Thomas Jefferson put it well: “Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.” It used to be that people strove to be honest, and it was valued above achievement of any kind. It appears the Democratic Party values destruction of its adversaries at any cost, even the cost to their own reputation.

First of all, the Republican Party did not run the Sept. 4 ad which the Democrats felt a need to respond to with twisted logic and out-and-out lies. An out-of-state advocacy group did.

Secondly, even though a group pays for an ad, doesn’t the paper hold some responsibility to ensure the ad is truthful and not libelous? Didn’t it matter that the information in the Democrat attack ad had already been fact-checked by a non-partisan group and declared untrue?

In the Oct. 29 edition of the Kenosha News, where was the balance with quotes and opinions from Republican advocates matching those of Democrats?

Rep. Paul Ryan is a voice for reason and creative ideas in Washington. We need less government, not more government intrusion in our lives. We need to step up and be responsible for ourselves and our children instead of waiting for a handout.

Ryan is fighting against the liberal proposals Democrats and Obama are pushing in Washington. Ryan understands the consequences — both intended and unintended — even if Wisconsin Democrats don’t.

President Obama and Democrats want you simply to trust and obey. They will change our country forever. Ronald Reagan saw this prophetically when he said, “Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.” We need to wake up before it’s too late.

Erin Decker