Rep. Morgan Griffith gets a piece of constituent’s mind
Your daily Letter to the Columnist — Jan. 29, 2013
Mr.. Casey:
I read with interest your recent article on the illustrious Morgan Griffith’s “loaded” questionnaire.
My wife and I received the questionnaire a couple of days ago, and I filled it out and I am mailing it tomorrow.
I am attaching a scanned copy of it for your amusement. (Note from Dan: It’s after the jump)
Keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Les Reynolds
Martinsville, VA
January 29, 2013 - 8:00 AM
This questionaire has Dan Casey literally `all to pieces`. It must be very scary to the libs, along with FOX and Rush, both of whom recently appear to be a sharpened bamboo stick under the fingernail of obama.
My God Morgan Griffith is a joke of a human being. Swept into a job he has no qualifications for by the tea party tide, he needs to be swept away with the rest of their garbage.
I felt the same way about his “questionaire”. It is embarrassing that our representative sends out mailings designed to deepen the divide in this country. The people in middle are getting eaten alive but the extremist snut cases on both sides.
Is Martinsville in his district? Just who does he think he represents?
I like the statement that the Reynolds wrote on the questionaire…“Pass a budget“. The Reynolds will have to speak with Harry Reid for that. He hasn`t allowed one to be passed in 4 years, something that is supposed to be done, by law, each april 14th. Typical liberals.
“Feinstein’s bill has no chance and Jack knows it. Hell, Feinstein knows it. She’s making a statement, which is the same thing Bob Goodlatte does with his silly balanced budget amendment.
Still, I’d be interested in hearing Jack’s views on the constitutionality of Feinstein’s proposal.
Comment by Dan Casey — January 27, 2013 @ 8:39 pm”
Dear Dan,
I wonder if you will call these 2 people silly for saying they support a balanced budget amendment?
Funny. Not the answers Griffith was hoping for I’m sure. Not that I think he’s bothered to read the responses to his little survey.
Philip: Is Martinsville in his district? Just who does he think he represents?
It would be hilarious if any and all Virginia residents responded to his questionnaire. Not just folks like you and me, but local celebrities and even other politicians.
If they ban assault weapons or any type of weapon I personally think we ought to ban cars as they kill more children every year than all the guns put together in the U.S…. “Oh its the cars fault not the idiot fools that drive under the influence”( by the way I have a dead brother from a drunk driver, I dont blame the car but the idiot who had too much to drink AM I WRONG??? I am calling YOU out lets have a public debate!!!) or wreckless drivers or how about kids taking a joyride… Why does it seem like anytime you read anything written by a liberal columnist or patron of the paper that it sounds like it has been written by a four year old. OH Mr Casey, By the way the shooter in Sandy Hook broke 41 laws.. My question is would the 42nd law have stopped him from doing what he did??????
” I am calling YOU out lets have a public debate!!!)”
Sounds familiar. I’ve forgotten the name of the guy who always wanted to publicly debate, Dan.
“Sounds familiar. I’ve forgotten the name of the guy who always wanted to publicly debate, Dan.”
That would be Steve Nelson. I kicked him off the blog. His incessant, reepitive, always-at-odds-with-the-facts rants were completely devoid of talent, humor and common sense. Plus they were boring as dog crap.
I kicked him off the blog. His incessant, reepitive, always-at-odds-with-the-facts rants were completely devoid of talent, humor and common sense. Plus they were boring as dog crap.
Comment by Dan Casey — January 30, 2013 @ 12:12 pm
That explains why I forgot his name.
Robert, whatever Dan “sounds like”, it is well over 4 years older than how you come across. You are hiding in the safety of internet anonymity and calling someone “out”? Worse still, you are hiding in the safety of internet anonymity and think you can call for a “public debate”? Seriously? Do you believe ANYONE gives credence to what an angry, hard to follow, anonymous internet blogger “calls for”?
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/gun-deaths-set-outstrip-car-fatalities-first-time-152632492.html
I did admire the way he kept asking Suzie to be “on his panel”. Brave guy!
I did not once pick on any of you but its funny that out of everything i posted that not one of you could debate anything i said and all you could do was pile on me…. 1 Im not an daily blogger ihave a private school education and 2 years of college 2 i will listen to you if you conduct yourself with a little respect 3 me and my friends will not jump on you in a conversation and call you names however i will debate you with facts and not opinions something that this column is not accustomed to as is evident with the few comments i see this evening. Not one of you said anything about anything i said except public debate . Dan Sandi and Debbie iam not scared or angry just informed and have facts to back me up. Facts are not what you seem like you want to base your opines on. Please tell me something have any of the 3 of you ever lost a child in your family because of tragic circumstance (chances are probably not) well i have and have been forced to examine the situation… Guess what it was that drunk drivers fault not the car he was in.. Please lets debate i want to know what facts you have ?? Then we can all form a informed conclusion. Based on the FACTS not opinions What do you say?
