4A Thursday, October 22, 2020 • Telegraph Herald • TelegraphHerald.com opinion

Bob Woodward, Publisher Amy Gilligan, Executive Editor Telegraph Herald Media Editorial Board Amy Gilligan (chair), Monty Gilles, Dustin Kass, Genevieve Twining, Joan Schuster The Telegraph Herald’s mission is to be the preferred provider of local news, information and advertising content in the markets we serve.

letters to the editor [email protected] Whatever your preference, make your voice heard

From Richard Burroughs Royal Oaks, Guttenberg

Do I care if you don’t vote for any of my favorite candidates? No! Do I care if you don’t vote at all? Yes! America’s Founding Fathers risked everything to be free of a tyrant who had total control of their lives. Their efforts resulted in a new democratic form of government. In essence it was “Of the people, by the people, for the people.” By their votes they selected men of high character, who, by their integrity and dedication, guided our country to freedom and pros- other view perity. Where are we now? Today’s leaders seemingly are devoid of that same commitment. They appear to be lackeys to their political party and their shad- owy, (or not so shadowy) benefactors ...? Destroying our institutions Are you OK with the current anger and strife so prevalent in our country? Do you want to end “Obamacare” and lessen welfare? BY VICTOR DAVIS HANSON nee . Almost immediately, Then vote Republican. Hoover Institution Although the vice presidential Are you desiring “Healthcare for all, free college, expanded debate was conducted with proper distinguished American welfare, etc.? Then vote Democratic. n the 21st century, social distancing, along with screens I’m not looking forward to either promised outcome. hallmark American and testing to protect the candi- historians cited factual If you’ve been unfortunate enough to suffer through all the op- Iand international dates, the commission abruptly can- errors and general posing ads, which are so full of vitriolic accusations and mistruths, institutions have lost celed the second live presidential you must conclude that all of the candidates are crooked, cheaters much of their prestige debate for safety’s sake and insisted incoherence in The 1619 and liars with no redeeming values. and respect. it be conducted remotely. We are now at a defining moment in the future of our state, our Politics and biases Yet White House doctors have Project — especially country and the free world. Current challenges from the pandem- explain the lack of public confidence cleared Trump, who recently con- Hannah-Jones’ claim ic, social unrest and ever-increasing natural disasters, demand in organizations and institutions tracted COVID-19, as both medi- Americans of all stripe (and especially politicians), meet in the such as the World Health Organiza- cally able to debate and no longer that the middle and work together for a better future. tion, the Commission on Presiden- infectious. Your opinion, no matter your leaning, has never been more tial Debates, the Nobel Peace Prize, The public perception was that was created to promote crucial. Take a deep breath, pause, collect your thoughts, engage the Pulitzer Prizes and the Academy a remote debate would favor the and protect slavery. your conscience and then vote as you see fit. Awards. frequently teleprompted Biden, who After the elections, we must accept the will of the majority and The overseers entrusted with pre- has been largely ensconced in his Earlier this year, New York Times support the winners, even if they weren’t of our choice. This is how serving these institutions all caved home during the last six months, reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones won Americans move forward in unison. to short-term political pressures. As and would be less advantageous to the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Com- Just vote — yes, you! a result, they have mostly destroyed Trump, who thrives on live, ad hoc mentary for her work on The 1619 what they inherited. television. Project. She has argued that 1619, the The World Health Organization’s Susan Page is currently writing a year African slaves first arrived on Finkenauer represents hard-working Iowans director-general, Tedros Adhanom biography of Trump’s chief antag- North American soil, and not 1776 Ghebreyesus, is the first person onist, House Speaker marked the real founding of America. From Merle Duehr without a medical degree to hold (D-Calif). The designated moder- Almost immediately, distin- Garfield Avenue that position. Why? No one really ator of the now-canceled second guished American historians cited knows. president debate, Steve Scully of factual errors and general incoher- I’m writing in response to Ronald Ainley’s recent letter about In the critical first days of the rap- C-SPAN, once interned for Vice ence in The 1619 Project — espe- Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer, in which he says voters must idly spreading COVID-19 pandemic, President Joe Biden. cially Hannah-Jones’ claim that ensure “northeast Iowa stays a great place to raise a family, go to almost every statement issued by The Nobel Peace Prize has been the United States was created to the county fair, enjoy the outdoors, and feel free to wave to your Tedros and the WHO about the subject to criticism over the years promote and protect slavery. neighbor”. origins, transmission, prevention for failing to adequately recognize Facing a storm of criticism, Han- I wholeheartedly agree with Ronald — we must keep Iowa and treatment of the virus was inac- either diplomatic or humanitarian nah-Jones falsely countered that she values in Congress. And that is exactly why I’m voting for Abby curate. Worse, the announcements achievement. had never advanced a revisionist Finkenauer. Ronald’s letter mentioned Congresswoman Finke- predictably reflected the propagan- Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Lib- date of American’s “real” founding. nauer’s positions on student loans, but was unfortunately missing da of the Chinese government. eration Organization won the prize Yet even — some key information. Just like a homeowner can refinance their The bipartisan Commission on in 1994, despite conducting lethal without explanation — erased from mortgage, Congresswoman Finkenauer supports policies that let Presidential Debates was formed terrorist operations. He allegedly its own website Hannah-Jones’ students do the same thing — not “special treatment” as Ronald in 1987 for two purposes: to ensure gave the final order to execute U.S. earlier description of 1619 as “our claims. And Abby also knows, like all Iowans do, that college isn’t that during every presidential Ambassador to Sudan Cleo Noel true founding.” for everyone, that’s why she supports apprenticeship programs for campaign, candidates would agree and two other diplomats in 1973. The annual Academy Awards trade jobs right here at home. to debate; and to ensure that the In 2009, the Nobel Peace Prize were once among the most watched On wages, Ronald curiously failed to mention that Abby’s oppo- debates would be impartial and not went to President Barack Obama, events in America. In 2020, howev- nent, Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson, voted in the Statehouse to create favor either major party. despite the fact that Obama had only er, Oscar viewership crashed to its Buy America loopholes that threaten American jobs and take Unfortunately, in 2020, the been president for eight months lowest level in history, due in large manufacturing overseas to China. Abby, meanwhile, is fighting commission so far has a checkered when the prize was announced. part to backlash against the left- for good wage jobs for every Iowa family, which is why she went record on both counts. Many felt the award was a political wing politicking, sermonizing and to Congress to close the loophole that Hinson created. In just two Conservatives have argued that statement — aimed at empowering virtue-signaling of award winners. years, Congresswoman Finkenauer has already passed 20 biparti- the moderators of the first presiden- Obama and criticizing the policies Recently, the Academy of Motion san bills to invest in infrastructure, protect Iowans with pre-exist- tial debate and the vice presidential of his then-unpopular predecessor, Picture Arts and Sciences, which ing conditions, and help rural small businesses grow. debate — Chris Wallace of Fox News George W. Bush. oversees the Oscars, announced I’m voting for Abby because I don’t want a partisan politician and Susan Page of USA Today — Much later, Geir Lundestad, that it will adopt racial, gender and — I want a hard-working Iowan who knows our values and will get were systematically asymmetrical in the longtime director of the Nobel sexual identity quotas for nominees things done. their questioning. Institute, confessed that the prize — refuting the ancient idea of “art The moderators asked both committee had indeed hoped the for art’s sake” President Donald Trump and Vice award would strengthen Obama’s Such ideology has also infected, Marion will represent interests of SW Wisconsin President to explain future agendas and wasn’t really and thus tarnished, the Grammy prior controversial quotes and then in recognition of anything he had and Emmy awards, and left-wing From Diane Larson to reply to critics’ accusations. The actually done. virtue-signaling has also become Railroad Street, Blanchardville, Wis. moderators did not pose the same “Even many of Obama’s supporters part of the NFL and the NBA. sort of gotcha-type “When did you believed that the prize was a mistake,” The lesson in all these debacles is I think it’s interesting to realize that Kriss Marion was the first stop beating your wife?” questions Lundestad lamented in his memoir. that anywhere ideology trumps sci- woman chair elected by her fellow board members to the Lafayette to Democratic presidential nominee “In that sense the committee didn’t ence, public service, history, art and County Executive Committee. And she was reelected to the Board Joe Biden or vice presidential nomi- achieve what it had hoped for.” entertainment, ruin surely follows. of Supervisors by an overwhelming majority in the latest election. Obviously she is respected in her county. That’s why it’s puzzling to me why Todd Novak, her opponent for the 51st District Assembly seat, is criticizing her for having strong opinions and not being afraid to oppose fellow supervisors on the lighter side when necessary. The Legislature is not a social club. Going along to get along is BY ARGUS HAMILTON what Todd Novak has done in the State Assembly for years — vot- The Comedy Store ing overwhelmingly with his Republican majority and often voting against the interests of his own constituents. Twitter decided to censor the Kriss Marion, on the other hand, understands that leaders New York Post story in which Hunter should be committed to pushing back against corruption and a Biden’s laptop emails linked him lack of transparency throughout government. and Joe to overseas graft. Until now, She was praised by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Twitter let you spew anything you Council for pushing back against her fellow supervisors who want- wanted. If the newspaper was the ed to “prosecute” reporters for reporting the facts about a water evolution of the town crier, Twitter is quality report the chair of the board wanted to squelch. the evolution of the town drunk. In Madison, Kriss Marion will be a strong voice for honest, good government and for a civil and respectful legislature made up of President Trump received a sur- committed people who aren’t afraid to stand up against bullies prisingly nice welcome in Southern and to fight for what they think is right. Kriss Marion will fight California when he landed in L.A. for the resources our rural SW Wisconsin communities need to Sunday for a fundraiser. Locals lined recover from these troubled times. She won’t be afraid to disagree the 405 freeway to cheer Trump on. but she’s also very good at making friends. I know because I’m one Of course, we did the same thing for of them. O.J. Simpson.

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