While I have yet to decide who will receive my vote for the 3rd Congressional District race, I cannot give it to Joe Kent, regardless of his Trump endorsement. Kent pulled it off and got the nomination, much as JHB did 12 years go. But that doesn't change what his words were that he spoke.
Given how I saw many of his supporters proclaiming if he didn't get the nomination they would vote for the Democrat, out of spite, I shall follow their lead, but instead of voting Democrat, I will merely abstain. I just cannot cast my vote to fulfill someone else's revenge. God help us in the days ahead.
In this same Feb. 11, 2022 Lars Larson interview, Kent, as heard in the above video, denies outright that he believes in any socialist ideas of Bernie Sanders, then goes on the list areas he seeks or desires “common ground” with both Sanders and the left.
He states a belief that he could bring over some on the left to “our side.” If they share common views with the right, wouldn’t they be on the right already in this highly partisan era we are in?
And would he not have to “compromise” with the left in order to gain their support? Something the current occupant of the office is condemned, by him for doing?
He also states, asked if he supports a tax on the rich more, “I believe in going after out top oligarchs, so the top 25 Mega Billionaires that aren’t paying their fair share of taxes. But they’re not actually doing anything that benefits the country, it’s not like these people are building industry that employ thousands of people…,” mentioning Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerburg and how they use their wealth in ways he dislikes politically.
Last I heard, we live in a free nation and both sides are free to fund their views.
However, while not using the exact wording, “Wealth Tax,” using search engines designed and maintained by some of those “Mega Billionaire Oligarchs,” we find that Bernie Sanders supports such a Tax on Extreme Wealth and a 3% wealth tax on billionaires also supported by extreme leftist, Elizabeth Warren.
He has also called for “seizure of lands” owned by wealthy like Bill Gates.
Hasn’t such actions been seen before, in Venezuela by Hugo Chavez and in Cuba by Fidel Castro, to the detriment of their citizens?
Bernie Sanders also proposes a similar policy he labels, Revitalizing Rural America.
Last I heard, our constitution does not support such seizure of private property for the government to redistribute. Such policies have proven time and again to have dismal outcomes where tried in other countries.
Contrary to claims, such policies end up consolidating power into the hands of a select few, determining who gets what an when.
Kent states his views are “a departure from typical Republican, conservative and Libertarian ideology that says government cannot go after the private sector.”
So why then run as a Republican if he leans towards leftist views of taking over certain aspects of the private sector and calling upon the wealthy to “pay their fair share,” like so many Liberal / Progressives have repeated throughout the years?
Also disturbing to me was seeing the call for capitulation by Ukraine after they were attacked by Russia.
Newsweek: Joe Kent Calls Putin's Demands in Ukraine 'Very Reasonable'
History shows such acts of appeasement do not stop “further escalation,” recoded by the actions of Britain’s Neville Chamberlain trying to appease Adolf Hitler just prior to the outbreak of World War II.
As earlier stated, I have yet to determine who may get my vote. But as a constituent in Washington State’s 3rd Congressional District, I see ample reason to not cast my vote for Joe Kent.
I urge all to pay less attention to endorsements and pay close heed to what Kent and each candidate actually is saying.
Do your diligence and research each one, don’t just blindly jump on any band wagon or do as either party calls for.
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