Description of Democrats just doesn’t reflect reality

Joseph Barsocchi, in his Oct. 11 letter, asks if Sarah Sanders would implement policies in line with those of most Arkansans. It’s hard to know, since she has articulated only two policy positions to date. First, abolish the state income tax, which is ironic, because that would effectively end funding for state law enforcement, i.e., defund the police, something President Biden has emphatically rejected. That brings up her second policy position, opposing and obstructing all Biden administration policies. Barsocchi then goes on to state that because Chris Jones is a Democrat, he must want to implement all the policies he then lists as Democratic attributes.

Well, I’m a lifelong Democrat and (gasp!) a Yankee, having grown up in New York, and have known Democrats all my life. None of the ones I know want to defund the police, though we do want to see some new priorities in law enforcement. Decarceration of violent criminals is also not among the policies we support. There is room for releasing nonviolent offenders where appropriate.

We support a woman’s right to choose her own path, with the guidance of her doctors, regarding health care, including abortion, which should be, in the words of Bill Clinton, safe, legal, and rare. Those decisions should be free from intrusion by the heavy hand of the state. Most of us support reasonable restrictions: termination prior to viability, after that only if medically necessary for the health of the mother. Likewise, nobody wants to sexually confuse, drug and mutilate children (where does he get this stuff?). This is, again, an area where state intrusion has no place, and decisions regarding children’s health care, not the abuse to which he refers, are to be made by families and their doctors.

Finally, nobody wants taxes raised “beyond reason,” whatever that is. There does need to be a balance between taxes collected and services provided, and tax policy that is applied fairly across all income levels.

Chris Jones has enumerated policies he would implement if elected. You may or may not agree with them, but at least we know where he stands. We don’t really know what Sanders’ platform is, beyond the two things she’s mentioned. She won’t even show up for a candidate’s debate to state and defend a platform. Judy Sipes Smith, in her Oct. 5 letter, says “I know who she is and what she stands for …” Do you?

If lack of transparency to the voters, along with her demonstrated willingness to defend Donald Trump’s lies is any indication, these are not the values I want in a governor. “Good genes,” i.e., daddy was governor, is not sufficient basis to justify voting for someone who is clearly unqualified for the job. The sad reality, as Mr. Barsocchi implies, is that she will sail into the Capitol with a wide majority, simply because she has an “R” by her name.

God save us all in a Sanders administration.

THOMAS BECKETT

Siloam Springs