An informative debate

Dear editor:

First, I’d like to say shame on each of our four Little Rock television affiliates, KARK, KATV, FOX and KTHV. Monday night, Oct. 8, AETN broadcast an hourlong debate between incumbent Bruce Westerman and challenger Hayden Shamel, for the 4th Congressional District seat in Congress. Kind of an important thing. Yet none of these stations were willing to take a break from an hour’s worth of profits to air it. That’s a pathetic statement on their priorities.

I did watch, and have to say it was, as today’s politics go, a fairly civil and informative affair. Shamel might not have shined, but clearly rose above Westerman, in terms of both substance and civility. Obviously, not a lot can be detailed or discussed meaningfully in one hour on a host of important subjects, but she’s obviously an intelligent person well versed on issues.

Westerman, however, simply resorted to what his colleague French Hill is doing in Little Rock: attempting to associate Shamel with Nancy Pelosi. First off, I seriously doubt Shamel has ever spoken to Pelosi, yet Westerman, for a lack of having anything positive to say about himself, kept circling back, again and again. Finally, Shamel went on record as saying she would NOT vote for Pelosi to retain her House speaker position. Good for her.

What I took most from the debate is that Shamel might well be a somewhat centrist, even-keeled representative for normal, everyday people in her district. Westerman pretty much confirmed what I thought: no matter what his constituents think or want, he will continue to tow the party line, and vote the vast majority of the time for what Donald Trump or big business wants.

For the few of us who watched the debate, thank you for at least staying informed, even if you disagree with my views. That’s what the America I served in the Marine Corps is supposed to be about. And above all, get out and vote! Ron Collins, USMC retired Hot Springs