[Vision2020] MCA Debates

[Art Deco aka W. Fox]

All,

Re:  The MCA Debates:  a statement to voters about the woeful local GOP --a 
lunge from the heights of respectability to the depths of cowardice, arrogance, 
and childishness (except Jack Nelson!).



Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of a democracy.  Statements by 
candidates about their qualifications/views and critical analyses thereof are an 
indispensable element of that expression.



The local GOP is boycotting the MCA forum, thus depriving deserving voters of a 
more searching look at their candidacies than other forums.



Their publicly expressed reasons:  fear of "planted" hostile questions, 
non-allowance of unopposed candidates, and fear of "personal attacks" (read: 
close scrutiny of claimed qualifications).



Lame.  Juvenile.



"Planted" hostile questions do not occur at other forums?  Yeah, right.  Would 
it alter election results if an unopposed candidate doesn't appear?  Is it a 
"personal attack" to show a candidate has egregiously lied about his 
qualifications?



The real GOP reason is the well-founded fear that two of their candidates, Tom 
Trail and sheriff wanna-be, Wayne Rausch, will fair poorly in a face-to-face 
debate.



And the GOP is correct about what would happen.  Mark Solomon has an articulate, 
prodigious grasp of the issues.  Sheriff Jeff Crouch's leadership has served us 
very well, including the successful solution of two difficult murder cases.



The public is also entitled to see how candidates react under pressure - 
pressure like what they may many times face as part of public office.  This is 
particularly true of a candidate for sheriff.



The local GOP behavior is anti-democratic, dishonest, and cowardly.  Childish 
scaredy-cats who boycott the MCA forum are unworthy of our votes.



I am particularly appalled at Rausch's craven attitude.  The least desirable 
traits of a potential sheriff are puerility, lack of partisan independence, and 
cowardice.





/s/ Wayne A. Fox



Wayne A. Fox

1009 Karen Lane

P.O. Box 9421

Moscow, ID  83843



(208) 882-7975

waf at moscow.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20041027/cc53a855/attachment.htm