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Know what candidates stand for before voting
Published Thursday, October 30, 2008
Since the national and local elections are on Tuesday Nov. 4, I just wanted to inform people of my findings, after speaking to many of our local candidates, up for local elections next Tuesday.
I personally inquired from many local candidates exactly where they stand on issues that I value. I believe even though our local positions are “non partisan positions,” that what we stand for and what we value, truly makes a difference in every aspect of our lives and our decisions.
Local candidates have the opportunity to move up the political ladder, have more access to the media, and their belief systems really mean a lot then, so why not find out the information to start with. If they value life, that is a great starting place for me.
I am also looking for candidates that believe that I know better where my money is best served than the government does, and that to grow our jobs in Fergus Falls, taxes have to be low.
Most candidates were more than willing to tell me where they stand on these issues, to which I applaud them. One candidate, a female candidate for Ward 4 City Council refused to answer the questions I presented, and that is her right, but I believe that also says a lot to me as a voter. How much information would I be accessible to later?
I spoke to Lee Rogness, County Commissioner candidate for Otter Tail County, who was totally upfront on his beliefs, and who I support for County Commissioner. He was able to verbalize clearly his fiscal responsible attitude and his love of Otter Tail County. I also believe that his business success, shows he has proven himself to be good with money decisions.
He is a firm believer of the Pro Life movement, his love of God, and his moral ethical beliefs have sold me on his candidacy. When I spoke to his opponent in the race, he was more interested in using our resources fully, but couldn’t really give specifics. He is also for creating laws to govern businesses, instead of letting businesses decide how they should run their business.. He was also Not Pro Life.
When I spoke to Bud Nornes, State Representative candidate, he too was more than willing to give specifics as to what he believes on these issues also. It really makes a huge difference, when we see the moral code of people being lived out in their everyday lives.
He is very accessible to everyone, I know I have called him many times for different issues, and have always spoken directly to him and never been made to feel as though I was bothering him.
He is a man that works for us, and he loves our community very much. He is a role model we can be proud of.
Bud is Pro Life, living within our budget, and cutting spending. His opponent thought that tax increases are needed, since “ his real estate taxes have doubled locally, since the tax decreases at state level. Obviously, our local government has to live within their budget too, not just raise taxes at our state level.
Next I spoke to each candidate for Ward 4 City Council, since one candidate dropped out, I had to do my homework quickly.
Rodger Heaton, tax accountant, is Pro Life, pro fiscal responsibility, pro business owners making decisions for their businesses that serve them best, and a huge proponent of making a clear distinction of our needs vs. our wants.
He believes we need to live within our budgets, and clearly wants to serve this community to the best of his ability. He wants to make sure that, just like Bud Nornes, he is accessible to us, and his literature states that clearly. His male opponent is Not Pro Life either, so he is not my candidate of “choice.”
Rodger Heaton, runs his accounting business, so he too is great with the numbers. We could really use a strong numbers person and a strong values person on the city council.
Again, these are my findings after having conversations with the candidates. The choice is yours, but remember we are going to have to live with our choices that we make on November 4th. Lets vote God’s values in all the elections this year. We need God to be involved in every aspect of our lives, so let’s make our choices, with God in mind.
Ginny Saul - Fergus Falls
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by RodgerHeaton (anonymous) on October 30, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ginny,
Thank you for all those nice comments. I wish I could afford a spokesperson as direct and to the point as you are. You mentioned communication with the candidates. I look forward to everyone’s phone calls now, until the election, and THEREAFTER; especially those from the 4th Ward.
Rodger Heaton – 4th Ward City Council Candidate
218.998.4048
www.RodgerHeaton.com
Posted by otterfan (anonymous) on October 30, 2008 at 1:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
AMEN!
Posted by AmyO (anonymous) on October 30, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by pilsnerurquel (anonymous) on October 30, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Really? You ask City Council members and County Commisioners if they are pro-life before deciding if you should vote for them?! That is so insanely inappropriate and nosey I don't even know where to start. WOW.
Posted by otterfan (anonymous) on October 30, 2008 at 10:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Please watch this vid: http://www.citizenlink.org/videofeatures...
Posted by macgregor1949 (anonymous) on October 30, 2008 at 10:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow Ginny, that's just what we need, business making desicions for themselves that serve them best. As you worry so much about taxes and spending - please note the business decision of AIG to 'serve them best' with the financial bailout. That was your taxpayer money Ginny, going to a business that made a decision to 'serve them best'. Of course being 'a good numers person' is a good value. Worked well for Enron, et al. And you are right, it really does make a difference when we see the moral code of people being lived in their everyday life! Ginny, you must have been granted special gifts that you have the ability to see into a persons heart and soul and pronounce judgement. Wow - right here in Fergus Falls.
Posted by Pickles (anonymous) on October 31, 2008 at 8:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To Macgregor1949 You noted AIG and ENRONs spending, but that is BIG business, has nothing to do with the business owners around here. Also you talk about the financial bailout, that should only be blamed on the democrats who thought that everyone should have the right to own a home regardless if they could pay for it or not. THEY are the ones to blame and the lenders who gave these people the loans should be held accountable. They saw these people financial statements and yet ignored them and wrote them up loans and gave them homes they could not afford. If you want to blame anyone for this, blame Barney and Dodd for saying that the two biggest financial institutions were sound and doing great. Biggest liars ever and I dont see anyone asking for their resignation.
Posted by betterworld (anonymous) on October 31, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Again, it comes down to one issue for bible thumpers. Check this out;Yesterday I got a call from the Coleman campaign, it was a young man asking me questions about Coleman and then he said, "can we count on your vote?" I said absolutely not and here's why...and proceeded to list a half dozen reasons why I wasn't voting for Coleman. The young guy agreed with EVERYTHING I said, and said he was just making these calls becuase he needed the money for a few months......can you beleive it? He's 24 and said all of his friends and family are voting for Obama and Franken!!!!!!!
Posted by votedem (anonymous) on October 31, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Candidates, please keep YOUR religion out of OUR politics. If there truly was an all loving god he would have never let GW get in the white house.
Peace and rationality,
Votedem
Posted by retiredteacher (anonymous) on October 31, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Pickles. Get to the fact finders on the net to discover just who is to blame for the events leading to the bailout. There's plenty blame to go around but blatantly false to say it all is the Democrat's fault. None of it could have happened without Republican Phil Gramms' huge deregulation bill snuck onto the end of another bill that both Republicans and Democrats wanted and for which BOTH Republicans and Democrats voted overwhelmingly. Please get the facts before you make such unsubstantiated judgments. Making judgments is all too easy and all too frequent these days, but supporting them with actual facts is not that hard. Go to the fact finders, unless you don't want the facts and truth. In fact, the largest blame lies with the greedy people on Wall Street who created sub-prime mortgages and worse yet credit default swaps.
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