Five things that make us wonder

Five things that make us wonder

After 73 years as a passen- ger aboard Starship Earth, please allow me to offer a list of items that do not work on behalf of “we the people.”

1. Federal, state and locally enacted laws that actually detract from our freedoms. Most laws passed are stated to be for our safety. However, something dreadful occurred once many bright, but devious and greedy, people were called upon to represent us. In place of laws for protection, too many laws now tend to break us down and inhibit our constitutional rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

2. Incarcerations as a means of punishment, without any chance of rehabilitation. I offer the tragedy of the senseless murder at a party recently in Youngstown near YSU. The alleged shooter was a recent inmate, serving time for an armed robbery. Let out early with no change of heart, he took the life of a reputable young man who would still be alive if the killer had remained in jail for his full sentence.

3. Elected officials who use obsequious personnel (lackeys) to do their work and speak publicly on their behalf so their re-election will not be obstructed in any way. “Come to work late and leave early” is the mantra of many now serving we the people. In this case I offer the idea now in use: That milling off two inches of old roadway, then mixing tar, old motor oil, or whatever it is, before laying the mixture back down and rolling it once again, to two to three inches, is the proper way to maintain roadways in northeast Ohio.

4. No attempt by federal or state law makers to regulate the high costs of drugs. Many pharmaceutical companies in the United States make Ponzi schemers and Mexican drug cartels look like pikers. It is the gouging by these companies, not Medicare or Social Security, our elected lawmakers need to take to task.

5. Last but not least are the oil and gas companies who jack up the pump prices without provocation. Everybody over 18 in America understands that the upheavals in the Middle East should have no effect on the gasoline and oil already refined and stored in the United States. Once again, what our elected officials are doing speaks so loudly, we the people can’t hear what they are saying.

David Metzler, North Jackson

Oh, what a night

If you haven’t attended the cabaret style “Music at Madison” show at Dorian Books, you are certainly missing out on an evening of great entertainment.

With all the negative things that are going on in Youngstown and around the world, attend this show and you will see and hear nothing but the positive.

Rodd Coonce and Jack Peterson present a show that is outstanding, not to mention Jack Ciarniello on the keyboards. Perfection. You don’t have to travel to New York City, Chicago, or L.A. to find a show like this, full of great talent, wonderful music and a most friendly atmosphere.

Art and Peggy Tobey, Hubbard