A voice for Laura
Integrity. Honesty. Hard work. Experience. Excellent people skills. Those are some of the words that come to mind when I think of Laura Browder.
Having known Laura well for more than eight years, knowing those who have worked with her and observing how she has handled the office of county treasurer these past three years, I have grown in my confidence in Laura's abilities as county treasurer.
Laura takes her job and accounting profession very seriously. I believe she has handled the conflict and rebuilding of the treasurer's office with dignity, professionalism and grace.
With the combination of accounting skills and experience, capacity for interfacing with people, diligence and loyalty to her taxpayers, Laura obviously has more than what it takes to continue leading in this office.
Please join me in re-electing Laura Browder for Taylor County treasurer.
JIM CLARK
Abilene
Via e-mail
Prudent leadership
Republican congressmen and candidates have strayed from the era of respectable Republican leaders such as George Bush, Gerald Ford and James A. Baker.
For this reason, it is imperative that the people of the 17th District re-elect Rep. Charles Stenholm.
The primary reason: prudent leadership in an inevitably internationalized world.
Playing on fears of "world government" and the "subjugation of American sovereignty," many conservative leaders have thrown fuel on the fire of misguided isolationist sentiment.
Stenholm, though a conservative, has intelligently not subjected himself to such temptation. He has supported U.S. involvement in the Untied Nations, NATO and, most importantly, the International Monetary Fund. His opponent unfortunately does not agree with such convictions.
Without American support of the IMF, it is likely that the Asian financial crisis will spread, possibly to Latin America, a major market for U.S. exports.
In the face of political pressure, Stenholm has done what a true statesman should: voted in the interest of his country.
I do not trust that Rudy Izzard would make such an educated and principled decision.
In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Izzard said, "What pundits call conservative, we (in the 17th District) just call common sense."
If the people of this area believe common sense involves a self-centered, uniquely American position in the world that shuns the rest of the international community even when support thereof is in its best interest, then I must say I am embarrassed to call the 17th District home.
STEPHEN SIDES
Sherman
Via e-mail
Please elect Rudy
This letter is a heartfelt request for the people of the 17th District to vote for Rudy Izzard for Congress.
In Rudy's previous campaign he made a very impressive showing for a relatively unknown young man running his first congressional campaign.
I know how hard Rudy worked, and I know what a good, honest man Rudy is because I was a senior citizen volunteer for his 1996 campaign. It was what I would call a "learning experience" for all of us.
If Rudy was late filing his campaign finance reports, it was because his treasurer was also a first-time political volunteer with a full-time job with a CPA firm. Rudy did not have the luxury of a full-time, experienced, paid staff.
Rudy is continuing to work very hard to get to know the people of the 17th District and their needs. He has tremendous energy and enthusiasm for the job and will make a great congressman.
HANNAH CURTIS
Abilene