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The Farmville Herald

Editor, The Herald:

In a recent edition of The Farmville Herald, a writer wrote, “I personally believe President Obama is considerably more in touch with the needs of the average citizen versus the desires of the privileged minority. And I realize that real change or correction is often not easy, but painful, and does not occur swiftly, as our country and economy did not get in this awful predicament overnight.”

An analysis of this writer's position requires the application of facts, a concept he appears not to have applied. A major thesis of his position was that “President Obama is considerably more in touch with the needs of the average citizen….” Several questions come to mind.

Question: Given the meager $21,183 average per capita income of the residents of Prince Edward County, does the writer propose that the staggering $51,089 per citizen debt to the United States Government as of September 22, 2012 as being “considerably more in touch with the needs of the average citizen….”? This amount doesn't include the additional debt of a family mortgage, college loan, credit card, auto purchase debt, etc…

Question: Given that approximately 43 percent of the family households in Prince Edward County have an annual income of less than $35,000, does the writer propose that the spending of American family money by President Obama at a rate of $4,000,000,000 per day, that's $4 billion, as being “considerably more in touch with the needs of the average citizen….”?

Question: Given the approximately $1,500,000,000 of American family money President Obama gives every year to the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt, the leaders of which have written about their taking over of America, does the writer propose that this action is being “considerably more in touch with the needs of the average citizen….”?

Question: Does the writer agree with the action of President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton in 2010 when they lifted the visa ban on Egyptian-born grandson of the Egyptian Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna. His name is Tariq Ramadan and is a suspected terrorist on the U.S. watch list. This suspected terrorist was warmly received in Washington. President Obama and Secretary Clinton announced they had sent William Taylor, special coordinator for Middle East transitions, to Egypt to give the Muslim Brotherhood leaders special training for the post-Mubarak elections. This is the same Muslim Brotherhood that has been reported to have played a role in destruction of U.S. Embassies and personnel deaths throughout the mid-east starting on September 11, 2012. Does the writer propose that President Obama's association with identified watch list terrorists is being “considerably more in touch with the needs of the average citizen….”? Also, does President Obama now own the chaos and hate of America in the Arab region?

Question: President Obama gave a speech in which he categorically advocated income re-distribution throughout America and which “is” a major concept in the definition of Socialism. Many scholars have pointed out that the definition of Socialism refers to a system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole, and which includes the loss of personal property such as the loss of family money, not just property such as cars, houses, etc.. Does the writer agree with and desires to promote President Obama's admitted agenda of an American Government predicated on a basic principle associated with Socialism as being “considerably more in touch with the needs of the average citizen….”? If so, why would anyone, especially our local school students, have a desire to work hard to succeed and get ahead when the rewards for their hard work would be given to others? I have witnessed the unpleasant answer to that question first hand in my six trips to Russia.

Question: Does the writer agree with President Obama's EPA rules on coal mining companies? Numerous economists agree that these rules are destructive to the mining industry and family income. At least seven coal mines in Virginia and many more in West Virginia have had to go out of business. It is estimated that 11,000 workers associated with the Virginia coal industry will be out-of-work. That number includes western Virginia miners, truck drivers, dock workers in the tidewater area, and other support industries. The elimination of tax revenue from these companies will be devastating to the Virginia treasury used to support public schools, universities, etc… Is President Obama being “considerably more in touch with the needs of the average citizen….”?

Question: Does the writer agree with President Obama's refusal to whole heartedly support and initiate the drilling for gas and oil off Virginia's shores which will reduce the strangle hold that Arab countries have on our availability of petroleum for gasoline? Approximately 10,000 Virginians stand to be employed by oil production industries. Let us not forget that Virginia Public School Divisions, City Councils, Boards of Supervisors, family budgets, and farm owners are struggling to meet the out-of-control increases in the cost of diesel fuel and gasoline. I wonder how the sky rocketing costs of heating fuel oil this winter will impact the budgets of the elderly, single moms with children and others in Prince Edward County? I ask again, is the writer agreeing with President Obama and that he is being “considerably more in touch with the needs of the average citizen….”?

Question: In my opinion, it seems to be obvious by his past actions regarding terrorist issues and other matters that President Obama wants to place more control over the citizens of the United States in the hands of the United Nations. Does the writer wish to promote this type of policy? None of us should stop being extremely alert regarding President Obama giving the United Nations authority over the right of all American citizens to have and bear arms and other freedom related matters as well.

At the time of writing this letter, the national debt was $16,049,550,526,230. That's more than $16 trillion and it is rising.

The debt American families have to pay to foreign countries for the borrowing of money for the government of the U.S. is $5,388,998,971,324. That's about $5 trillion. Go to usdebtclock.org to see this disastrous impact on “your” family.

The net interest that American families have to pay on the national debt is $222,689,791,098 and it too is rising.

I congratulate the writer of that letter to The Herald for one particular point he made. Specifically, he said “Even if you may believe this election provides no good choice, I will remind you that with or without your participation a choice will be made in November. So why not be part of that choice.” I would add that no one should let local Democratic or Republican Party paid hacks tell you how to vote. Trust no one BUT yourself. American families get what they vote for!

Plato would probably agree with the writer when he wrote in approximately 400BC the following: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

Also, all of us must remember Alexis de Tocqueville's advice to America. “The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.” In my opinion, President Obama obviously remembers that quote and is using American family money to bribe us all. As a popular song said, “he gets our gold and we get the shaft!”

It is ironic that one hundred and fifty years ago, African Americans were freed from plantation owner enslavement. The threat to “all” of us in 2012 is to be enslaved by debt “to” our very own United States government.

So, as for me, I have accepted the writer's advice and given careful thought to the alternatives in this election. I have more than 16,049,550,526,230 reasons, and they are increasing every day, to vote against Mr. Obama.

In my opinion, Gov. Romney is considerably more in touch with the needs of ALL citizens and those needs start with preventing 17 percent plus mortgage rates as in 1980, cheaper gasoline prices, cheaper heating oil prices, tax cuts for ALL citizens, national debt reduction, eliminating the giving of money from American families to foreign countries who admit being our enemy, plus creating jobs and more income for everyone.

Finally, during the two hour time it took to outline and write this letter, the American National debt increased by $418,834,665 and the next 24 hours will see another $4,000,000,000 (4 billion) of American family tax money spent by President Obama. Perhaps that is what his campaign motto of “Forward” means.

Does the writer agree that debt is an Equal Opportunity Destroyer? I am praying that he does “before” he votes.

Dr. Lee Banton

Professor Emeritus

Farmville