You can often tell a lot about a man by knowing who his enemies are.
This has never been truer than with Fifth District Congressman Dan
Burton.
There is no doubt that Congressman Burton enflames the passions of
friend and foe alike. From his initial run for Congress when he beat
the Marion County political machine’s slating process to the last two
elections where he has been challenged by the elite from Indianapolis
and its vicinity, Burton has consistently championed the interests of
his entire district instead of just the interests of a select few in
the corridors of power. This desire to serve all of the constituents of
the Fifth District has brought him many powerful enemies.
The Indianapolis Star has shed any semblance of journalistic
integrity and has made Burton’s defeat their top priority. They have
been willing to endorse candidates over Burton who had little knowledge
of the issues and would have been nothing more than empty suits. We ask
why?
Perhaps Republican voters in the Fifth District would do well to
reflect on an incident which occurred last year. Rarely is the veil of
political string pulling lifted high enough so that the average voter
can see who pulls the strings and for whom. Last year, in a plainly
desperate bid to promote an Indianapolis controlled Congressman,
Indianapolis business magnate and Republican kingmaker, P. E.
McAllister, tried his best to commission a “star chamber” of the Marion
County business and political elite for the purpose of anointing an
opposition candidate to run against Dan Burton. The political experts
knew only too well that the multiple candidates who had announced would
divvy up Republican votes in Marion County and its “donut” counties,
leaving Burton an easy winner because of his support in areas such as
Howard, Tipton, Grant, Miami, Wabash and Huntington Counties. Much to
the chagrin of McAllister and the Marion County kingmakers, an email
leaked out detailing the plot and the plans of several powerful men
were thwarted.
(Read more after the leap)
When one couples Burton’s record of representing all of his district
and not just the favored territory that comes under the media umbrella
of the Indianapolis Star and the economic interests of big money
Indianapolis, it is easy to conclude that Burton has been singled out
for representing the conservative interests of his entire district and
not the special interests of the few. We think this is precisely why
Republican voters in the Fifth District should vote for Dan Burton on
May 4th.
Unlike many politicians who are content to be ideologues, Burton has
demonstrated that he is willing to listen to other ideas. Also, if he
is going to vote against a piece of legislation he always has a reason.
When many opponents to health care reform were content to simply say
“no” and not offer up alternatives, Burton had a plan.
The Kokomo Perspective has been impressed over the last several
years with the attention that Congressman Burton has shown our
community. He and his staff have been frequent visitors to businesses,
factories, not-for-profit entities and to public locations in the
Kokomo area. He has conducted regular Town Hall meetings and has been
willing to spend more than adequate time giving his constituents time
to ask questions and state their views. He never makes anyone feel
stupid for asking a question, even if he disagrees with them.
Congressman Burton has been extremely open and available to the media.
While many Congressmen try and spoon feed stories to the press, Burton
has given wide ranging free access to our reporters and editorial board.
Even though we may not always see eye-to-eye with Congressman Burton
on all legislative issues, a missing Social Security check or veteran’s
disability claim knows no political party. Burton’s and his staff’s
efforts and success in assisting his constituents in these matters are
highly commendable.
Burton has found a way to balance the needs of his local
constituents with the needs of the nation. Usually when a Congressman
gains influence in Washington he becomes a ghost in his district.
Burton is capable of managing two very demanding committees, House
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs, and still manages to show up at a local event.
We think that Dan Burton has done a good job of representing the
taxpayers, workers, farmers, businesses and retirees of the Fifth
District. We see no reason why Burton should not receive the support of
Republican voters everywhere in the Fifth District.
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