Candidate for governor dares to speak the truth

A GOP

Congratulations to GOP gubernatorial candidate Laura Ellsworth for speaking the truth about her party’s Harrisburg shenanigans (Dec. 3, “Swanky Pennsylvania Society Brings Out Candidates of All Stripes”). The PG article said, “Ms. Ellsworth blasted what she derided as Harrisburg’s short-term budget gimmicks and lamented that instead of growing the economy, ‘ we are ever more dependent on hoping more and more of our citizens drink and smoke and gamble and smoke pot. What have we become?’she asked.”

Once, I was a Republican when there was a sub-species of “liberal” and “moderate,” but now the Pennsylvania GOP is only “conservative” and “alt-right” at best. Once, the GOP was the party of high moral values, joining with a broad array of churches to oppose the establishment of gambling or the expansion of alcohol in our commonwealth. Now,it has become the party of quick fixes using the very meansthat it once proudly and justly opposed. How sad for the GOP; how tragic for the citizensof our commonwealth.

How long will the citizens of Pennsylvania be duped by the easy, morally questionable gimmicks of the current GOP-controlled state Legislature, while at the same time applauding the comments of U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa? “I think not having the estate tax recognizes the people that are investing — as opposed to those that are just spending every darn penny they have, whether it’s on booze or women or movies,” Mr. Grassley told the Des Moines Register in an interview published Dec. 2. Mr. Grassley, who serves on the Senate Finance Committee, made the remark when asked about the Senate tax reform measure, which would double the exemption for estates to $11 million for an individual and $22 million for a couple. Heirs would inherit the estates tax-free.

While I am no longer a member of the Republican Party, America and Pennsylvania need a multiple-party system for good governance that seeks to provide for all the inhabitants of our nation, and not just the privileged few. Maywe hear from more voices likethose of Ms. Ellsworth! REV. DONALD B. GREEN

McCandless