Presidential Politics Presidential Politics   Greetings, Early voting will start soon. What criteria will you use? Some will decide based on the personality of one of the candidates. Others will vote because they dislike the people running. Neither is a valid reason for selecting a President. Personality and identity politics should always take a backseat to the issues facing our nation. Likewise, leadership skills are exceedingly important as we consider America’s role in the world. Sure, sometimes a candidate can speak out of turn or make boastful statements that seem to exceed the possibility in office. The same is true when we are asked to vote because of the race or gender of one candidate or the other. Elections should be about issues. What direction does this candidate want to take our nation versus the other candidate? Let us look at some of the key issues that we face not only as a nation but as families.   Inflation The number one issue that affects most households is inflation. When Donald Trump left office, the annual inflation rate was 1.4%. Compare that to a year later, when the official rate was 9%. Currently, the rate has dropped to 3%, but that is only if you don’t consider the cost of groceries and gasoline for your vehicle. If you calculate the cumulative inflation on groceries from 2020, it exceeds 25%. However, this pales to that of fuel, which exceeds 60%. They are left out of the official inflation calculation, yet they have the greatest effect on most families. Housing expenses and other factors don’t affect everyone every year, but one must go to the grocery store every week. Likewise, to get to work and home, you must fill up your gas tank. The Biden-Harris campaign explained it as ‘transitory’ and ignored the issue. Administrations don’t control prices; however, policies such as running up the national debt will affect prices. Setting unrealistic minimum wages that exceed the value of goods produced does. Providing food stamps to those crossing our borders creates excess demand for a limited supply of anything! Our National Borders Once considered a regional concern, is now a national issue. The last three and half years have left us ten million folks to feed and house. With no serious vetting, the current administration has released most with promises that they will appear in court several years from now. Additionally, now not only has this administration not enforced our border laws, but it has also provided air flights to our airports. Likewise, we learned that hundreds have been allowed in despite being on the international terrorist watch list. We currently provide housing, food, medical care, and free phones, all at the expense of taxpayers. Some are willing to work below minimum wage rates, undercutting the ability of our citizens to find work or keeping wage rates lower. Most everyone accepts that immigration is acceptable. However, it should be America that sets the standard for who comes to the United States! We should vet everyone for health, education, and, most importantly, that they are good citizens and have a strong work ethic. The Trump Administration had a policy that prevented illegal crossings until and unless they were vetted. The Biden Administration reversed that policy simply because it was Trump’s policy. Trump was working on a border wall, Biden-Harris began dismantling the wall. Biden tasked Harris with the responsibility of dealing with the border, but she simply ignored the issue until this year’s election. I will address other issues that should be considered by voters in the coming weeks. As always, my staff and I are here to assist you with any issues or concerns. Please don't hesitate to reach out if we can be of service. You can reach us at 434.374.5129 or by email at [email protected]   With Tropical Storm Debby approaching and heavy rain in the forecast, it's a perfect time to review safety preparedness tips.   IF YOU LOOSE POWER The Dominion Energy app is the easiest way to report outages and track restoration. If you lose power, there are three easy ways to report your outage and track your restoration time: 1) Dominion Energy mobile apps on iPhone and Google; 2) the Dominion Energy Website; or 3) by calling 866-DOM-HELP (866-366-4357). iphone app Google app Dominion Energy Website COME SHARE A CUP OF COFFEE WITH ME AND LET'S CHAT Governor Glenn Youngkin Encourages Virginians to Serve as Officers of Election on National Poll Worker Recruitment Day Officers of Election must be qualified Virginia voters. Anyone interested in becoming an Officer of Election should review the information found at Virginia Department of Elections - Officer of Elections. For more information and an application - Click below Officers of Election DONATE Email Us P.O. Box 145, Clarksville, VA 23927 (434) 374 5129 Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email Senate of Virginia | P.O. Box 145, Clarksville, VA 23927 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!