Hit Andy Where He Lives

Back to the 8th district we go, with this Guest Opinion in the Courier Times this morning from Peter Waitze, who also served in the Air Force (wonder if he knew Earl Tilford?). This is response to what Andy Warren wrote a couple of weeks ago (link here)

Both Andy Warren and Patrick Murphy are experienced public servants, Warren as our county commissioner and Murphy as an officer in the Army. What were the differences in their public service? Andy probably got out of a clean bed, showered, ate breakfast, put on a clean suit, went to Doylestown and from time to time faced hostile constituents who could have hurt his ego with their complaints. Patrick went to Iraq, slept in his uniform, probably ate cold meals three times a day and, on a daily basis, faced hostile and well-armed enemies who were trying to kill him.

Yes, both served us, but with our country at war, we need representatives who, unlike those currently serving in Washington, didn’t shirk their responsibility to our country and who understand what it means to be in combat. I don’t know if Warren served in uniform, and I don’t want to suggest that he didn’t, but I have tremendous respect for those like Murphy who did and were on the front lines.

As Andy noted, Patrick has zero governmental service, but Andy left out that Murphy was intelligent enough to become an instructor at West Point at a tender age, something few Army personnel are able to accomplish. While many years of experience are indeed valuable, so too are intelligence, an open mind and fresh ideas.

As Warren also noted, Murphy never lived in this district until last year, and somehow that fact is supposed to either put into question or disqualify him from representing us, but I am unaware of any law that prohibits Murphy from running. And I doubt that living somewhere else means that he can’t understand our community. Moreover, I suspect our needs are not much different than the needs of the adjoining community where he did live. In other words, the residency argument is an argument that has little relevancy to the candidate’s qualifications to represent us properly.

The tortured logic of residency is used all the time by candidates and I am tired of hearing rhetoric or getting political brochures that tout how long someone has lived in the community. We need people with ideas to solve problems, not people who proclaim living at the same address since childhood is proof of the ability to understand and solve problems.

Murphy’s past voting record is interesting to read but not important unless it is a foolproof indication that he doesn’t intend to vote in the future.

Murphy is accused of being “opportunistic” and this, to Andy, is portrayed as a negative. I disagree with that conclusion. I think that anyone who can take advantage of opportunities is what we need representing us. I want someone who can think fast and take advantage of opportunities as they arise. And I am no longer overly concerned with party affiliation, especially when adhering to a party line becomes more important than acting in the best interests of the people. It is time to recognize that partisan politics should have no role when important national interests are at stake.

At my age, I want our elected and appointed officials to be people of honor and intelligence, and who are more concerned with and courageous enough to do what is in the best interest of the people they represent rather than what is expedient or popular.

Lastly, missing from Warren’s Guest Opinion was a discussion of the serious problems facing us and how he specifically intends to address them. He simply noted his long years in our community, his dissatisfaction with Murphy’s age and the current crowd in Washington. He also focused on party loyalty, but those topics don’t solve problems.

I want people with ideas. From what I’ve seen, Murphy seems to have some. For the rest of the campaign, perhaps we will get lucky and the candidates will stop wasting our time with meaningless statistics and mud slinging, and instead focus on what they hope to accomplish.

To help Patrick, click here.

Update 4/3: More Warren shenanigans alluded to in the St. Patrick's Day post (from "he who does not wish to receive a hat tip," once again many thanks - the suit from Warren challenging the signatures on Patrick Murphy's petition went down in flames).