Letter published 12/19/05 in Times-News, Twin Falls
Dems still too entrenched in anger politics.
The Democrats that spew so much hate always try to destroy the messenger because not one of them could destroy my message. It makes them feel big and tough to try to kill anyone they disagree with.
I don’t remember mentioning any of the three lovely ladies that loved my letter. I never try to destroy personally but then, like I heard kids say on the playground, “I wish your mother had you aborted,” that’s how children and Democrats talk now – and they are dead serious.
May I remind the sweet person from Hailey that it certainly is not the GOP, it’s the Democrats that are trying to promote abortion, no prayers in school, no God in the Pledge and no Christ in Christmas.
The sweetheart from Twin Falls who was so quick to put me down, she did not take time to read my letter, so she lied.
I moved back to Idaho in 1988. I was born in Idaho in 1934, moved to Magic Valley in 1960, to Colorado in 1982, back to Idaho in 1988.
Now she wants me to shut up because she says she is a Democrat and a Christian? I don’t go around telling everyone I’m a Republican and a Christian. She wants me to believe that all the Democrats I listen to in Congress are atheists! Really? I had a professor tell me one time only the very shallow people attack you personally! They have no facts and could not dispute any of mine.
A good Democrat told me he hates Bush because Bush thinks he is an (expletive) Christian. Facts, just the facts, ladies.
Fact: Democrats now are acting like little children by saying they voted for the way but the devil made me do it, i.e., Bush. They can’t even think for themselves anymore because they simply have no brains or guts!
Right, play the blame game; never take responsibility for their own actions. The Democrats would turn America over to the United Nations in a heart beat. There goes your freedom, folks!
E Robinson
Hagerman
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2005/12/28/news_letters/opinion_letters.1.txt
Try a basis of fact to refute Democrats
Regarding Democratic votes for the war, may I direct Mrs. Robinson to http://feinstein.senate.gov/05releases/r-crs-intel-rpt.htm wherein the first paragraph reads:
"Washington, DC -- The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) has produced a report that clearly rejects White House assertions that Congress had access to the same intelligence as the President in the march to war with Iraq, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) announced today."
Read the report, Mrs. Robinson.
Stating that responses to your letter "have no facts and could not dispute any of mine," makes me consider that you must have a peculiar definition of the word "fact." I quote:
"Fact: People who oppose the coal-fired plant are hypocrites because not a one of them have quit using power or driving because they believe we can keep bringing in 11,000 illegals year after year and never run out of power."
Huh? or this:
"Fact: 2,000 soldiers have died in Iraq in three years, yet the Democrats don’t care that more than 16,000 citizens are killed in America and most in Democratic blue states."
Huh?
These are not facts. They are accusatory opinions with no basis in fact. What possible relationship exists between 16,000 citizens killed in America and the deaths of soldiers in Iraq? And how do you read the minds and track the behavior of all Democrats and opponents of the coal-fired plant? Have you been paid to write letters for BushCo?
History will not treat GWB or his die-hard supporters kindly; unless of course they follow their usual practice and produce an "abridged" version.
What kind of people hop into a Christmas versus Happy Holidays debate when the very sky is falling in? The same people who want to vilify fellow Americans because that's how BushCo works, with hatred, fear, lies and manipulation.
Despite never-ending evidence of administration corruption, you choose to blame all of society’s ills on Democrats?
These issues have been around for years and years, yet it takes BushCo, et. al., to make them tools of diversion to mask their destruction of America.
Stan Metcalf
Gooding
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Sunday, December 04, 2005
IDAHO - DUH IS OUR MIDDLE NAME
Liberalism could be a form of insanity
Several thoughtful people have said that liberalism is a disease. They may be correct. It seems to have spread from our elite universities and has infested every segment of society. Insanity, while not being a medical definition, is the inability to think rationally. Let's look at the liberal definition of morality.
You have to believe that those who don't or won't work have a right to be cared for by those who do. You have to believe that equal opportunity is not enough, that equal outcomes are required. (Except for rich liberals who stash their wealth in trusts so that they do not have to share.) You have to believe that the individual was created to serve the state, not the state to serve the individual. You have to believe that businesses create oppression, but governments create prosperity. You have to believe that the only reason socialism has not worked is because the right people have not been in charge.
You must believe that gender roles are artificial but homosexuality is natural. You have to believe that a school system that cannot teach our children to read is qualified to teach our children all about sex. You have to believe that self-esteem is more important than actually working to earn it. You have to believe that standardized tests are racist but racial quotas and set-asides are not. You have to believe that homosexual parades, with all their depravity, should be protected, but manger scenes at Christmas should be illegal. You have to believe that the rights of a vocal minority are more important than the rights of the majority when it comes to the Pledge of Allegiance or saluting the flag.
You must believe it is acceptable to kill unborn babies, but not to put depraved murderers to death. You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of federal funding, that global temperatures do not go in cycles but are caused by SUVs. You must believe that guns in the hands of American citizens are more dangerous than our nuclear weapons technology in the hands of the Chinese communists.
If there are good people among the Democrats who do not believe in these ideas, they may be in the wrong party. These extremists lead your parade.
Liberal morality is not rational; therefore, it could well be a form of insanity.
MC
Burley
MC could have avoided “thinking,” had he capsulized his offensive paragraphs into one sentence such as: Liberal morality is an oxymoron.
According to the dictionary, liberal means “suitable for a free man,” and “willing to respect and accept behavior or opinions different from one’s own.” What revolutionary thoughts!
