I know from experience in Washington working with Congressman Jones that he is a true, principled conservative, when these are hard to find in Washington today in either party. He has an independent streak, just like Jesse Helms, and he does not bow to the powerful lobbies or even his party bosses in Washington.
Carlson, who signed his letter as a Marine, is to be admired for showing solidarity and support for the Corps. But he should not try to misrepresent what conservative principles are. Opposition to the war in Iraq is not a disavowal of conservative principle, or unpatriotic. Carlson should just stick with his real reason for opposing Walter Jones.
Let me tell you my reasons for supporting Walter Jones. The GOP needs men of principle more than ever. Our mounting national debt, falling dollar, massive trade and budget deficits, our open border, and loss of clout and influence around the world bear stark witness to this truth.
A few weeks ago, a Washington lobbyist Grover Norquist came down here to campaign for Jones' adversary in the GOP primary, Joe McLaughlin. While I have known Walter Jones to be a strict fiscal conservative, Norquist leveled a misleading charge against Jones that he broke his pledge never to vote to raise taxes. But if you look into the actual facts of the bill that Norquist uses for his charges, you will learn that Walter Jones in this instance actually voted to take away a tax loophole used by corporations who move their U.S. jobs offshore, and locate in a foreign tax shelter to avoid U.S. taxation.
Make no mistake, powerful special interests that Grover Norquist associates with in Washington want to get rid of Walter Jones. The last thing we need is a new congressman, with IOUs to the likes of Grover Norquist.
This district has a terrific Congressman in Washington who is not your normal politician. Let's keep Walter Jones in Washington.
Jim Schollaert
Surf City