But I am most proud of my new Congressman Larry Kissell. I have walked the halls of Congress, visited members, and even marched on Washington D.C. to protest injustice, promote equality in the workplace, and against unfair trade policies.
Most freshman members of Congress accomplish very little during their first term. They spend the first two years learning the ropes. But Congressman Kissell already knew a lot about those ropes as a former textile worker turned school teacher. I like the idea that we have a middle-class working person representing us in Congress. And as he represents us he must maintain that status. He has already gotten an amendment passed that insured some Americans will have a good job into the future. The Kissell Amendment has a positive affect on the textile industry. Then he had an amendment passed through the Agriculture Committee that will insure that farmers are represented on commodities boards. Richmond County has a large agricultural footprint.
My continued prayer for my Congressman is that as an educator he will work to improve our Public School System so that all children in America will receive a World Class Education.
Ron Murray Sr.
Ellerbe
CAFTA affects all of Central America. Have you noticed how many packages of undercloths there are on the shelf from Honduras. And I was listening to PBS one day and they were talking about the bearings for F-18 Fighter Jets which had been shipped to Costa Rica. We got apples, bananas, and oranges. Fair Trade?
Then with Fast Track Bush sent technology to Indonesia and posed with a Dictator in a silly looking jacket. Then he traded electronics with India for more mangos.
And as a member of the UAW I can assure you that we protested loud and clear to William Jefferson Clinton about the mistake he made signing NAFTA. But George H. W. Bush had proposed NAFTA when he was President and I believe Clinton thought that by signing NAFTA he would get the Republicans off his back. It didn't happen and Clinton is not the type of man who admits a mistake easily. Not as bad as George W. Bush but almost.
But when we point fingers at the people who signed these sorry trade deals we need to point some fingers at ourselves. We sold out to the cheap. And now we are paying the price for helping the rich man get rich by importing inferior products while we paid just a few pennies less for them. We need to Buy American first.
WASHINGTON – Veteran Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania disclosed plans Tuesday to switch parties, a move intended to boost his chances of winning re-election next year that also will push Democrats within one seat of a 60-vote filibuster-resistant majority.
"I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans," Specter said in a statement posted on a Web site devoted to Pennsylvania politics and confirmed by his office. Several Senate officials said a formal announcement was expected later in the day or Wednesday.
President Barack Obama called Specter almost immediately after he was informed of the decision to say the Democratic Party was "thrilled to have you," according to a White House official. Spurned Republicans said his defection was motivated by ambition, not principle.
Specter, 79 and in his fifth term, is one of a handful of Republican moderates remaining in Congress in a party now dominated by conservatives. Several officials said secret talks that preceded his decision reached into the White House, involving both Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden, a longtime colleague in the Senate. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell as well as Democratic leaders in Congress also were involved, added the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details.
Why do you think Republicans only have a 21% approval rate?
For the past 40 years, the only thing the Republican party has really stood for is being against liberalism. Republicans are finally starting to realize that their party is a coaliation of people who do not actually agree with each other on anything.
You get my point, nobrain.
Louie, how did Rubber Stamp Hayes benefit this county or this country? By casting the deciding vote for CAFTA and Fast Track? What did he do for you, pat you on the back while you waved goodbye to all the textile jobs."
How soon you forget Ron that Democrats and Republicans alike passed GATT and NAFTA which did more damage than CAFTA did! Thank you President William Jefferson Clinton and W Bush for being the instruments that helped destroy the manufacturing base in America...and shame on the traitors in Congress!
The declining economy in America and job loss will not stop or even slow down until people wake up to the fact that both Big Box Parties are the CAUSE and neither hold the CURE for what ails America!
Name at least seven good things that Hayes did for this county.
Jim man, you leave me speechless as always.
Ron just keep on giving them all the hell that you have been giving them for the past numerous years. I always enjoy reading your letters.
Most Americans are embarrassed beyond measure by the Republican Neo-Cons. At least the intelligent ones are embarrassed. Nothing more pathetic than a poor dumb Republican.
How much North Carolina and Georgia Textiles you think there is in that Foreign Car you drive? How many jobs do you think your Japanese Benefactors provided to you compared to the ones they took away from you? Did you see the scale on the news the other day where it showed that for every auto worker assembling a car there are 10 more making parts? And that actually multiplys out to about 30 people for ever assembler. So when you buy one of those fine Japanese cars that are assembled in this country you provide an income for 3,000 people, some of them union, but you also provide income for 30,000 people who do not live in this country, some of them union. You ever try to figure out how many strawberry's, peaches, or tobacco that the Japanese buy from the US. None. Cause the Japanese don't buy American Made anything unless they are buying America.