We are born in varying circumstances; not all have the same opportunity. If we completely destroy all social programs, it will be easier to elect rich, ethically bankrupt morons to lead our country to hell. Why should we spend money to assist those with much natural talent but little opportunity. Obviously, wealth is the ONLY standard of worthiness.
Look around and see what happens when big business and government collude in cornering money. It never ceases to amaze me how indignant certain people are about helping the downtrodden yet have no problem with the billions shoveled into coffers already overflowing, many with ill-gotten gains.
I’m curious, Max. What do you propose to do about animals who indulge in homosexual behavior? Unnatural beasts! I’ll bet if Jesus had noticed that when he visited, he would have killed them all. But you probably own a gun, Max. YOU can kill them for Him.
Liberals do not consider the abortion option with glee and announcements. So what if a child is born into an impossible situation? He/she can join the service and be killed in order to honor the service of those already killed, thus illustrating the real difference between pro-birth and pro-life. And forget about legalizing over-the-counter morning after pills. They are just mini-abortions whether the person is pregnant or not.
One would hope that human beings could figure out that organized religion does not necessarily meet everyone’s needs. Many of my favorite people are strongly attached to various religions, but there are those who prefer to decide for themselves what they believe instead of adopting the dogma of others. Dogmas which, by the way, have been responsible for untold atrocities throughout history.
Sorry, Max, as disappointed as I am in most of the Democratic leadership today, your irrational description describes neither the leaders of the party nor the majority of Democrats. I can only deduce that you “think” we blindly follow, much as those who still support GOP principles of graft, malfeasance, murder, corruption, treason, lies, assassination, money laundering...
SM
Gooding
Several thoughtful people have said that liberalism is a disease. They may be correct. It seems to have spread from our elite universities and has infested every segment of society. Insanity, while not being a medical definition, is the inability to think rationally. Let's look at the liberal definition of morality.
You have to believe that those who don't or won't work have a right to be cared for by those who do. You have to believe that equal opportunity is not enough, that equal outcomes are required. (Except for rich liberals who stash their wealth in trusts so that they do not have to share.) You have to believe that the individual was created to serve the state, not the state to serve the individual. You have to believe that businesses create oppression, but governments create prosperity. You have to believe that the only reason socialism has not worked is because the right people have not been in charge.
You must believe that gender roles are artificial but homosexuality is natural. You have to believe that a school system that cannot teach our children to read is qualified to teach our children all about sex. You have to believe that self-esteem is more important than actually working to earn it. You have to believe that standardized tests are racist but racial quotas and set-asides are not. You have to believe that homosexual parades, with all their depravity, should be protected, but manger scenes at Christmas should be illegal. You have to believe that the rights of a vocal minority are more important than the rights of the majority when it comes to the Pledge of Allegiance or saluting the flag.
You must believe it is acceptable to kill unborn babies, but not to put depraved murderers to death. You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of federal funding, that global temperatures do not go in cycles but are caused by SUVs. You must believe that guns in the hands of American citizens are more dangerous than our nuclear weapons technology in the hands of the Chinese communists.
If there are good people among the Democrats who do not believe in these ideas, they may be in the wrong party. These extremists lead your parade.
Liberal morality is not rational; therefore, it could well be a form of insanity.
MC
Burley
MC could have avoided “thinking,” had he capsulized his offensive paragraphs into one sentence such as: Liberal morality is an oxymoron.
According to the dictionary, liberal means “suitable for a free man,” and “willing to respect and accept behavior or opinions different from one’s own.” What revolutionary thoughts!
We are born in varying circumstances; not all have the same opportunity. If we completely destroy all social programs, it will be easier to elect rich, ethically bankrupt morons to lead our country to hell. Why should we spend money to assist those with much natural talent but little opportunity. Obviously, wealth is the ONLY standard of worthiness.
Look around and see what happens when big business and government collude in cornering money. It never ceases to amaze me how indignant certain people are about helping the downtrodden yet have no problem with the billions shoveled into coffers already overflowing, many with ill-gotten gains.
I’m curious, Max. What do you propose to do about animals who indulge in homosexual behavior? Unnatural beasts! I’ll bet if Jesus had noticed that when he visited, he would have killed them all. But you probably own a gun, Max. YOU can kill them for Him.
Liberals do not consider the abortion option with glee and announcements. So what if a child is born into an impossible situation? He/she can join the service and be killed in order to honor the service of those already killed, thus illustrating the real difference between pro-birth and pro-life. And forget about legalizing over-the-counter morning after pills. They are just mini-abortions whether the person is pregnant or not.
One would hope that human beings could figure out that organized religion does not necessarily meet everyone’s needs. Many of my favorite people are strongly attached to various religions, but there are those who prefer to decide for themselves what they believe instead of adopting the dogma of others. Dogmas which, by the way, have been responsible for untold atrocities throughout history.
Sorry, Max, as disappointed as I am in most of the Democratic leadership today, your irrational description describes neither the leaders of the party nor the majority of Democrats. I can only deduce that you “think” we blindly follow, much as those who still support GOP principles of graft, malfeasance, murder, corruption, treason, lies, assassination, money laundering...
SM
Gooding
Try Living, Eating and Heating in Idaho
Job gap study just a start to big problems
Sandy Miller's Nov. 26 article, "Idahoans struggle to overcome gap," depicted what residents face in terms of a living wage. It's a shame so many of them aren't interested in why this happened. Unfortunately, the reasons wouldn't fit in a 400-word letter.
Most of us know any minimum wage increase has been struck down now for years, but did you know that Congress gave itself a $3,000-plus cost-of-living raise before breaking for Thanksgiving -- right after it defeated another bill for a minimum wage increase.
