To the Editor:

Here are some questions that need to be addressed to the people who are leading our country and our state or who are seeking office in 2012. Are you a free market capitalist or a big government socialist? Do you believe that the United States is the one country that can lead the free world in its fight against the European socialistic system? Which is the best way to increase the total amount of revenues for the state of North Carolina — increase the total number of jobs in the state or raise personal income taxes or state sales taxes?

How will you make North Carolina a competitive state again to compete against the four states that surround us? The entire economy of North Carolina has been hurt by our high tax rates and we need someone to lead our state back into the battle for new and bigger businesses to come to North Carolina.

Last week I saw the site of the new Caterpillar plant being built in Athens, Ga., which will employ 1,400 people, and I also saw the massive Kia Motor Plant that employs 1,200 people which is located in West Point, Ga., off I-85 near the Alabama border. We need to have those types of plants come to North Carolina. Republicans and Democrats have one thing in common — we all need good jobs to support our families. This next election is about the economy of the United States, the State of North Carolina and Jackson County. The future of our young people will be decided by how this election turns out.

Western North Carolina has been losing many of its smart young people because there are very few opportunities for them here. Why? It is a disgrace to our community and is the result of the poor leadership that had been in place for many years in Raleigh until recently. This election will give the people of North Carolina an opportunity to put an entire new team in place in Raleigh and in Western North Carolina to see if they can lead our state to become competitive and aggressive again. Imagine what it will be like to elect people who actually believe in the free enterprise system? I can’t wait!

Jim Mueller

Glenville