Accountability should be the core value

I am an independent who is concerned primarily about the deficit and climate change, because both involve the issue of responsibility, an issue that used to be considered conservative.

It's interesting to see today's conservatives are suddenly worried about the deficit, yet they refuse to acknowledge we have a responsibility to pay taxes to reduce those deficits. I'm ready to pay my share. I agree that Democrats sometimes try to do too much with government, but I don't agree that government is inherently evil. Government intervention is often necessary - sometimes a lot, sometimes slightly, sometimes temporarily.

I've realized there are huge differences between the Republican and Democratic parties. Personally, I don't want my kids taught “intelligent design” in science classrooms. Also, I don't think it's any of my business if someone wants to marry a person of the same sex or opposite sex. I think hate crimes, no matter against which group, must be harshly punished.

Our resources must go to the vast majority of people, not the few at the top. We must rebuild our industrial and manufacturing base, invest more in education. Accountability - that becomes the mantra.

Joe Behrendt

West Liberty