As for health insurance costs, I have to wonder if the insurance companies calculate premium increases the same way that malpractice insurance is calculated. A study in July 2005 revealed that the huge increases in malpractice fees are not because of hits taken by the insurance companies but for their projection of possible hits. And why, in the face of spiraling health care costs, would this administration implement a Medicare prescription benefit that denied the ability to negotiate lower medication prices?
Why is there such a problem with purchasing drugs from Canada? These are the same drugs we purchase here, manufactured by the same companies. In fact, there are over-the-counter drugs sold in America that are manufactured in Canada.
Do you know that in 1990, chief executive officer pay averaged 85 times that of the average worker? It is now more than 300 times the pay of the average worker. Wages for most workers lag inflation, i.e., have fallen, but productivity has grown rapidly over the past five years. Here's an item of interest:
Stephen L. Baum, chairman and CEO of Sempra Energy, earned in 2004: salary, $1,090,563; bonus, $2,183,400; stock options, $1,130,584; other, $540,560; grand total, $4,945,107.
With an administration that gives massive tax breaks to the same businesses who make life impossible for the average American to survive in comfort while also destroying the environment, it shouldn't take freezing in your home before the light turns on -- the kind that doesn't require electricity, anyway.
Get a clue! If what you are spouting is a "talking point" from BushCo, chances are it's false and/or misleading. Manipulation is the name of the game; leave out the negatives, enhance or create some positives. Easy to do when you appoint heads of agencies who are plucked from the very industries they're supposed to monitor. It's doubtful our nation will ever recover from their actions.
AN
Gooding
Sandy Miller's Nov. 26 article, "Idahoans struggle to overcome gap," depicted what residents face in terms of a living wage. It's a shame so many of them aren't interested in why this happened. Unfortunately, the reasons wouldn't fit in a 400-word letter.
Most of us know any minimum wage increase has been struck down now for years, but did you know that Congress gave itself a $3,000-plus cost-of-living raise before breaking for Thanksgiving -- right after it defeated another bill for a minimum wage increase.
As for health insurance costs, I have to wonder if the insurance companies calculate premium increases the same way that malpractice insurance is calculated. A study in July 2005 revealed that the huge increases in malpractice fees are not because of hits taken by the insurance companies but for their projection of possible hits. And why, in the face of spiraling health care costs, would this administration implement a Medicare prescription benefit that denied the ability to negotiate lower medication prices?
Why is there such a problem with purchasing drugs from Canada? These are the same drugs we purchase here, manufactured by the same companies. In fact, there are over-the-counter drugs sold in America that are manufactured in Canada.
Do you know that in 1990, chief executive officer pay averaged 85 times that of the average worker? It is now more than 300 times the pay of the average worker. Wages for most workers lag inflation, i.e., have fallen, but productivity has grown rapidly over the past five years. Here's an item of interest:
Stephen L. Baum, chairman and CEO of Sempra Energy, earned in 2004: salary, $1,090,563; bonus, $2,183,400; stock options, $1,130,584; other, $540,560; grand total, $4,945,107.
With an administration that gives massive tax breaks to the same businesses who make life impossible for the average American to survive in comfort while also destroying the environment, it shouldn't take freezing in your home before the light turns on -- the kind that doesn't require electricity, anyway.
Get a clue! If what you are spouting is a "talking point" from BushCo, chances are it's false and/or misleading. Manipulation is the name of the game; leave out the negatives, enhance or create some positives. Easy to do when you appoint heads of agencies who are plucked from the very industries they're supposed to monitor. It's doubtful our nation will ever recover from their actions.
AN
Gooding
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Mrs. Potato Head
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2005/11/09//news_letters//opinion_letters.1.txt
Bush's solid term stands up to criticism
Fact: Bush has spent 114 percent more on the poor than Clinton did in eight years.
Fact: At 41 polling points Oct. 28, 2005, George Bush is still not as low as Bill Clinton's lowest of 35.
Fact: The Democrats win hands down when you measure how many American soldiers they had killed in the past 100 years of Democratic wars -- almost 300,000.
Fact: 2,000 soldiers have died in Iraq in three years, yet the Democrats don't care that more than 16,000 citizens are killed in America and most in Democratic blue states.
Fact: Democrats want high gas prices. John Kerry wants a 50-cent gas tax so he can kill our economy.
Fact: To live up to the Kyoto Treaty that Bill Clinton signed and Congress defeated, we need $5 gasoline, and to close all coal-fired and nuclear plants.
Fact: If we walk out of Iraq now, we will have terrorists on every street in America, the same as Iraq because they will believe we are weak and will roll over and play dead like the Democrats want!
Fact: We moved back to Idaho in 1988 and 90 percent of all the dairies here were here then and guess what,? Idaho had Democratic governors from 1971 to 1994. People blame the GOP because they want Kempthorne to be the bad guy and shut them all down and ruin the economy in Idaho.
That should make the Democrats happy. Kill the economy.
Fact: People who oppose the coal-fired plant are hypocrites because not a one of them have quit using power or driving because they believe we can keep bringing in 11,000 illegals year after year and never run out of power.
Fact: All the states in the North and West and Alaska are short the same percent of salmon. The only thing they all have in common is the ocean and no one has been able to tell us how tearing down four dams will restore salmon.
Fact: I thank God every day for George Bush. He is not perfect but so much better than any Democrat because they hate Christians, unborn babies, molested children and common sense, and Democrats want to keep murderers all alive and turn all child molesters loose, take Christmas out of America's schools and Easter or anything Christian. Where does all that hate come from? I have been in politics since 1952 and have never felt so much hate!
