I will apologize in advance to those who find politics less than inviting and encouraging reading. But it “tis the season” as they say, so political posts will from now until November increase. Whether or not you like it, you need to stay informed to make good decisions when heading to the polls in November.
Locally the opportunity for voting will be for the following candidates in Calhoun County as listed on the Secretary of State site www.govotewv.gov
Beginning Monday, August 12th through Friday, August 16, 2024, each of the above candidates are invited to send Ridgeview News their platforms, dreams and aspirations for the office that they’re seeking election to. After that, it will be paid ads only.
Calhoun County has been a Democratic led county for decades. But little by little the Republicans have taken over as the dominant political party. Since 2016 (the earliest chart on the govotewv.com site) The democrats were far ahead in number with 3,264 Democrats and only 1,236 Republicans. Compare that to 2024 where the Democrats are now at 1,321, with Republicans at 1,606.
In 2016, those who did not identify with any party was at 999; in 2024 there are 959 who identify as “No Party”.
Those who identify as “Other” in 2016 totaled 234, that number is now 438.
While the Republicans are the predominate party, those who identify as “no party or other” total 1,397. This would appear to leave the undecided vote, very undecided. Until you ponder that many in that number have left the Democrat party because of the extreme liberal viewpoint and what I (Shari Johnson) believe is a lack of understanding of the depth of American values and patriotism.
I DON’T BELIEVE:
- There is any gender other than male and female.
- Men should compete in women’s sports.
- Men should be in women’s restrooms or visa versa.
- In “undocumented people,” they’re illegal aliens, and should not be permitted to stay.
- Removing those people from the country could bankrupt us, but I do believe they are bankrupting us with the money we’re paying them to live here. I agree with Mrs Purdy in her column today that Illegal immigrants do pay some taxes. It is estimated according to budget.house.gov that illegal immigrants in 2019 paid
roughly $5.9 billion in federal income tax, $16.2 billion in Social Security tax and $3.8 billion in Medicaid taxes. However, as the net fiscal drain of $68,000 per person cited above indicates, these taxes are not nearly enough to cover the cost of the services they receive. - That aborting 1,026,290 babies in 2023 went unnoticed by God.
- That transgender people, who only represent only 1.4% of the United States, should have the right to dictate to those of us who disagree with their lifestyle, that we must cater to their demands.
- That a 20 year old kid got as far as he did in his attempted assassination of President Trump without help.
- That those who defend our Nation are getting their share of attention or money that they need to protect our Country.
- I also don’t believe they who defend our Nation give a piddly squat about gender identity, other than whether or not those who don’t know what they identify as, can identify the enemy and will have their back on the battle field.
My list could go on. Perhaps you could add, or maybe you’d like to subtract. It’s a free country, you can do either to your list. But mine belongs to me, and I want to know that those for which I’m voting, agree with my list, because I think all those things are in the best interest of our Nation. And I don’t believe that I’m the lesser in our community that supports those ideals.
So as the election gets closer, and the ads get grittier. I will weigh by decisions by the word of God, and while I am aware that there will be times even those for which I cast my vote for won’t align, I will pray for Spiritual discernment, and chose the lesser of evil.