In your Aug. 10 front-page article reporting on Rocky Peck's appointment to vice chairman of the W.Va. Republican Party, the second sentence reads, "Among the first orders of business will be to press Democratic candidates whether they will vote for President Obama." Following that, Mr. Peck is quoted, "I think they should tell everyone who they are going to vote for."
Such audacity! Enough to make one angry! Intimidating? Quoting LAWS.com "One of the most important things to ensure during an election is the secrecy of the ballot and the privacy of the voter's time is not infringed upon." While Mr. Peck is entitled to be curious about how you vote, how I vote, or even how a candidate votes, is not his privilege to demand, or ask, that anyone reveal how they vote.
I know President Obama is unpopular among some folks. However, so are Mitt Romney and Rep. Paul Ryan. I believe many formerly undecided voters have now decided to support our president, now that Rep. Ryan has been announced to be Mr. Romney's running mate. Imagine a person who assisted the tea party's hijacking of the Republican Party and control of the House of Representatives possibly being President of the United States some day. Has Mitt Romney sold out too?
My suggestion to all voters (Republican, Democrat, Independent, or candidate) is to ignore Mr. Peck's "I'll be up to the deed" threat and vote however you wish. During the next few weeks you will encounter attitudes which cannot be reasoned with, so, don't engage in senseless conflict. It is worthless - a waste of time.
Yes, I'm unhappy in the absence of much-needed action in D.C. But President Obama is less at fault than the stalemated Congress. Let's place blame for failure in appropriate places. President L.B. Johnson and Republican Sen. Everett Dirkson could teach current politicians something about the art of compromise, except compromise has become a symbol of weakness to too many politicians. Finally, "Excellence does not require perfection."
Harold D. Brown
Parkersburg
EDITOR'S NOTE: Harold Brown is chairman of the Wood County Democratic Executive Committee.