ER
Hagerman
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2005/11/16/news_letters/opinion_letters.6.txt
GOP defenders need more than ethics course
"If we do not succeed, we run the risk of failure." (Dan Quayle)
I try to keep up on politics, at least the latest scandals, but Mrs. Robinson's letter nearly flattened me. She not only knows everything there is to know on current issues and the past 100 years, but her arguments are so advanced as to entirely escape me. I do hope she is not imagining any of this.
How do we fix this mess? The world is agog: Tom DeLay indicted, Scooter Libby indicted, the Karl Rove rumors, the Miers nomination was sunk start to finish. It just makes me sick what this liberal press is doing to these patriots.
Bush's job approval ratings -- on overall job performance, the economy, foreign policy, terrorism and Iraq -- are at all-time lows, but the five major oil companies defended the industry's huge profits Wednesday at a Senate hearing where lawmakers said they should explain prices and assure people they're not being gouged. Democrats had wanted the executives to testify under oath, but Republicans rejected that as unnecessary.
Then the White House began mandatory, hourlong briefings for an estimated 3,000 staffers on ethics and the handling of classified information in response to the Libby indictment. Of course, senior administration officials and the president, the ones who really need this course, won't attend.
Given this administration's willingness to ignore public opinion and forge on in spite of its mistakes, exposed lies and corruption, it might try to make a case for a national emergency like a flu pandemic or more terror alerts.
This administration just loves to beguile us with a rollicking good story, truth be damned. In true conservative, post-Katrina fashion, the right wing has gone into "the blame mode" as it tries to divert people's attention.
And oh, Mrs. Robinson: Jesus loves you more than you will know -- in spite of your hate-filled letter.
Stan Metcalf
Gooding
Bush's solid term stands up to criticism
Fact: Bush has spent 114 percent more on the poor than Clinton did in eight years.
Fact: At 41 polling points Oct. 28, 2005, George Bush is still not as low as Bill Clinton's lowest of 35.
Fact: The Democrats win hands down when you measure how many American soldiers they had killed in the past 100 years of Democratic wars -- almost 300,000.
Fact: 2,000 soldiers have died in Iraq in three years, yet the Democrats don't care that more than 16,000 citizens are killed in America and most in Democratic blue states.
Fact: Democrats want high gas prices. John Kerry wants a 50-cent gas tax so he can kill our economy.
Fact: To live up to the Kyoto Treaty that Bill Clinton signed and Congress defeated, we need $5 gasoline, and to close all coal-fired and nuclear plants.
Fact: If we walk out of Iraq now, we will have terrorists on every street in America, the same as Iraq because they will believe we are weak and will roll over and play dead like the Democrats want!
Fact: We moved back to Idaho in 1988 and 90 percent of all the dairies here were here then and guess what,? Idaho had Democratic governors from 1971 to 1994. People blame the GOP because they want Kempthorne to be the bad guy and shut them all down and ruin the economy in Idaho.
That should make the Democrats happy. Kill the economy.
Fact: People who oppose the coal-fired plant are hypocrites because not a one of them have quit using power or driving because they believe we can keep bringing in 11,000 illegals year after year and never run out of power.
Fact: All the states in the North and West and Alaska are short the same percent of salmon. The only thing they all have in common is the ocean and no one has been able to tell us how tearing down four dams will restore salmon.
Fact: I thank God every day for George Bush. He is not perfect but so much better than any Democrat because they hate Christians, unborn babies, molested children and common sense, and Democrats want to keep murderers all alive and turn all child molesters loose, take Christmas out of America's schools and Easter or anything Christian. Where does all that hate come from? I have been in politics since 1952 and have never felt so much hate!
ER
Hagerman
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2005/11/16/news_letters/opinion_letters.6.txt
GOP defenders need more than ethics course
"If we do not succeed, we run the risk of failure." (Dan Quayle)
I try to keep up on politics, at least the latest scandals, but Mrs. Robinson's letter nearly flattened me. She not only knows everything there is to know on current issues and the past 100 years, but her arguments are so advanced as to entirely escape me. I do hope she is not imagining any of this.
How do we fix this mess? The world is agog: Tom DeLay indicted, Scooter Libby indicted, the Karl Rove rumors, the Miers nomination was sunk start to finish. It just makes me sick what this liberal press is doing to these patriots.
Bush's job approval ratings -- on overall job performance, the economy, foreign policy, terrorism and Iraq -- are at all-time lows, but the five major oil companies defended the industry's huge profits Wednesday at a Senate hearing where lawmakers said they should explain prices and assure people they're not being gouged. Democrats had wanted the executives to testify under oath, but Republicans rejected that as unnecessary.
Then the White House began mandatory, hourlong briefings for an estimated 3,000 staffers on ethics and the handling of classified information in response to the Libby indictment. Of course, senior administration officials and the president, the ones who really need this course, won't attend.
Given this administration's willingness to ignore public opinion and forge on in spite of its mistakes, exposed lies and corruption, it might try to make a case for a national emergency like a flu pandemic or more terror alerts.
This administration just loves to beguile us with a rollicking good story, truth be damned. In true conservative, post-Katrina fashion, the right wing has gone into "the blame mode" as it tries to divert people's attention.
And oh, Mrs. Robinson: Jesus loves you more than you will know -- in spite of your hate-filled letter.
Stan Metcalf
Gooding
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Getting dry here.
