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Political Spectrum Cited

Editor, News-Register:

Here is an anatomy of a far-left leaning liberal Democratic socialist agenda-seeking letter to the editor of this newspaper: Richard Hord, of Martins Ferry, responded here in writing to a letter that I had written a week earlier in which I stated that I believe that each and every letter that he writes to this editor is coming from his “hate the right” no matter what attitude. That he spins and twists each and every fact/opinion in a way that shows his hatred of people that are not as far left as he is. I’d like to dissect his response letter and show some reasons why I believe he comes from the far “far-left.”

I would almost like to applaud Mr Hord’s first two paragraphs where he is trying to lay the foundation that he is taking the moral high ground by espousing that various “opinion/fact-based” viewpoints of both sides are encouraged in letters and columns that are published by the very professional editor of this newspaper. I actually agree with that statement.

Then he brags about his diligent efforts to use only “well-researched and verifiable facts” when he is using his “unquestioned, inalienable right” to express his opinions on the issues because he is a citizen of this “great nation” where freedom of speech is “unquestioned.” I take issue that he uses “well-researched and verifiable facts.” The rest I agree with.

Then in the next paragraph he wonders what my thoughts on some government programs are that he says are “typically classified” as “socialist programs” such as SSI, Medicare, Medicaid and unemployment benefits and other subsidies. I disagree that these are classified as “socialist” programs but rather they are just “social” programs. This is where the left needs to learn and understand the political spectrum. Imagine a 12- inch ruler as the spectrum of politics. At the far left near the 1 is communism, where government controls and owns at least half of everything. Then on the far right near the 12 is fascism or Nazism where there are no government programs to help the populace, it’s each person for themselves. No government intervention or regulations on food or health or poverty or any regulations stopping anyone from doing as they please. Just a cop on every corner making sure you don’t badmouth the government. As the number gets lower there is more government assistance and more government regulations which in turn can and do take away some rights of individuals. With 6 being “moderate” and considered the center, it mixes a balance of government programs and control with a balance of individual freedoms.

Basic liberalism is considered close to a 5 while basic conservatism is close to a 7. Each side tugs and pulls the political issues in their direction so that hopefully the politics of the day in this great nation will stay as close to 6 as possible.

Now, to answer your question as to what I, as a conservative, think of the government programs that you mentioned. I have nothing against any of them and consider them all needed and good as long as they are run efficiently. That’s why i consider myself a 6-1/2 to 7 on the political spectrum. That’s the balance between government programs and control that I think is best for everyone. Most conservatives that I know and vote for also think the politics of the day should be similar, between 6 and 7 and no more. On the other hand, since socialism is between a 2 and 3 on the political spectrum, (libertarian is 8-9 if you’re curious) I believe that based on your published letters to the editor that your socialist beliefs are too far to the left and not good for the country. Being at 2-3 takes away too many freedoms that our founding fathers thought we should have, and gives government too much authority or laws or regulations.

Now you don’t have to wonder about how I feel about your mentioned government “social programs.” Conservatives are for them if not abused and they are used efficiently. Since we conservatives are a 7 out of 12 on the spectrum, we are 5 slots from no government regulations or programs at all.

This is where Mr. Hord slides into the muddy ditch that parallels the moral high ground he wanted. Firstly, Mr. Hord states that I am entitled to my own opinions but not my own facts. In my original letter I never attempted to quote or state anything as factual, except that in my opinion that after reading many of Mr. Hord’s letters, I believe he is a 2 or a 3 on the political spectrum, which is socialistic and 2-3-4 notches left of the “moderate” political center. From his own words I take him to be a socialist. That’s my opinion, which Mr. Hord so graciously said that I was entitled to.

Then at the end of his fourth paragraph, Mr. Hord writes wanting to know my opinion of, “President Trump’s obvious, unbridled affection for communist/socialist leaders worldwide, such as Russia’s Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un!” Thats’s exactly why I felt I needed to explain the political spectrum to him above. He obviously doesn’t know his left from his right. Makes no sense why any conservative would have “unbridled affection” for regimes that are 1, 2, or 3 on the spectrum. Makes more sense that someone who is already a 2 or a 3 would have that affection for people that are already a 2 or a 3.

