Reject the money, and cut the strings

Reject the money, and cut the strings

During Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s recent visit to Roanoke, his response to a question about campaign contributions from Consol indicated that he would likely accept contributions from almost anyone with a checkbook.

The commonwealth’s residents are upset by this, especially those who may be on the brunt end of the gas industry, including Consol.

How do they create an opportunity for their voices to be heard without large sums of money?

When a public servant takes office, he should represent all constituents fairly.

Accepting huge campaign contributions from an industry that finds itself at odds with other constituents whom he also must represent seems inappropriate.

Merely the appearance of impropriety should be a concern.

Large sums of money buy nothing but sound bites. I don’t think the electorate is that shallow.

Candidates for public office should be creative about engaging in a useful dialogue on how we move Virginia forward.

I long for the day when the electorate is no longer dumbed down, and voters are free to make their decisions based on facts, honesty and a clearly outlined vision for Virginia.

Reject the money and cut the strings that come attached to it.

KATHY R. SELVAGE
WISE

Memories have been wiped clean in D.C.

A horrible virus has infected almost everyone in Washington, D.C., unlike anything we have seen before in this country. It has erased the memories of people in our government.

The head of the FBI cannot recall who is heading the investigation into the Internal Revenue Service scandal; the secretary of state cannot recall why Americans were attacked and killed in Benghazi; no one has any memory as to who decided reporters for The Associated Press should have their phone calls and emails monitored, or what exactly happened in “Fast and Furious.”

We seem happy that our phone calls and emails are being monitored, even though we are not terrorists.

Common sense was killed, and no one noticed. Politicians look into the camera and say the most outlandish things and expect us to believe them. Oftentimes, many do.

I pray for a cure before the virus spreads and takes over every facet of our lives. I expect the wizard to come out from behind the curtain at any time and explain why we’re not in Kansas anymore. I wish he would hurry, before it’s too late.

SIDNEY McCLANAHAN
ROANOKE

Keep the trucks out of the passing lane

I travel Interstate 81 several times a week and, as we all know, the traffic at times is awful.

With the detour up Christiansburg Mountain making things worse, I have an observation.

If the trucks were made to stay in one lane, and not try to pass each other while going a couple of miles an hour faster than the one ahead of them, faster-moving vehicles could use the passing lane to keep traffic moving and lessen the congestion.

DON CONSTABLE
ROANOKE

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