I sometimes envision the 58% pro-Bushco Idahoans being smacked in the head with one of those giant picture postcard potatoes. Suddenly, the administration is revealed for what it is–a Stephen King movie!
It is now obvious to me that I have expected too much of these people. They approve of their senators once again defeating an increase in the minimum wage. There must be some attraction to working two and three jobs to make ends meet that I fail to appreciate. Meanwhile, they continue to support Craig and Crapo pocketing $162,100 per year (seven raises totaling $28,000 since the last minimum wage increase).
Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyo did submit an amendment to increase the minimum wage by $1.10 which was defeated. It included wiping out the 40-hour work week, cutting overtime pay and lessening job safety and health protection. Small business would have been exempted from the Fair Labor Standards Act. I suspect they want to get rid of that $1.10 before all of the other benefits are approved.
I noticed Craig drafted another amendment to exempt large cow factories from admitting what they are releasing into the air. Smooth move, Ex-Lax. I guess people do like holding their breath until they hit the mountains.
It’s almost a guessing game waiting for winter. Will there be one so we have water next year or will it bury us? How many elderly on fixed incomes will die if everything freezes? The 58% must see the wisdom in reducing the number of Social Security beneficiaries. Don’t worry though, because oil companies just posted 75 to 89% profit increases last quarter.
Seymour Hersh, renown for uncovering much of this administration’s hidden agenda, was recently asked his opinion on the future of America. He replied, “We’re screwed.”
Our nation’s poor have increased by 4 million since 2001; this after three years of GOP-hyped “economic recovery.” Low unemployment means little when new jobs don’t provide enough income to escape poverty. In 2004, 50% of income went to the top 1/5 of households; most of it to the top 5%.
Now Congress is cutting programs for the disadvantaged to pay for gulf reconstruction and Iraq while retaining tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest in our society.
If these people ever decide they’re missing some inalienable rights they used to have, I know a few cow factories where they can dig for them.
SM
It is now obvious to me that I have expected too much of these people. They approve of their senators once again defeating an increase in the minimum wage. There must be some attraction to working two and three jobs to make ends meet that I fail to appreciate. Meanwhile, they continue to support Craig and Crapo pocketing $162,100 per year (seven raises totaling $28,000 since the last minimum wage increase).
Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyo did submit an amendment to increase the minimum wage by $1.10 which was defeated. It included wiping out the 40-hour work week, cutting overtime pay and lessening job safety and health protection. Small business would have been exempted from the Fair Labor Standards Act. I suspect they want to get rid of that $1.10 before all of the other benefits are approved.
I noticed Craig drafted another amendment to exempt large cow factories from admitting what they are releasing into the air. Smooth move, Ex-Lax. I guess people do like holding their breath until they hit the mountains.
It’s almost a guessing game waiting for winter. Will there be one so we have water next year or will it bury us? How many elderly on fixed incomes will die if everything freezes? The 58% must see the wisdom in reducing the number of Social Security beneficiaries. Don’t worry though, because oil companies just posted 75 to 89% profit increases last quarter.
Seymour Hersh, renown for uncovering much of this administration’s hidden agenda, was recently asked his opinion on the future of America. He replied, “We’re screwed.”
Our nation’s poor have increased by 4 million since 2001; this after three years of GOP-hyped “economic recovery.” Low unemployment means little when new jobs don’t provide enough income to escape poverty. In 2004, 50% of income went to the top 1/5 of households; most of it to the top 5%.
Now Congress is cutting programs for the disadvantaged to pay for gulf reconstruction and Iraq while retaining tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest in our society.
If these people ever decide they’re missing some inalienable rights they used to have, I know a few cow factories where they can dig for them.
SM
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Another drop
Drinking lots of water!
Stupid people (not ignorant; beside being polysyllabic that’s still an individual choice) who blindly follow this administration only perpetuate its evils.
The corruption that has been exposed in Washington lately is only the tip of the iceberg. Miers, Bush’s dedicated Supreme Court nominee crony, has so little information available that a photo was posted showing her notifying Bush of the Al Qaeda threat on August 6, 2001. Oops. http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001221205
Those who continue to defend Bush must be dedicated Fox fans. The GAO recently decided that White House payments to newsmen pushing WH policies were illegal; this despite White House counsel previously defending the use of our funds to manipulate our minds. Hmmm, isn’t Miers White House counsel?
International law prevents the invasion of a sovereign country. Saddam or not, Bushco knew they’d better manipulate intelligence to support their illegal decision. What has been done in Iraq is another Holocaust. Europe estimates there have been over 100,000 civilian deaths. There have been unprecedented deaths of journalists, many by U.S. troups. It’s become obvious to those who do not depend on U.S. news sources (try the UK) that the hands of our country are dripping blood.
Since when are the lives of Iraqi citizens less deserving of consideration than U.S. citizens? What would you do if your country were invaded? We have allowed Bushco to make us a nation of murderers; both of Iraqi civilians and our own youth.
For those self-satisfied persons with pure funds of knowledge about our president, a little peek into another world might be an earthshaking experience.
Text of the Pentagon Torture Memo from WSJ
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/military_0604.pdf
Could Bush administration officials be prosecuted for 'war crimes' as a result of new measures used in the war on terror? The White House's top lawyer thought so.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/9/4515
Abu Ghraib Detainees' Statements Describe Sexual Humiliation And Savage Beatings.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/9/4563
I have nothing but disgust for this sociopath and his administration and for those who support his murderous ways. If you think you have anything to say about how your government operates anymore, file that notion under Urban Legends. "This government of the people, by the people, for the people has become the Bush / Republican government of the special interests, by the special interests, for the special interests." http://sf.indymedia.org/print.php?id=1549371
AN
Gooding
Stupid people (not ignorant; beside being polysyllabic that’s still an individual choice) who blindly follow this administration only perpetuate its evils.