You should have seen me when I was pulling barges down the Erie Canal. That is the reason my eyes are in the top of my head. I couldn't see where I was going cause my back was bent all the time so I had my eyes put in the top of my head.
From all indications Congressman Kissell is going to be one of the best Representatives we have ever had. He doesn't just smile and laugh because his family trust makes millions off the suffering of people in North Carolina who lost their jobs like Rubber Stamp Robin Hayes did.
Louie, did you actually listen when they were teaching math in school? Did you ever think that, unlike Bush, I am like President Obama, I can walk and chew gum at the same time.
Louie, you are a poor Republican, which makes you oh so pathetic.
any how any way.You Ellie Mae and Ronnie just keep playing and you might learn something.A MINE IS A TERRIBLE THIN TO WASTE.To bad yours is already already Gone.
I believe that kissell is a good man and probably an honest one,but as a new electee he is lost in washington, what is happening is he is being guilded by the"PARTY", connections that took Robin Hayes years to establish were thrown away when we elected Kissell.
Good people very often do not do so well in congress, they are over-run by the old heads that know the "ROPES".
Jethro and Ellie, you are relatively new to this nonsense but don`t be too influenced by Ol`Murray, you will learn that he is extremely radical and spouts a lot of facts that do not check out, such as Robin Hayes not being a benefit to Richmond county.
If Murray had done all he claims to have been and done, he would have to be over 100 years old, not only does he claim to have loaded bombs on aircraft during WWII but he also claims to have replaced timbers on sailing warships and led the union fight against Big Boss people and to have walked the halls of congress(probably with an armed security agent)but Murray is basically harmless and sometimes quite entertaining.
Jethro, I know that you own a small business and employ several people, being aligned with Democrat policys is a scary position for a small business person, the reason being that all these programs that they are funding and want to add too will take your business from you.
Jethro, repent now and I will come out and take you to the voter registar to change partys so that you can regain some of that pride that has always been a part of your ancestors history,
"Be proud again, be a republican"
So write your words of wit, call me a socialist, a commie, a coward, a facist, and then tell me you just want to be my friend. If I go to Dixie Burger it will be for one of their delicious slaw dogs and fries, nothing more.
You don't know diddly squat about unions or what it means to stand up for people who are just trying to make a decent living. That is why you can call yourself a Republican.
I don't give a rats backside if you do know where I live. I have better friends than you that hate my guts.
And I don't eat grits so you can keep your snacks.
Just from the very words you write you wouldn't know a good debate if it bit you on the bottom. And I am sure there is plenty of bottom on you cause all you do is sit on it and write garbage.
No Brains, what a perfect nickname YOU picked for yourself.
Your not tall enough or big enough to look me in the eye, Moron!
And the Whore Monger,Bill Clinton.When you talk like I'm a moron,you need to look in the mirror.You hate everyone that don't think like you.You remind me of Jim Jones.You are a radical Right Winger,abscessed with cutting everyone down.Well big boy you pit on one now that want back Down.You are the one that backs down.You back down when Tex ask you to meet him so you could talk it over and compare notes.You refused.Jim Webb ask you to meet and you would not.And don't forget we know where you live and work.You want even ask us to meet you there,even if we bring the snacks.I just want to ask you why, we don't aim of hurting you,we just like good debates.We can do it at the Dixie Burger.Ronnie what I'm saying is you want look a man in the eye and talk like this to him.That is called being a coward."Right Ronnie"
Ronnie your so called friends,The UAW is causing the auto company's to go broke,and you try to promote them.You have a spit tongue.So Ronnie if I were you I'd sit down and shut up.Oh and say hello to your girlfriend Mrs. Barney Franks.when are you two getting MARRIED>
You wouldn't have been happy until you were standing in a soup line with your dirty cup waiting on a ladle of hot water. Your Republican hero's got us into this mess and President Obama and Congressman Kissell are working to get us out of it.
Your hate has blinded you.
Then you praise Obama for what,backing out of every promise he made.He is listing to Mrs Nancy,Harry Reid and Miss Barney Franks to much.And Miss Barney Franks is not a mistake.If you don't know, he is a woman in mans clothing.He is like the big bad wolf playing Granny to fool little Red Robin Hood.I'm just glad that I'm not stupid enough to fall for them like you Three have.
Jethroe The guns are selling because everyone knows you Dumbocrats will take everything we have work for.And yes I know what a good old fist fight is like,the question do you want to know.
Le-ouis, Kissell is the only man that could possibly staighten out the mess that Robin Hayes made in this county.
And oh yeah, gun sales are high because of all the yellow bellied republicans that wouldn't know a good fist fight if it hit 'em in the face.
Steve(always a Richmond County Resident and proud of it!!!)