Hoosier Access shares The Kokomo Perspective's endorsement for Congressman Burton's re-elction.
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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