Robert, you tell Dan he writes like a 4 year old and then ask for a serious debate on banning cars? I’d say we’re unanimously against drunk driving. So what’s your damage here.
Robert Doyle,
I’m sorry you lost a child to a drunk driver. Seriously. I cannot imagine that kind of heartbreak.
But it has nothing to do with the dumb, loaded questions Rep. Morgan Griffith put on his silly survey. Those had nothing to do with drunk driving.
The survey questions are ridiculous attempts to steer respondents to the answers Rep. Griffith wants to hear. His 9th District constituents deserve better than to have this pap sent out at taxpayer expense.
If you would like to talk about those, by all means, carry on. Otherwise, I’d suggest you move over to an OPEN thread.
Robert, you came in a blazin and it is to late to claim we are the ones insulting you.
If you want to debate cars we can. Drunk Drivers? we can. But if you want to argue guns versus cars, no thanks. They are two very different issues.
For the record, your loss is tragic and I am sorry to hear it. However it occurred, it is a horrible loss. But cars and drivers ARE regulated, mandated, and government oversight is involved as well as law enforcement. Been to the DMV lately?
What argument will you be using when the gun deaths out pace those of cars and drunk drivers?
I do not believe we will ban guns, or magazines, but even if we did, that would still leave us all hundreds of guns to protect ourselves with.
The gun culture was simply too effective with the “man-card” message on these weapons and they need to be regulated more closely if not banned. Like drunk drivers, we may never get them all, but that is no reason not to try.
His brother died, not his son. Not that it’s better, but its different.
You lost a brother AND a child to drunk drivers? Wow, that is odds defying tragedy on several levels.
Dan, thanks for your respect. I am willing to go toe to toe on these question 1 at a time 1. I oppose an amendment to the constitution for supporting a balanced budget. Because thae constituition was written to guarantee our God given rights that this country was founded on not to run the business of this country and it is a business. 2. I support off shore drilling off the va coast. It will create good jobs, increase our va economy 10 fold , lower our taxes in the state help make our country less dependant on foreign oil, not to mention give sportsman and the beach economy a huge boost in tourism spending because the oil rigs are manmade reefs basically and create a habitat for healthy fish and wild life. I have friends down south that work in the oil industry and know these facts to be real.3 i do support prosals for the longterm stabilization of social security and medicare because Obamacare is a wolf in sheeps clothing and the taxes and fines that are going to accompany obamacare are going to weaken the healthcare industry as a whole. I will back this up with facts starting in jan 2014 a insurance company can automatically double the rated someone pays if they are a smoker. Dont believe me check the facts. That is going to penalize the mddle and lower classes that obama was telling us in the election that he wants to help, I dont call that help but that is another conversation. 4. I do support legalizing illeagal immigrants only after a tough background check and make sur they are not criminals back in their country. Also they shouldnt be elligible for welfare or govt help for at least 12-15 years and should not be lawful voters for at least 20 years. Everyday in this country immigrants come here and qualify for millions of our hard earned dollars to start their lives here. I beleive they should do it as our forfathers did hard work long hours and earn there own money. I will stop there and address the other questions maybe on thursday or friday. Respectfully Robert…
Sandi,
So, when do you project that gun deaths will out pace car deaths?
Did you miss the article in the RTs a couple of days ago which succinctly showed that gun deaths have dropped in Virginia since 2006. According to the data in the article, it appears as though the more guns Virginians purchased, the lower the death rate from guns.
Hmmm. Doesn’t fit your lib-view of things, does it?
Sooo, Sandi, whatcha think about that article, eh? By the article’s placement on the front page, above the fold, it kinda makes me think that there might be a “closeted” gun slinger working at the RTs in a position of influence.
Sorry Sandi let me clarify as this is good conversation i Have a brother that was killed not a child. I get long winded and maybe confused you sorry. Respectfully
I noticed that too, Sandi; seems like Robert might have changed it, but maybe not. All such loss is terribly painful, but I do know that I’ve never heard a parent who lost a child to gun violence try to compare it to drunk driving.
Kristen is right Robert, we are all against drunk driving. I see no correlation between cars and guns at all. As I have said before, cars are not made to deliberately be used as a weapon against someone.
I am sorry that you lost your brother. I never said you were scared or angry, I just found your comment about wanting a public debate humorous. It reminded me of Steve Nelson’s posts because he was always calling for one. It’s ridiculous to think that someone would publicly debate some unknown internet poster.
BTW Robert, commenting on this blog is a form of public debate.
Robert, I did say you came in sounding angry and challenging, because you did. I also said your posts are very hard to follow, because they are. If you want “respectful debate” you also have to offer it. That is just how it works.
As to your points:
1. The United States of America is not a business. It cannot be run like a business, it does not do the same thing as a business and it is not a business.
