Letter to the Editor (Opinion)

OK, I get it. You’re not a big fan of Sen. Mitch McConnell. But to take the editorial position you did on July 12th is just beyond the pale and deserves a response.

You’re right; Blanche Lincoln is going to be criticized for supporting Harry Reid and the Obama administration. She will continue to be criticized for her vote on healthcare. You know, the one where she was the deciding vote during the primary and immediately after the primary declared “I wasn’t the deciding vote.”  This is the same Blanche Lincoln who called the Tea Party protesters Un-American, parroting Nancy Pelosi and the DNC talking points.

She is also going to be criticized for her flip-flop on card check. This would be the same bill that she voted for on two occasions before declaring late last year-with an election year looming-that she couldn’t support it “in its present form.” Funny thing is there was nothing substantially different in the latest edition she suddenly found unacceptable. Of course, the labor unions knew this. Thus, their huge spending effort during the recent primary in an attempt to unseat her.  No doubt, she is whispering sweet nothings in their ear as this is written assuring the labor union leadership that there’s nothing to worry about. She’ll be her old self once this pesky election is over.

You went out of your way in an attempt to paint Lincoln as someone who “swings conservative much of the time” and accused McConnell of hoping Arkansas voters are “dumb.”  I guess the intern who wrote your editorial must have been in class when Lincoln was asked by a Politico reporter in late April if Halter was more liberal than she and her reply was, “No. He’s just trying to get elected.”  Now, you tell me; who do you think will be hoping the voters are dumb (in addition to having a short memory) come November?

But to this veteran, the most egregious offense she has committed thus far this year is her vote against an amendment offered by Sen. Hatch to exempt veterans covered by TRICARE from the medical device tax that’s part of the Obama health care law. This tax will affect thousands of disabled veterans who will now have to pay a tax on such things as prosthetic limbs and wheelchairs. That’s right, the same health care law that Lincoln was the deciding vote on before she wasn’t. Oh, by the way, Mark Pryor also voted against this amendment along with 52 other Democrat senators. So it’s not exactly a compliment to say Lincoln and Pryor run in the same legislative circles if you’re a veteran, especially a disabled veteran. Maybe next time, one of our two senators will actually read a 2,000 plus page bill before they vote on it. In case you want to actually look it up, the amendment was SA 3644.

Finally, let’s address the unemployment benefit issue: I believe what Boozman and his party was asking was why not use some of the unspent “stimulus” money to extend benefits rather than adding more billions to the already staggering ($11 Trillion plus) debt we face. But the ruling party would have nothing of it. No, that’s set aside so folks like Lincoln can stroll around the state passing out bucks for votes during election season.

Now I ask you, Mr. Editor, is there any doubt how John Boozman would have voted on these issues? Do you really think we’re so dumb as to believe Blanche Lincoln “swings conservative” on anything? You can print those words every two weeks from now till November but it won’t change the facts-or her voting record-one iota.

Matt Mendenhall, Springdale