More selective editing of letters by the Roanoke Times

Below is my husband's letter to the editor, published in today's edition.  The pink highlights are portions edited OUT of the letter; the green highlight is a portion added IN by the Times.  It isn't that the letter was too long; it was much shorter than several others.

November  4^th is an important election day.  It will have a major impact on our future; our economy and jobs, our healthcare, our taxes and the overall role of government in our day-to-day lives.  

We have a chance this election to reverse the current trend and we, here in Virginia, need to do our part.  We need to elect Ed Gillespie. 

Anyone not planning to vote for him should reconsider.  Ed is our best bet – by far - for a stronger Virginia.  He is pro domestic energy – of all kinds, including coal - and will work to promote it as our senator.   He has an economic growth plan that will grow our economy.  He has a healthcare plan to replace the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare, which isn’t necessarily affordable and the “care” part is up in the air).  Ed will work against excessive government regulations and taxes.

Mark Warner is not bi-partisan, as he votes in lock step with President Obama  97% of the time.   Obamacare would not have passed without his vote.   Mark Warner supports a tax on carbon emissions, “directly or indirectly,” he says.  That would kill the coal industry and the jobs that go with it.  Remember when Obama said, “Under my plan…electricity prices would necessarily skyrocket?”  That’s everyone’s electricity prices – rich, poor and in between.  Mark Warner – the wealthiest U.S. Senator -  and President Obama believe that’s okay.

We need to act.  Sen. Mark Warner has outspent Gillespie 3 to 1 but we can vote – and get our friends and neighbors out to vote - for Ed Gillespie on November 4^th.