The corruption that has been exposed in Washington lately is only the tip of the iceberg. Miers, Bush’s dedicated Supreme Court nominee crony, has so little information available that a photo was posted showing her notifying Bush of the Al Qaeda threat on August 6, 2001. Oops. http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001221205
Those who continue to defend Bush must be dedicated Fox fans. The GAO recently decided that White House payments to newsmen pushing WH policies were illegal; this despite White House counsel previously defending the use of our funds to manipulate our minds. Hmmm, isn’t Miers White House counsel?
International law prevents the invasion of a sovereign country. Saddam or not, Bushco knew they’d better manipulate intelligence to support their illegal decision. What has been done in Iraq is another Holocaust. Europe estimates there have been over 100,000 civilian deaths. There have been unprecedented deaths of journalists, many by U.S. troups. It’s become obvious to those who do not depend on U.S. news sources (try the UK) that the hands of our country are dripping blood.
Since when are the lives of Iraqi citizens less deserving of consideration than U.S. citizens? What would you do if your country were invaded? We have allowed Bushco to make us a nation of murderers; both of Iraqi civilians and our own youth.
For those self-satisfied persons with pure funds of knowledge about our president, a little peek into another world might be an earthshaking experience.
Text of the Pentagon Torture Memo from WSJ
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/military_0604.pdf
Could Bush administration officials be prosecuted for 'war crimes' as a result of new measures used in the war on terror? The White House's top lawyer thought so.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/9/4515
Abu Ghraib Detainees' Statements Describe Sexual Humiliation And Savage Beatings.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/9/4563
I have nothing but disgust for this sociopath and his administration and for those who support his murderous ways. If you think you have anything to say about how your government operates anymore, file that notion under Urban Legends. "This government of the people, by the people, for the people has become the Bush / Republican government of the special interests, by the special interests, for the special interests." http://sf.indymedia.org/print.php?id=1549371
AN
Gooding
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Spit
Tom DeLay - A "Good Person with a Different Ideology"
Also an originator of the K Street Project and malevolent persecution of Democrafts. DeLay, Norquist and Santorum started K Street to ensure that lobbyists, law firms and trade should only employ Republicans. Unethical or not, it resulted in a massive redirection of campaign money to the Republican Party.
Want to talk about cronyism? Regular Tuesday meetings were held by Rick Santorum and Republican lobbyists to discuss jobs open on K Street. Santorum then made sure loyal Republicans filled the slots, perhaps by a top White House aide or another loyal lobbyist.
This strategy worked vice-versa also; note Susan Ralston, Special Assistant to the President & Assistant to the Senior Advisor, Karl Rove, formerly Jack Abramoff’s executive assistant; Michael Scanlon former communications director for DeLay then an associate of Abramoff in ripping off Indian tribes; David Safavian, Chief Procurement Officer at the OMB arrested for obstruction of the investigation into Jack Abramoff’s business dealings with the Bush administration and Republican members of Congress...and on...and on...
Note how often you will see the name Abramoff associated with Delay in spite of Delay’s attempts to distance himself since Abramoff was indicted.
Beginning in 1995, Delay met with the 400 largest PACs and told, "if you want to play in our revolution, you have to live by our rules." In 1996, former RNC chairman Haley Barbour, tried the same velvet arm tactic which deteriorated into a shouting match. It takes practice to effectively strong-arm.
Republicans have been so effective at the "game," that in 10 years they have easily outstripped the Democratic corruption that was 40 years in the making. Unfortunately, under these Republicans, the security and infrastructure of the United States are being destroyed.
Delay’s history includes lying under oath, threatening the press, using campaign contributions to punish defectors, improperly influencing a congressional vote, being admonished for the appearance of corruption, diverting FAA resources from their appointed job to track Democrats in Texas, and the latest money laundering. Delay’s response to every charge is the same as that shown this past week. Truth is never an element of his multiple defenses, as in accusing the Texas prosecutor who brought charges of being bipartisan.
It’s easy to see why major failures have and will take place under this administration. Their business has not been your business; and now begins the harvest.
SM
Gooding
Also an originator of the K Street Project and malevolent persecution of Democrafts. DeLay, Norquist and Santorum started K Street to ensure that lobbyists, law firms and trade should only employ Republicans. Unethical or not, it resulted in a massive redirection of campaign money to the Republican Party.
Want to talk about cronyism? Regular Tuesday meetings were held by Rick Santorum and Republican lobbyists to discuss jobs open on K Street. Santorum then made sure loyal Republicans filled the slots, perhaps by a top White House aide or another loyal lobbyist.
This strategy worked vice-versa also; note Susan Ralston, Special Assistant to the President & Assistant to the Senior Advisor, Karl Rove, formerly Jack Abramoff’s executive assistant; Michael Scanlon former communications director for DeLay then an associate of Abramoff in ripping off Indian tribes; David Safavian, Chief Procurement Officer at the OMB arrested for obstruction of the investigation into Jack Abramoff’s business dealings with the Bush administration and Republican members of Congress...and on...and on...
Note how often you will see the name Abramoff associated with Delay in spite of Delay’s attempts to distance himself since Abramoff was indicted.
Beginning in 1995, Delay met with the 400 largest PACs and told, "if you want to play in our revolution, you have to live by our rules." In 1996, former RNC chairman Haley Barbour, tried the same velvet arm tactic which deteriorated into a shouting match. It takes practice to effectively strong-arm.
