Learning from our Readers

Mr. Cline, You have two darling little twin daughters whom, I am sure, you must treasure. They are probably very smart and may one day want to follow in their father’s footsteps. However, your recent vote against the Right to Contraception Act could make this very difficult for them. Without the ability to control the timing and number of their children, they could have difficulty meeting their career potentials. Your daughters may decide to marry late or not to marry at all. As a result, you may never know the joy of having grandchildren. Mr. Cline, may the Lord bless you with sons who won’t be subjected to the restrictions you are imposing on your daughters. Deborah Sullivan Fishersville, VA

A critical element of a properly functioning democracy is an informed citizenry.  You can’t vote for  somebody unless you know what they stand for.  Otherwise, you could just be shooting yourself in the  foot. An article in Friday’s Washington Post claims that, in certain locales around the country, Republican politicians are avoiding the public eye.  They’re not holding public events, they’re avoiding interviews by the media, and they’re taking a low profile on important issues—all because they are concerned about having certain of their views brought under public scrutiny. Case in point: our congressional representative Ben Cline reportedly has refused for some months to debate Jennifer Lewis, his Democratic opponent. While incumbents like Mr. Cline may assert that their positions are a matter of public record, they should be held to account to address the issues of the day in public, in an appropriate forum. Whether Democrat or R...

Are you a senior citizen on Medicare ?  Would you like to pay less for your prescription drugs ? Do you own your own small business?  Would you like to pay less for health insurance for you and your family ? Thinking about buying an electric vehicle, but put off by the cost ?  Would you like to receive an offset from the federal government so you ultimately pay less for it ? Concerned about the federal deficit ?  Wouldn’t it be nice if the fat cats paid their fair share of taxes, instead of enriching themselves via loopholes (yes, I’m pointing at you, Governor Youngkin), so the deficit could be reduced, and not on the backs of middle-class Americans ? Do you enjoy the benefits of easy local access to Shenandoah National Park, and want to see it with cleaner air and water, and upgrades to its infrastructure ? Would you like to see a million or more new jobs created so the country can transition to clean energy sources, so you pay less ...