You can call conservatives lots of names and accuse them of lots of things that can be twisted, spun, turned and misinterpreted into some percentage of truth, but you can not intelligently argue that conservatives are friends or economic allies of communism/socialism. That’s akin to saying farmers can just milk their bulls when their dairy cows run dry, if they need more milk.

Paragraph 5: Mr Hord states “as the author (that’s me) refers to lying, which is never acceptable” he goes on to say as fact that our president has told more than “20,000 documented false statements, also known as lies during his presidency to date, which is assuredly more than all the falsehoods of all other elected officials in our NATION’S HISTORY — COMBINED!” Yes, he actually wrote that.

First of all, he has no way of knowing that. Does Mr. Hord have documented data or any proof of this statement? Remember he stated in his letter that, “In my writing, I feel that I am always diligent in my efforts to include only well-researched and verifiable facts.” In my limited research, I only saw the Huffington Post, the Washington Post and MSNBC attempt to stretch the facts that far and represent that as true. And all are known conservative-hating organizations. All their reports are 95% negative on all Republican members of Congress and the president. Tell me, Mr. Hord, just one real out-and-out lie that President Trump has told — just one. You should have no problem since he’s told 20,000 in just about three years. I could spend all day on Youtube watching liberals lie through their teeth and in person.

Paragraph 6 of his letter: Mr. Hord stated, “I would like to remind the author (that again is me) that our current president, for the vast majority of his long life, was a Democrat, then became an independent, and conveniently became a Republican conservative for his presidential run.” I’d like to remind Mr. Hord that many many people , especially in WEST VIRGINIA, have done the same thing. The Democrats are not a “5” anymore. Their leaders are leading them to socialism, which is a 2-3. The people of WEST VIRGINIA did not leave the Democratic Party, neither did President Trump — the Democratic Party left them!

In the same paragraph, Mr. Hord wrote that President Trump has presided over and is greatly responsible for the largest national debt the country has realized. In 1995 or close to it, the Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives for the first time in almost 50 years. I think it was the third bill they initiated that would create an amendment to the Constitution that would make it law that the government would always have to live with a balanced budget. That amendent passed in the Republican-led House but was short of the two-thirds requirement for amendments. The Democrat-controlled Senate was never going to pass it anyway. Now Mr. Hord wants to blame deficits on Republicans? We all know Democrats love deficits and Republicans don’t.

Paragraph No 8: Mr. Hord compares George W. Bush uniting the country after 9-11 with President Trump’s dividing the country, and using his daily briefings as “self-aggrandizing political rallies.” Again the Democratic Party has left the center of the political spectrum and moved far left toward socialism. Don’t blame Trump for the divide. Used to be conservatives at 7 and liberals at 5 was a good argument. Now it’s conservatives at 7 and socialists at 2-3. That is what is dividing this country !

In paragraph 9, he accuses me of “name-calling” to avoid being intellectual. I only called him a far-left liberal socialist and a half-truth telling liberal that twists and spins and turns the truth to his advantage when he feels like bashing anyone who disagrees with his far-left political philosophy. I’d like to see the newspaper put that in their question of the day poll. I bet my percentage of giving you that truthful moniker would be overwhelming.

In his closing he asks, “Why can we not disagree without being disagreeable?” Is that even possible? The title of his letter was “agreeing to disagree.” (maybe that wasn’t his title, to be fair)

I think our back-and-forth conversations can be better described as, “You’re hearing what I’m saying” but the problem is “I’m not saying what you’re hearing.”

I’d like to see you write a letter that tells of the virtues and goodness of becoming a socialist society instead of just always writing negative letters about those that disagree.

Thank you too, and have a nice day,

Tom Standiford

New Martinsville

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