Chet Wronski, the Liberal, Got it Right This Time!

June 20, 2007

In response to Mr. Chet Wronski ("Your Voice", June 20, Hickory Daily Record), cutting up Congressman Patrick McHenry for his recent PR mailing at taxpayer expense, let me say simply that I agree. The problem is that Mr. Wronski only scratches the surface in terms of McHenry’s disingenuousness.

Mr. Wronski—well-documented as a liberal in his previous letters-to-the-editor—debunks McHenry on philosophical grounds. He’s a Republican and a conservative, Mr. Wronski writes, seeking energy independence by supporting legislation to benefit the petroleum industry. “Exorbitant profits,” Wronski says, should be used to develop new sources of oil, not tax dollars.

As a genuine conservative Republican, I couldn’t agree more.

What Mr. Wronski overlooks is that McHenry is a “congressman for sale.” If you have a political action committee (PAC) and want to send McHenry a big campaign contribution, he’ll vote for anything you want, regardless of what he says is his political philosophy.

Just look at the record; it’s not only big oil, but big pharmaceuticals, big banks and big brewers, just to name a few. Go to the web, look at the sources of McHenry’s campaign contributions (Federal Election Commission site) and compare them to his actual votes (located on many sites)!

On top of that, McHenry and his closest cohorts face other ethics issues. In May, a Gaston County grand jury indicted one of McHenry’s young operatives for voter fraud—illegal voting that took place, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections, while the young man was staying in McHenry’s own home!

In the end, Mr. Wronski and I are political brethren of a sort, because we both want to see Patrick McHenry’s days in Congress end as soon as possible. What’s required, though, is for the majority of the voters in the 10th District to wake up and see McHenry for what he is, not what he says he is.

As long as money buys access to media, and as long as PACs throw wads of money at congressmen who will vote their way, and as long as our general electorate is as apathetic as it is, we’re going to be stuck with the likes of Patrick McHenry.

Wake up, people, and let’s find a congressman who really represents the 10th District!