<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2523" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref" size=4>All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref" size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref" size=4>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!).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref" size=4></FONT><FONT face="Verdana Ref"
size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Verdana size=4>Freedom
of expression is the cornerstone of a democracy.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Statements by candidates about their
qualifications/views and critical analyses thereof are an indispensable element
of that expression.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Verdana size=4>The
local GOP is boycotting the MCA forum, thus depriving deserving voters of a more
searching look at their candidacies than other forums.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Verdana size=4>Their
publicly expressed reasons:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>fear of
"planted" hostile questions, non-allowance of unopposed candidates, and fear of
"personal attacks" (read: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>close
scrutiny of claimed qualifications).</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Verdana
size=4>Lame.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Juvenile.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Verdana
size=4>"Planted" hostile questions do not occur at other forums?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Yeah, right. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Would it alter election results if an
unopposed candidate doesn't appear?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Is it a "personal attack" to show a candidate has egregiously lied about
his qualifications?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Verdana size=4>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.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Verdana size=4>And the
GOP is correct about what would happen.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Mark Solomon has an articulate, prodigious grasp of the issues.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Sheriff Jeff Crouch's leadership has
served us very well, including the successful solution of two difficult murder
cases.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Verdana size=4>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.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is particularly true of a candidate
for sheriff.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana Ref'"><FONT size=4>The local GOP behavior is
anti-democratic, dishonest, and cowardly.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Childish scaredy-cats who boycott the MCA forum are unworthy of our
votes.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana Ref'"><o:p><FONT
size=4> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana Ref'"><FONT size=4>I am particularly appalled at
Rausch's craven attitude.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The least
desirable traits of a potential sheriff are puerility, lack of partisan
independence, and cowardice.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana Ref'"><o:p><FONT
size=4> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana Ref'"><o:p><FONT
size=4> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=4>/s/ Wayne A. Fox<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><FONT
face=Verdana size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=4><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Wayne A.
Fo</SPAN>x<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=4>1009 Karen Lane<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=4>P.O. Box 9421<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=4>Moscow, ID<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>83843<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><FONT
face=Verdana size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=4>(208) 882-7975<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A
href="mailto:waf@moscow.com"><FONT face=Verdana
size=4>waf@moscow.com</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>