Two More For Patrick

These letters appeared in this morning's Bucks County Courier Times.

On July 28th, I had a discussion with a loyal Republican friend. She complained about the scurrilous nature of a campaign mailing from Bucks County Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick.

She expressed anger that the Republican campaign machinery has again singled out Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks County for unfounded attacks.

Rather than addressing violations of her conservative principles of efficient and effective government, fiscal responsibility, and individual liberty in matters of conscience, they have chosen to continue to pander to their "base" with the well-worn alarms about "9/11" and "gay-ban" and their latest wonder product "Mex-out."

So it seems to me that Republicans of a kinder, gentler nature ought to ponder this question: "Had enough"?

Rather than cherishing the forlorn hope that they can "change the party from within" after 12 years of having their principles betrayed since the "Contract on America," maybe they will re-evaluate where their dollars and votes should go.

Robert Eckel
Upper Southampton, PA

OK, that wasn't quite the endorsement for Patrick Murphy that we were looking for. However, this was.

Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick is not a friend of veterans or of our current servicemen. He has consistently acted as a mere rubber stamp for President Bush's dishonorable policy towards our veterans, flatly rejecting an extension of the military healthcare program to Reserve and National Guard troops, and voting no on a bill to increase funding for veterans health care by $1.82 billion.

As the mother of a current Air Force serviceman, I believe Bucks and our country deserve better than a representative who received a poor, 17 percent rating from the organization of Disabled Veterans of America.

Patrick Murphy will represent our troops in the halls of Congress with both dignity and integrity, rare traits found in this Republican Congress rife with scandal and coercion.

Mary Jeffery
Bensalem, PA

And to read the Murphy campaign's statement defending Rep. Jack Murtha from the most recent round of scurrilous attacks, click here.