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Despite warnings, McHenry backed subprime loans

Your Voice

Letters to the Editor

Published: October 23, 2008

After viewing Patrick McHenry's political ad smearing his opponent, I was shocked. McHenry doesn't want to tell people about his record. He wants to throw mud at a worthy opponent.

Having served two terms on the Financial Services Committee of the House of Representatives, Patrick McHenry defended subprime lending even after economists cautioned that the risk to the economy was great.

McHenry favored deregulation policies while at the same time accepting $800,000 from financial services companies AIG, Bear Stearns, Washington Mutual, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Who do you think McHenry really represents on this committee?

I think it is time we had a representative who speaks for the people of the 10th District. That person is Daniel Johnson.

George L. Smith
Hickory

'Christian nation' case was a labor-law dispute

In reply to "Supreme Court ruled U.S. is a Christian nation" (Your Voice, Oct. 19), the writer's attempt to manipulate the terminology of the Supreme Court case Church of the Holy Trinity v. US (1892) fails just as it has since that case was concluded.

The decision in the case had nothing to do with the religiosity of the government but was a labor-law dispute. The nation can have a majority of Christians as citizens, but the government cannot be one religion or another.

If you want to know the definitive answer to the question about the religion of the United States government, you need only check the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights or the Treaty of Tripoli (1797, Article 11). "the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion."

Of the 339 votes in Senate to that date, it was only the third that received a unanimous approval.

George Page
Hickory

Base your vote on facts, not rumors

I think the good people of Hickory need to do their research before having their opinions printed as facts. Barack Obama is far too young to have been a member of the Weather Underground.

Obama and William Ayers served together on the board of the Woods Fund for three years, and their intentions can in no way be equated to terroristic in nature.

Also note the other political figures who served on that board who nobody mentions.

Obama was born on Aug. 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. That makes him an American. However, his father Barack Obama Sr. was not an American. He was of Kenyan nationality born in Siaya District, Kenya.

Obama's mother was Ann Dunham, a white American from Wichita, Kan.

Obama's middle name is Hussein. His father and stepfather were Muslim.

He spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, a largely Muslim country. But Obama attended secular and Catholic schools, not a radical madrases.

Do not cast your vote based on rumor. Let it be an educated and researched decision, no matter who you end up voting for.

Jeff Moore
Connelly Springs

McHenry shows lack of indepth knowledge

This is to Congressman Patrick McHenry. I attended your town hall meeting at CVCC. Your rehearsed talking points showed a lack of indepth knowledge regarding a comprehensive energy policy and the workings of the commodity markets.

When I disagreed with your positions, you could not or would not refute the factual content of my arguments. This is magnified by your attack ads because you obviously can't run on the recent Republican record of abject failure. The penchant shown for guilt association has duality.

Some time ago, an article appeared in the HDR in which you extolled the virtues of your acknowledged mentor, Tom Delay, the former House majority whip. You pointed out you favored his no-nonsense, take-charge, no-compromise, no need to reach across the aisle control of the House.

Your mentor is under indictment for conspiracy and money laundering. ( Texas v. Colyandro, Ellis and DeLay) Two associates have already plead guilty.

The prosecutor, Ronnie Earle, is a Democrat who has indicted other politicians, 11 Democrats and three Republicans. Your mentor joins a list of disgraced and indicted Republicans: Newt Gingrich, Bob Barr, Bob Dornan, Bob Ney and Randall "Duke" Cunningham.

In your financial filings, you showed a net worth of less than $35,000 when first elected. The most recent released statement, you state a net worth in excess of $800,000. It must be a coincidence that the financial industry has given you $809,000, according to your most recent campaign contribution filing.

Tom Jennings
Hickory