True patriot won in 14th District

Congratulations to Congressman-elect Randy Hultgren, who ran a largely upbeat campaign in which any “negative advertising” objectively criticized outgoing Congressman Bill Foster's voting record (such as voting for the ineffective stimulus bill and the widely unpopular comprehensive health care bill.)

Hultgren was gracious, serious and humble in his victory acceptance speech, noting the country has been “heading in the wrong direction,” and that future work in getting the economy going again is “too big for one person to do.” Therefore, he is willing to listen to his constituents and to work with and for them.

In contrast, Foster ran a negative campaign, distorting Hultgren's position on taxes and falsely accusing Hultgren's employer of accepting federal bailout money. Consequently, I was not surprised that Foster failed to take personal responsibility for his defeat in his concession speech. He blamed us (“the frustrations of voters about the economy”), not his voting record. He strangely claimed, “We are being punished for our patriotism.”

According to Foster, he and other congressional Democrats didn't reveal to the public just how bad the economy was out of concern that such a revelation would send the country into a depression.

I may not have attended Harvard, but let me tell you, Mr. Foster, we in the 14th Congressional District can handle the truth. Many of us believe the country is in the midst of a depression right now. You didn't have to be so elitist and condescending to your constituents.

On a very popular cable network television show, there is a segment called, “Pinheads and Patriots.” I believe that on Nov. 2 the voters of the 14th Congressional District selected the true patriot as our congressman.

Greg Guckenberger

Batavia