Vote Melvin Williams Tuesday June 9 in the Republican Party Primary

Sorry for the absence the past few days. Today I just want to pass along an email and video sent out by Melvin Williams today. I really encourage anyone who lives in the 17th District to give Melvin your vote on Tuesday. He is a great guy who will really bring solutions to our economy and put Virginia and America back on right track. I spent this past weekend working on his campaign and had a great time doing it. In speaking to voters on our door to door walk and while making phone calls I have really seen that the people believe that Melvin is the person who has the leadership ability to represent them during these important and trying times.

Email sent out today by the campaign:

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT June 7, 2009

A number of my opponents have distorted the facts in their attempt to win the Primary on June 9.

Here's the TRUTH:

DISTORTION: None of the other candidates have "real business experience."

TRUTH: Melvin and his wife, Pamela Fulghum Williams, have three businesses: Melvin's law partnership employs five persons; for over seven years Pamela has been an independent financial planner employing three people over the last two years alone; and Melvin and Pamela own and manage residential rental properties that provide housing to families in the Valley and which over the last six years alone have employed more than 50 contractors for various services. If the only "real" business is a business with at least 250 employees then that leaves a lot of us, as small business owners, out in the cold.

DISTORTION: The other candidates have "limited or no prior public service."

TRUTH: Melvin has served the community as an Emergency Medical Technician (6 years), Deputy Sheriff (1 year) and Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney (2½ years). Additionally, Melvin has served various organizations, to include the American Legion Boys' State (19 years), Local Colors of Southwest Virginia (6 years), as pastor to four congregations in Virginia (13 years), the Roanoke Rescue Mission (5 years) and as Sunday school teacher, speaker and Vestryman for Church of the Holy Spirit in Roanoke County (5 years). Melvin's life experiences demonstrate a commitment to service and giving back to the community.

DISTORTION: "No one else has acknowledged signing a tax pledge to voters."

TRUTH: From Melvin's website:
"April 15, 2009 - 9:00 AM Melvin Williams pledges that if elected to the House of Delegates for the 17th District he will not vote for any legislation that increases the overall tax burden on the people of Virginia. Taxes should be lowered! Government must become more efficient and realize that it cannot be all things to all people, especially in these dire economic times."

The candidate touting his tax pledge stated at the RVRW's Forum that he would raise taxes in circumstances like "for cost of living".

THE BOTTOM LINE:
Other distortions exist but the bottom line is this: the other candidates promise a government that will fix every problem. This is not conservativism.

We need a government that will get out of the way so that individual entrepreneurship can solve the problems facing our communities; the private sector creates jobs, not government. We need a leader in the General Assembly who realizes that government cannot and should not be all things to all people!

If we rely on the government for everything, then we are enslaved to it for everything. The solution is to relieve the people from the government; relieve the people from a crushing tax burden and the administrative compliance headache that comes with it, relieve the people from over-reaching and unnecessary regulation, and relieve the people from overbearing intrusion into our private lives and decisions for our families.

Melvin Williams seeks a government that will shrink, not expand; relieve not oppress; and empower not emasculate. If you share this view of government, then vote Melvin Williams in the June 9 Primary, and encourage everyone you know to do likewise.