Choosing between food and fuel

Choosing between food and fuel

Of all the sales pitches as- sociated with the Marcellus Shale gas industry’s campaign, the point that most upsets me is the one I’ve heard a number of times from lawyers working to get landowners to sign leases with gas companies. These lawyers proudly, and with much enthusiasm, tell their audiences that “farmers have been able to quit farming and are living on the royalties from gas wells on or near their farms.”

I know that this sounds good, but is it? Some farmers may, indeed, enjoy the benefits of cashing in on the shale boom; their water may not yet be contaminated. Their livestock may have escaped unscathed before they were sold. The farmers’ and their families’ health and well-being may not yet be suffering any consequences from unconventional gas drilling in their area. Some may even have been able to take long vacations, or bought homes where no such drilling is occurring. I hope that their good fortune and luck holds out.

Other farmers, however, have had to quit farming because of contaminated water, still-born and dying livestock, and fields that are no longer tillable. These hard-working men and women may have leased their gas rights because of the promises of land men and lawyers that they would get rich, and that their water, land, and families would be protected in the “unlikely” event of any accidents. They may have leased with the hopes of getting the money needed to save their farms and to keep doing what they love — farming.

Their “job” of feeding America doesn’t seem to matter anymore. We’re so caught up in the patriotic hype — the flags flying from drill rigs and politicians touting the shale industry as the answer to all of America’s problems. We seem to have forgotten that we all need to eat. I have a bumper sticker that says: No farms, no food. Personally, I’d much rather import fuel than food.

Pauline Beck, West Middlesex, Pa.

Racking up debt isn’t too smart

I’m so sick and tired of twenty- somethings with their whole lives ahead of them, whining and belly aching about student loan debt.

If you have a college degree, especially one in something stupid like “women’s studies” or “art history” and graduated with debt so large that you can’t deal with it, you were too dumb to go to college in the first place.

Frank Santolla, North Lima

Respect the flag, no matter what

Veterinarian Donald Allen is flying his flag upsidedown outside his Youngstown office because he doesn’t like they way our country is running.

This man was on the ticket for president four years ago. How would you have liked it if we would have had a president that flies the flag upside down? A true disgrace to our veterans and our country.

I never thought I would see the day that a so-called American would do such a thing. How do you think our boys feel coming home from the Middle East to see their flag flying upsidedown after they fought for our country?

My husband is a veteran and this was quite upsetting to see. We have a flag and fly it with pride because I don’t think there is another country as nice as ours that you could live in.

Cindi Karsti, Boardman

Keeping track of things at City Hall

Would it be possible to at- tach a GPS transmitter to the charter change proposals so that voters will know in which part of the rabbit warren of city government they die? If nothing else, it could help remove the stink of the corpse of the recommendations once so alive with public participation in government. That’s assuming, of course, the great show of listening to the public had any life in it to begin with. As council will determine “what proposals will be on the ballot,” the whole process stinks of a show trial anyway.

As to the bones of contention noted in Vindicator news stories and editorial commentary last week:

Council members are not overpaid, provided they are actually on the job. Too often, though, they are missing in action until the ribbon cutting. Maybe GPS tracking and clock-in procedures would help prove council members’ worth.

GPS tracking insults loyal employees. The sting of the insult lasts until the deadbeats, loafers, and work-rules experts who spend more time reading their contracts than performing their duties, are winnowed out by proof of their ineffectual performance. At that point, the many solid public employees can rejoice, maybe even get an earned pay raise, from funds no longer sucked up by the sponges.

No council meetings before 6 p.m.? Gee, I would think a part-time employee would appreciate an opportunity to wrap up their full-time job before heading to council chambers.

Political parties, of any stripe, exist to raise money and dispense favors for the purpose of putting their candidate in control of the public purse and power. Therefore, I don’t care what party supports an officeholder. I do care that every officeholder proposes specific, obtainable goals for the public good and regularly and publicly report their progress toward attaining them.

Jim Cartwright, Canfield