The two candidates running to fill Ted Strickland's congressional seat (Democrat Charlie Wilson and Republican Chuck Blasdel) share many of the same ideas. Both are anti-abortion, pro-military and staunchly opposed to illegal immigration.
The line between the parties would seem blurry, but they differ on education, the economy and health care ' with Wilson winning the debate of ideas.
As a moderate Democrat of the Strickland mold Wilson would best represent this region. He supports increasing the minimum wage, revamping Ohio's muddled health care system and investing in clean coal technology, which would take advantage of Southeast Ohio's natural resources.
Raising the minimum wage would help the working class, a group often ignored by Washington politics in favor of special interest groups and lobbyists.
He also faults the Bush administration for its failures in Iraq and promises to help keep the president and his office accountable.
Blasdel, a state representative from Liverpool, pledges to continue upholding traditional Republican values ' protecting the institution of marriage, cutting taxes for businesses and fighting the environmental lobby from imposing harmful regulations on businesses. His party has been running the country and the state with these same ideas and with little progress.
It's time for someone with ideas and a perspective grounded in the needs of the people to represent us in Congress, and that man is Charlie Wilson.
17 Archives
WilsonG
