Sunday, April 4, 2010
It’s time to move along
Congress has just increased the ceiling on the national debt by $1.9 trillion. Every Republican voted no. Practically all of the Republicans who now object to debt-ceiling increases routinely supported similar requests when George W. Bush was president.
So what does that tell you? It tells me that election time is right around the corner and our Congress people are going to do anything they can to get re-elected, even be it with a short memory.
The Republicans make a big deal out of the word “socialism.” If they think that the health-care bill was a socialist program, then they probably think that Medicare and Social Security are socialist programs also.
Well, I have an idea on how to strengthen Medicare and Social Security. 1. Everyone who is on Medicare who believes that the Medicare system is a socialist program, turn in your cards, you’re off the rolls and on your own. 2. Everyone who thinks that Social Security is socialism, turn in your card, send back your checks and you will be billed for all of the checks you have received since you were eligible.
You say you can’t do that? Well then what are your plans with this health care plan? Refuse the elimination of the donut hole, tell your health care provider you have no use or no need for anything in this plan, such as the elimination of the pre-existing condition on which insurers would drop you in a heartbeat.
This government has to get moving on a whole lot of other things, such as illegal immigration, the economy, jobs, and dealing with these low-life companies who move our jobs to Mexico and China. Health care is done, so let’s move on.
Bud McKelvey, Hermitage, Pa.
Congress displayed a historic disregard for the will of the people
In 9th grade political science we learned that in a communist country the only votes to be counted were those of the card-carrying party members and that it was they who truly vote the leaders into office. In recent weeks it has felt that way here in this country.
In all the polls that were shown on the TV and in the newspaper, two thirds of the people wanted the Congress to not pass the health-care bill and only a third wanted it to pass. Congress did not listen to the people in the majority but to those in the minority.
In this country it is the majority that rules, not the minority. But in a communist country, it is the minority that rules. So where was the voice of the people in this bill? The people vote on men and women to be their voice, but this time they would listen only to a few of the people, and this was wrong.
Those who say the passing of this bill was historic are right, because it is the first time in this country that Congress passed a bill that the people did not want, and when the people spoke up, they were called disloyal, terrorists and many other names. This is also wrong .
So to all those who feel that their voice was not heard, I say you can make it heard this November by voting those people out of office who did not listen to you and see if we get a group that will listen and do what we want them to do and not just what their party tells them to do.
James D. Vaughn II, Youngstown
County destroys, the people repair
On Feb. 6, our mailbox and the end of our driveway were torn up by a Mahoning County snow plow driver. The driver was stuck in my neighbor’s yard, blocking the road and our drive. He had to be pulled out by a commercial tow truck.
When I made my first call two weeks later, I was informed that the county no longer replaces mailboxes. Talking with a supervisor, I was informed that our property would be taken care of when the weather broke. I waited for weeks to have our driveway and neighbor’s yard repaired. Metal posts (installed by the county last year when our mailbox was destroyed) were dangerously sticking out.
How long does a person have to wait? When traveling down the road, if a person hits a mailbox, they are responsible. If you hit a telephone pole by accident, you are liable. Yet our service personnel, paid by our tax dollars, are free of liability. Two years ago, my $54 Rubbermaid mailbox was replaced by a county $4 metal box.
The weather broke, the grass started turning green, our railroad ties are back where they belong — no thanks to our county employees. The dirt and gravel will be replaced.
Let us feel sorry for the laid off county workers who received overtime to destroy private property (and sit in parking lots reading the paper and drink coffee, doing a project with one man working and six watching).
Yes, I am a woman who repaired her own property that was destroyed by another, and I will think twice about voting for our county employees.
Velma Glista, Austintown
We’re all facing a tough battle
I am compelled to comment on the Sunday Vindicator article, “UAW faces tough battle ahead.”
First of all, it speaks of the declining membership in the UAW. I have news for the author, all unions are in a decline due to the misled work forces in the USA. They are willing to work for peanuts and afraid to organize, thus making the companies know they have complete control over the work force.
Next, there is a quote from a stupid politician (aren’t they all?) by the name of Spencer Bachus. He states, “The vast majority of my constituents are not making anywhere near what General Motors, Chrysler and Ford pay their employees.” So, with this statement he concludes that they should do away with the middle class and have everyone making the meager wages of those who are not organized?
I have some questions for him. Does he make more than the majority of his constituents? Do they have the health care he has? Do they have the retirement plan he has?
The demise of unions started when the glorified Ronald Reagan fired the air traffic controllers, and not a single union stood behind them. The politicians and big business knew they had the unions in the palm of their hands. And that is exactly where they are today.
The middle class has dwindled to next to nothing. That is why the husband and wife have to work to make ends meet. Also, you will notice the rise of a business called “child care.” Why? Because the wife can’t stay home to take care of the kids, these places are raising our kids for a pay check, not as the mother would, for love.
Rea Buttermore, Boardman
Christian soldiers follow orders; those guys haven’t read the book
A recent news story quot- ed federal prosecutors as saying nine suspects tied to “a Midwest Christian militia preparing for the Antichrist” were charged with conspiring to kill police officers, then attack a funeral in the hopes of killing more law enforcement personnel. I would not try to defend the thoughts or actions of those few knuckleheads, but I would like to explain the role of true “Christian militias.”
Christian militias have but one “command” coming from their leader: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35 NIV) Anything else is insubordination.
Leonard D. Hall, Boardman