Editor:
This land is your land; this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
In 1940 Woody Guthrie penned these words, set them to an old gospel song, and created a hymn to the dreams of the ordinary man. This vision of a verdant land in which we share the bounty and the sacrifice, living as a community, touches us all in our hearts core.
Now compare the vision of Scott Tipton, evidenced by his voting record. His very first vote was to defund virtually our every effort to help our less fortunate neighbors. For example, health care and nutrition for poor women and children, after school and child care, substance abuse and mental health programs, community health clinics and nutrition assistance for low income pregnant women. Other defunding votes included Public Radio, NOAA and NASA. Meanwhile, he has voted 18 times to protect the $5 billion in subsidies to big oil, the worlds wealthiest and most profitable companies. He has voted 134 times against programs and funding to protect clean air and water, and 98 times to weaken the agency responsible for the protection of the air we breathe and the water we drink. And particularly ignominious is his sponsorship of HR1581, the complete giveaway of our roadless forests, from which come that clean air and water, to industry. Three times he has voted for the Ryan budget, which converts Medicare into a voucher system, deeply cuts health services for the poor, gives huge tax cuts to the very wealthy, and has been declared immoral by the Council of Catholic Bishops. Robin Hood in reverse is not what Jesus taught.
Fortunately, we have a bright young alternative; his name is Sal Pace. Sal is a moderate, with a well-deserved reputation of working across the aisle in our State House. And most refreshing is his promise to replace petrified ideology with moderation and rational thought. I urge you to become acquainted with him at www.paceforcolorado.com.
Christopher Isensee
Durango
Via email