Letter to the Editor, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC: 9/2/2019, unpublished):
When Both Candidates Lie, Trust the Liberal Less
September 2, 2019—Jim Morrill is right to point out the lies and falsehoods in the campaign ads from both candidates—Republican Dan Bishop and Democrat Dan McCready—running for the 9th District in the U.S. House (Charlotte Observer, 9/2/2019, p. 1A; 8/22/2019, on-line).
This presents a problem for me, a democratic socialist, in making an endorsement.
Normally, I would endorse the liberal. The problem here is what I would consider to be general political wisdom in U.S. politics:
When a conservative speaks of “hope for the future,” I know they are lying. When a liberal gives the same stock political line, I grow worried.
At least the Democrat in question, Dan McCready, is a moderate. If he is elected, then, there may still be hope for us yet.
—Nicholas Patti
Letter to the Editor, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC: 8/20/2019, unpublished) :
Dan Bishop is Ignorant of Costs of Climate Change and Global Warming
August 20, 2019—Hurricane Florence was billed as the costliest disaster on record for North Carolina, dumping record rainfall on the State last September, according to the Sunday paper (Charlotte Observer, 8/18/2019, p. 1A). These kinds of extreme weather events are predicted to become “the new normal,” according to the authors of the article, citing weather experts.
Someone should tell that to Republican candidate Dan Bishop. In his ads, he repeatedly slams Dan McCready for costing taxpayers money in higher utility bills to subsidize McCready’s solar energy farm.
The costs of doing nothing far outweigh the smaller costs of switching to clean energy to respond to climate change and global warming.
—Nicholas Patti
Charlotte, NC
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