Focusing on the bright shiny object
In last week’s letter [“Nothing so frightening as a vote of the people,” June 4], Jed Duvall missed some facts and numbers: 70,000, 800,000 and 4.
70,000. The number of civilians killed in Yemen. If taking sides in this war has anything to do with the national security of the United States it hasn’t been explained to us by Denver Riggleman, who voted time and again to supply sophisticated U.S. weapons to Saudi Arabia. An amendment to one of the bills would have prohibited Saudi Arabia from using the weapons against Yemen. Riggleman voted against it.
Exactly how is adding more death and destruction to this humanitarian catastrophe in our own national interest? Riggleman hasn’t even tried to explain or defend his votes. The American people are weary of the endless sacri ce these wars have demanded of them, both in treasure and in blood. Yet Riggleman repeatedly votes to involve the U.S. in an additional war with no clear objectives and virtually no debate.
Then, when the president wisely redeployed our troops away from the Syria-Turkey border, therein reducing the risks of a wider war in Syria, Riggleman voted with most Democrats to “censure” him for this policy decision. Is it just because he knows better? Or is it because he is himself a product of the culture of the military-industrial complex?
800,000. That’s the number of foreign workers per year Riggleman voted to import to the US to compete for jobs with our own fellow citizens. For the record, his votes were not for seasonal, temporary AG workers. Riggleman’s imported labor competes for good paying jobs in hi-tech and construction; career jobs on which to build a home and a family. Riggleman doesn’t care about putting skilled American workers out of work or depressing their wages. His votes were dutifully delivered to K Street’s powerful Cheap Labor Lobby, which includes Silicon Valley plutocrats. Did any of these votes bene t the citizens of Virginia’s 5th district?
A look at the list of big corporations funding Riggleman’s campaign speaks volumes.
4. The Constitution’s Fourth Amendment. On March 11 Riggleman voted for HR6172, the Orwellian named Freedom Reauthorization Act. It violates the right of American citizens to be left alone from government snooping as well as the due process clause to a fair trial.
Riggleman swore an oath to protect and defend the constitution, not to undermine and dismantle it. I doubt there are many citizens in Virginia’s 5th district who favor Riggleman’s votes to abridge their constitutionally protected privacy and liberty.
Perhaps issues of war and peace, job security for American workers or the defense of the Constitution matter less to Mr. Duvall than his own moral preening. Not content with the discussion of any real issues, Mr. Duvall has swallowed Riggleman’s disinformation campaign hook, line and sinker. “Don’t look at any of my votes,” says the Beltway Pol, “look over here at this bright shiny object.”
This is how craven politicians of both parties keep us distracted, agitated and at each other’s throats. With cultural wedge issues. While they rob us blind, whittle away our liberty and drag us into war after war.
No one knows how things will go on Saturday. But this much we do know. First, Mr. Duvall will not be voting because he’s a registered voter in the 7th, not the 5th district. Second, the fear mongering perpetuated by Riggleman, his lackeys and his blind defenders is part of the problem in America today. Instead of honestly discussing issues of great national importance, instead of respecting the genuine concerns of others, their Alinskyite tactics cruelly pit people against one another, spreading fear and loathing in the community.
Now that he knows Riggleman’s actual voting record Mr. Duvall may “get” why thousands of Virginia patriots have risen up to throw out his “handsome, likeable Denver.”