Ernest Hilton (letter, Nov. 12) says he has been, in his words, “forced out by Conservatives after 39 years.”

I have known Ernie for many years, and consider him both neighbor and friend. I take umbrage, however, with the picture painted in his letter.

Ernie and I have on occasion had some spirited exchanges online in regards to the political battlefield we find ourselves on. I am a registered independent with a fiscal conservative leaning, and have been my entire 40- year voting life. Ernie argues strongly in defense of all points pro-Democratic Party.

I would therefore offer that while Ernie may have been a Republican at some point in his life, the only remaining element was the ink on his registration card. He has both ideologically and philosophically not been one for much, much longer. He was indeed not forced out, as the misleading headline would have us believe, rather he simply took the final step in changing the wording on his registration card.

A look at one paragraph of Hilton’s letter is telling as to his core beliefs. He takes those to task for wanting limited government, complains about those at the state and federal level who wish to challenge the government, and is in support of wealth redistribution by force at the hands of the government.

Somehow this single paragraph pretty clearly shows that this writer long ago not only left the Republican Party but slid to the very far side of the Democratic Party.

Hilton disparages the system of private-sector job creation as a fallacy of trickle-down economics, but at the same time offers no solutions of his own. Unless, of course, the seizing of private assets and wealth to redistribute to others is that answer? I would most certainly hope not.

Russ Burns II

Anson

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