Dear Editor,

In the late 18th century, Lord Acton warned us: “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

I thought of Lord Acton’s warning as I read Robert Defrank’s news article ‘Red Wave’ floods local seats in The Times Leader. The Belmont County Republican Party now has absolute local power.

In his article Mr. Defrank quoted Jim Carnes, who claimed the reason the courthouse is full of Republicans is because they “have reinforced belief in religious, moral values, also in trying to protect jobs in the area.”

Give me a break!

Wasn’t it the same high-minded courthouse Republican moralists that voted overwhelmingly for Trump to be reelected along with his crime of negligent homicide for the totally negligent killing of tens of thousands of COVID-19 victims.

And isn’t it the same Republicans that are rooting for the Supreme Court to kill the Affordable Care Act thereby depriving 22 million of health insurance and 100 million of preexisting coverage, etc.

Here’s the deal, competition is absolutely necessary to protect against absolute power. Competition protects not only against corruption but also against radicalism.

In addition, on the job front the courthouse gang should be looking forward to environmental safe, job creation — not environmental wrecking like supporting the proposed cracker plant and shoring up coal.

Well, this is where we are. The Democrats need to get off their backsides and create a winning, competitive party. Everyone else must heed the Republican favorite son Ronald Reagan and trust but verify” all conduct of officeholders.

Bill Bryant

St. Clairsville