Republicans have been so effective at the "game," that in 10 years they have easily outstripped the Democratic corruption that was 40 years in the making. Unfortunately, under these Republicans, the security and infrastructure of the United States are being destroyed.
Delay’s history includes lying under oath, threatening the press, using campaign contributions to punish defectors, improperly influencing a congressional vote, being admonished for the appearance of corruption, diverting FAA resources from their appointed job to track Democrats in Texas, and the latest money laundering. Delay’s response to every charge is the same as that shown this past week. Truth is never an element of his multiple defenses, as in accusing the Texas prosecutor who brought charges of being bipartisan.
It’s easy to see why major failures have and will take place under this administration. Their business has not been your business; and now begins the harvest.
SM
Gooding
Ptooey!
These are continuations of the back and forths from August 2005.
September 2005
IN-KIND RESPONSE TO NASTY LETTER
I’ve heard it’s not cool to get good grades in school anymore, but this is the first time I’ve seen an adult try to slam someone for having a decent vocabulary. The three-monkey attack mode of KR is becoming boring.
I quote, "People with money have it for a reason." That’s true. Halliburton has it because of cronyism and awards without bids; Enron had it by stealing from little old ladies, GWB has it despite running companies into the ground because Daddy’s friends the Saudis always saved his potentially bankrupt butt. It is the height of naivete to believe that only ambitious people have money. KR should try reading a book now and then; I suggest "Nickled and Dimed: On (Not) Making it in America." It’s in the Gooding Library.
KR claims she is no economist but that doesn’t stop her from making pronouncements in the area. Can she even add? KR states the left wants to give to the poor without accountability, whereas the right likes to help people help themselves. That must be why all programs designed to help people without resources to better themselves have been cut by the GOP. Don’t these poor people believe in Bush’s "pie in the sky?" Well, that’s about what they’ve received in the southern disaster sites for the first five days. It wasn’t enough to keep all of them alive, though.
If she is so concerned about giving money without accountability, why doesn’t she apply the same rule to company welfare or the reconstruction money that has disappeared in Iraq "rebuilding?" I quote Albert Einstein: "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." KR doesn’t.
While I am thrilled that Ms. KR has medical insurance, the number of Americans unable to afford the ever-rising premiums continues to increase. I do hope her benefits include counseling for the time when Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Rove, et al, are charged with war crimes and treason.
Whoever educated KR about her responsibility to take care of herself and her family shouldn’t have stopped there. Manners and empathy would have been positive additions. The next time she submits a letter to the editor, it would be nice if she discussed the specific issue(s) raised instead of calling names. But then, I can’t imagine her actually listening to anybody else.
AN
Gooding, ID
War crimes against Bush? Get real
A couple of friends of mine asked me why I bother to even respond to the far-left nutty propaganda which inundates The Times-News letters section. I mainly do it because some of the people who respond are so eminently tweakable and it's amusing to see the almost palpable hate that is hurled at me via their letters. One can imagine the spittle spilling from the corners of their mouths as they pound on their computer keyboards.
I, perversely, find that highly entertaining. I also love the whining. The hard left is just so darn good at it. I actually feel sort of sorry for my normal and moderate Democrat friends having to watch their party being hijacked by high decibel histrionics.
And now it appears, to my delight, that I have become the nemesis of AN (Sept. 13). Now I'm a New nemesis. Ms. AN's letter is the same rehashed diatribes filled with quotes and half-truths which seem to be the mainstay of this fringe group. (Moveon.org has done one heck of a job at brainwashing.)
Of course, her letter was very personal against me and that means hysteria and, in turn, lack of credibility. But of all the outrageous statements she made, the most glaring was her statement that the president, vice-president and several cabinet members will be charged with war crimes and treason. At that point, I almost felt sorry for Ms. AN but that empathy only kicked in after I picked myself up off the floor after collapsing from paroxysms of laughter.
A clarification, Ms. AN. You had a point about my boorish references to thesauruses. I was crudely referring to someone misusing polysyllabic words making (her) prose unwieldy. It was petty of me, but when in Rome ...And then Ms. AN wants me to discuss issues with her? I'm supposed to seriously discuss the issues with someone who actually believes that the arrest of the president of the United States in imminent? Now how nutty is that?
KATHY ROONEY
Gooding
September 2005
IN-KIND RESPONSE TO NASTY LETTER
I’ve heard it’s not cool to get good grades in school anymore, but this is the first time I’ve seen an adult try to slam someone for having a decent vocabulary. The three-monkey attack mode of KR is becoming boring.
I quote, "People with money have it for a reason." That’s true. Halliburton has it because of cronyism and awards without bids; Enron had it by stealing from little old ladies, GWB has it despite running companies into the ground because Daddy’s friends the Saudis always saved his potentially bankrupt butt. It is the height of naivete to believe that only ambitious people have money. KR should try reading a book now and then; I suggest "Nickled and Dimed: On (Not) Making it in America." It’s in the Gooding Library.
KR claims she is no economist but that doesn’t stop her from making pronouncements in the area. Can she even add? KR states the left wants to give to the poor without accountability, whereas the right likes to help people help themselves. That must be why all programs designed to help people without resources to better themselves have been cut by the GOP. Don’t these poor people believe in Bush’s "pie in the sky?" Well, that’s about what they’ve received in the southern disaster sites for the first five days. It wasn’t enough to keep all of them alive, though.
