To the editor:
Thomas Paine. "I offer simple facts, plain arguments and common sense."
My fellow Americans, I urge you to solicit, advocate all citizens to research each issue and candidate prior to casting our vote. Delve beyond modern media snippets of designed opinion guidance. By all means use the powerful tool in your hand to gather pertinent information -- actions taken by candidates to date, previous successes of organization that levy money is funding.
The First Amendment prohibits Congress from abridging the freedom of speech. It does not dismiss us from accountability for content.
Living in the rust belt, we all have lived the economic result of manufacturing and businesses closing. It does not take a PhD from Harvard to compute supply-and-demand issues Americans have created. Take inventory of your household goods -- where are the items made? I first saw this tidal wave forming as more and more foreign cars appeared in parking lots of local mills.
The American dream does not run on auto pilot. Each citizen must assist in your neck of the woods. In townships, villages and small cities it is extremely important to participate in leadership roles, fire departments, as EMTs and in trustee community events. Buy goods from local businesses and check where items are made. We will not have good jobs if we do not purchase American made products.
Much musing has been in the last eight to 10 years concerning interpretation of the Constitution. Originalism and textualism seems to clash with Paine's "common sense" advice. Words and phrases not in the original document: God, women, all men are created equal, pursuit of happiness, and separation of church and state. Fifteen signers owned slaves and three-fifths of slaves counted for taxation and representation of each state in the House. Article 3, Section 1 states Supreme Court justices shall hold their offices during good behavior. The Bill of Rights (the first 10 amendments) concerning individual rights was only created as a demand from a few states to complete ratification.
George Washington warned us of downfalls associated with political parties in his 1796 farewell address. Tories, Whigs, Federalists, Republicans and Democrats are all a relatively small number of like-minded folks with multiple issues to strive for implementing legislatively. Most of us have only a few issues affecting our vote, and often crossing party lines. During my lifetime, the presidency has been 50/50 Democrat and Republican, and the United States has not collapsed.
This election we have stark contrast. The present Republican candidate, Donald Trump, has in no uncertain terms expressed his intent to upend life as we know it. There will definitely be huge winners and huge losers. Elections have a real impact on all citizens. Push for history to be taught in schools. Speak to young people about history you've lived. The New Testament tells us to love one another. One cannot legislate morality. America is the land of free. Difficult as it is, acceptance of different styles of life make us stronger as a nation.
Scott Kelley
Steubenville