chairs, determines what topics are brought before committees, what investigations are conducted, what laws are enacted, etc. etc. The minority party has very little influence in determining the agenda of the House of Representatives. Thus a vote for Perriello is definitely a vote for continued democratic control of the House and for more of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker.

One wonders why anyone would vote for someone who will vote to keep the democrats in control of Congress given their record of bills passed over the past twenty months and the Democrat party failure to pass a budget for next year, and the failure to prevent the upcoming biggest tax increase in history, which will take place in January 2011? To whatever extent a democrat (Perriello) may argue that I am independent of my party and that I have voted against my leadership, the fact is that on the really important votes in the House, Perriello voted against the best interest of the 5th district, his state, and his country by making the following votes: 1) for Health Care, 2) for Cap and Trade, 3) for the Stimulus, and 4) for Nancy Pelosi. Yes, Party matters a great deal!

Jim Simms

Hampden-Sydney