The Constitution was written to codify the structure of our government. The Bill of Rights (the first 10 Amendments) was added to codify the rights the Founders believed were needed to gain ratification and to clarify the importance of the rights of the people.
2. After seeing the damage and the loss to fishing, tourism and the ecosystem in the Gulf, and the damage from Hurricane Sandy, I do not support drilling off the Virginia coast. The potential for jobs is not worth the potential for the spoilage and tax dollars to fix the mess. (Same with Uranium mining while we are on the subject.)
And Robert, you are truly dreaming if you believe anything will “lower our taxes” or “increase our economy 10 foold”. We do not have the refinery capacity for the oil we process now BTW.
There is no boon without a bust and no opportunity without risk. I hope never to see oil rigs off our coast.
3 We all “support prosals for the longterm stabilization of social security and medicare” but I disagree completely that such is what has been offered from the GOTP. The “Obamacare” “taxes and fines” are not going to have any impact on “the healthcare industry as a whole”. They are to force people to make the needed insurance coverage a reality or join the exchanges to help pay for what they get. The health care industry does not care WHO pays, insurance, government or patients, as long as they are paid. The insurance rules, the exchange rules, the Medicare and Medicaid rules are where the savings and changes for the good will come from as it will no longer be just us against them.
As to the point about smokers, they are already paying more for insurance and in 2014 that can be up to 50 percent higher premiums according to my research so yes, back that “double” up with some sources. Smokers cost more in health care, especially end of life, it is not just because people don’t like them. I hope this helps many people quit smoking. Most insurance companies and even some businesses offer free help in quitting already.
If there is any “penalty” it is self-inflicted.
4. I support the current Immigration Reform as I understand it. I know that immigrants pay payroll taxes and Social Security and Medicare they will never be able to draw on. I do not know if you have all of your facts correct, but I am not interested in arguing about what immigrants are “given”.
http://www.neighborhood-centers.org/page.aspx?PageID=330#taxes
Hey Frank, don’t hurt yourself. I offered the link to what I said. Here is another:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2012/12/18/gun_deaths_in_america_gun_deaths_outpace_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_at_least.html
http://dlglawfirm.com/auto-accidents/gun-deaths-outnumber-traffic-deaths/
OK, I see what “maybe confused” me. Robert said “I have a dead brother from a drunk driver” January 29, 2013 @ 10:14 pm and then asked “have any of the 3 of you ever lost a child in your family because of tragic circumstance (chances are probably not) well i have” January 30, 2013 @ 7:05 pm
I get it now, your brother was a child in your family.
I think many of us have lost a family member due to “tragic circumstances”. I have. And believe it or not, we can empathize with folks even if not.
BTW Hey Frank, I did miss that article on “gun deaths have dropped in Virginia since 2006″. Do you have a link?
Sandi,
yes I’ll track it down for you. It was on the front page of Monday’s RTs, …looks like it originated with a Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter.
“Alaska: 104 gun deaths, 84 motor vehicle deaths
Arizona: 856 gun deaths, 809 motor vehicle deaths
Colorado: 583 gun deaths, 565 motor vehicle deaths
Indiana: 735 gun deaths, 715 motor vehicle deaths
Michigan: 1,095 gun deaths, 977 motor vehicle deaths
Nevada: 406 gun deaths, 255 motor vehicle deaths
Oregon: 417 gun deaths, 394 motor vehicle deaths
Utah: 260 gun deaths, 256 motor vehicle deaths
Virginia: 836 gun deaths, 827 motor vehicle deaths
Washington: 623 gun deaths, 580 motor vehicle deaths”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-sugarmann/gun-deaths-exceed-motor-v_b_1536793.html
It may be documented that the huge increase in gun sales has not caused an increase in crime (which is great), but it is not true that the huge increase in gun sales has not caused an increase in gun deaths.
Gun crimes and gun deaths are two different things.
http://www.timesdispatch.com/opinion/their-opinion/gun-deaths-still-too-high/article_5cca12b9-aee4-587d-b357-2882150c55c3.html
hay sandi,
I see you found the link. However, that link is not the one to the article which appeared in the RTs. For some reason, that link seems to be unavailble via the Roanoke.com website.
If your objective is to reduce gun deaths, the data in the article offers clear evidence that putting more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens will do the trick.
“Please tell me something have any of the 3 of you ever lost a child in your family because of tragic circumstance (chances are probably not) …”
Chances are probably so. Definitely so in my family.
Vdot link @ 760 vehicle related deaths in 2011 in va
FBI Link @ 208 gun related deaths 2011 in va
Found on actual repuable websites, not huffington post!
Pretty amazing numbers huh and actually over 370 of those deaths were alcohol related, lets ban cars!!! Those deaths are very preventable. I would like to know how many are (were) repeat offenders and how our system has turn them loose time and time again..