So reads the headline in the Mason County Democrat, August 23 edition by Wendy Martin. I know Wendy Martin and she’s a good reporter, gets her facts right,  but when Congressman LaHood’s straight talk is just an illusion, what’s a small town reporter to do?  Point out how wrong he is? Not likely, not safe if you want an earmark for your town.

I thought I’d point out some of the many discrepancies in the article and how Ray LaHood for purely political reasons, to get reelected, leads the voters and reporters in Central Illinois astray.

In the article Ray said, "I believe the work and effort of our troops will prevail to the extent that the insurgency will be brought down and we won’t have 130,000 troops there. We will prevail and democracy will stand."   The only thing true, and he knows it, about this statement is that in the future we won’t have 130,000 troops there. The rest of this is just, "Political Pie in the Sky."  See my other articles on the war.

On the bringing back the draft Ray thinks there will be no return to the draft.  Of course that’s not correct.  The Marines are bringing back the inactive reserves.  Many in the military are not allowed to separate and instead are sent back to Iraq. That’s all a form of a draft.  Somehow Ray Lahood managed to avoid being drafted during the Vietnam war so maybe he’s against a draft.  I’d like to see a draft if for no other reason that to make sure that all the stay-at-home patriotic Young Republicans warmongers get a equal chance to fight and die for America.

About the sick and injured troops he’s talked to LaHood says, "Those who had been injured just wanted  to go back."  If Ray had any military experience he’d understand that the troops know exactly what to say when talking to a Congressman…..or else. Don’t embarrass the commander.

On oil reserves Ray says, "We have not built a new refinery in this country for 25 years. We need to depend less on others and use more of our own oil resources."  We haven’t built new refineries, but we sure have closed good, working refineries.  We don’t have enough oil reserves to replace imports, but we could go a long way by seriously and  rapidly developing  alternative fuels like ethanol, biodiesel, methane, solar, wind, nuclear and coal. Instead of the American people working for "Big Oil"….."Big Oil" should work for us.

At the end of his talk Ray says to the audience, "You represent the values and principles of what America is founded on. Work hard. Play by the rules. Do good." How about that……. he finally got something right.