If she is so concerned about giving money without accountability, why doesn’t she apply the same rule to company welfare or the reconstruction money that has disappeared in Iraq "rebuilding?" I quote Albert Einstein: "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." KR doesn’t.
While I am thrilled that Ms. KR has medical insurance, the number of Americans unable to afford the ever-rising premiums continues to increase. I do hope her benefits include counseling for the time when Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Rove, et al, are charged with war crimes and treason.
Whoever educated KR about her responsibility to take care of herself and her family shouldn’t have stopped there. Manners and empathy would have been positive additions. The next time she submits a letter to the editor, it would be nice if she discussed the specific issue(s) raised instead of calling names. But then, I can’t imagine her actually listening to anybody else.
AN
Gooding, ID
War crimes against Bush? Get real
A couple of friends of mine asked me why I bother to even respond to the far-left nutty propaganda which inundates The Times-News letters section. I mainly do it because some of the people who respond are so eminently tweakable and it's amusing to see the almost palpable hate that is hurled at me via their letters. One can imagine the spittle spilling from the corners of their mouths as they pound on their computer keyboards.
I, perversely, find that highly entertaining. I also love the whining. The hard left is just so darn good at it. I actually feel sort of sorry for my normal and moderate Democrat friends having to watch their party being hijacked by high decibel histrionics.
And now it appears, to my delight, that I have become the nemesis of AN (Sept. 13). Now I'm a New nemesis. Ms. AN's letter is the same rehashed diatribes filled with quotes and half-truths which seem to be the mainstay of this fringe group. (Moveon.org has done one heck of a job at brainwashing.)
Of course, her letter was very personal against me and that means hysteria and, in turn, lack of credibility. But of all the outrageous statements she made, the most glaring was her statement that the president, vice-president and several cabinet members will be charged with war crimes and treason. At that point, I almost felt sorry for Ms. AN but that empathy only kicked in after I picked myself up off the floor after collapsing from paroxysms of laughter.
A clarification, Ms. AN. You had a point about my boorish references to thesauruses. I was crudely referring to someone misusing polysyllabic words making (her) prose unwieldy. It was petty of me, but when in Rome ...And then Ms. AN wants me to discuss issues with her? I'm supposed to seriously discuss the issues with someone who actually believes that the arrest of the president of the United States in imminent? Now how nutty is that?
KATHY ROONEY
Gooding
More Spittin' in the Snake
Story published at magicvalley.com on Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Results of a recent 50-state survey reminded me of the Daily Mirror headline on 4 Nov. 2004; "How Can 59,054,087 People be so DUMB?"
Survey USA’s overall rating of Bush’s approval/disapproval showed his best results in Idaho with a 59% approval rating and a 36% disapproval rating. Automatically I think, "How can 59% of Idahoans be so DUMB?"
One can actually believe that there weren’t 59,054,087 people who voted for Bush. Dr. Dennis Loo of the University of Cal Poly Pomona reports widespread alterations in several states during 2004. George would tell you that those voting machines without paper trails must have come straight from heaven.
In Florida in 2004, Bush received more than 100% of the registered Republican votes in 47 of 67 counties, over 200% in 15 counties, and over 300% in 4 counties. Oddly enough, registered Dems who crossed over to Bush did not increase from 2000, and Independents dropped support by 15% since 2000.
Exit polls which have historically been the best monitor of election fraud were suddenly "without merit" as of November 2004. Statistician Dr. Steve Freeman reports that having exit polls unmatched by results only in precincts with no paper trails creates a 250 million to one chance that the exit polls were wrong. Another oddity; where results did not match exit polls, the results ALWAYS favored Bush.
In the last 5 years, the average American has seen the death of his right to vote, the death of honesty, the death of opportunity, the death of personal freedom, and a return to essential bondage with the Bankruptcy Act. Your elected Idaho senators and representatives in D.C. have all conspired to support this travesty of an administration. They voted for a Bankruptcy Act based on lies despite the fact that Idaho will be the tenth negatively impacted state. They voted to diminish the power of the Ethics Committee to protect Tom DeLay.
George Bush is a vengeful sociopath. How any ethical person can support the policies of this administration is beyond comprehension. How is it that so many who profess to be godfearing people are willing to go along with consistent patterns of malfeasance and destruction of the American dream.
Will you be willing to answer for this when you go to your perceived reward? George and his cabinet won’t be there for you.
AN
Gooding
Liberal viewpoints don't belong in T-N
Several letters to the editor have appeared in recent weeks in condemnation of The Times-News policy of printing editorials and comments representing the liberal point of view.
One letter described our community as one of the most conservative communities in the country. Speaking for everyone here, we want it just the way it's always been. We don't need or want change. We are happy in our own little, tiny world of ideas, and certainly don't need yours. How dare you intrude upon our lifestyle. We have rights to feel and speak openly.
Don't you see all the yellow ribbons, everywhere? That is support for our beloved president and his desire to do so well for our freedom. Without Bush's policies in Iraq and New Orleans, we might be at a loss for our freedom.
Look at our budget. The liberals want you to believe Bush has ruined the budget, but he represents our way of life so that is not possible. Most of us are doing OK making a living and paying the bills. If by chance you're not perhaps you shouldn't be in this country. We're all doing fine and taking care of ourselves. We'll work with anybody not needing any help. So when you ask about my current economy, it's just fine.
It is my intent to have Roe v. Wade overturned. If anybody wants an abortion, they'll have to have butchers do it illegally in back alley ways. That'll teach them. Focus energy on adoptions? I can't, because I'm expending all the energy I have to make abortions illegal.
We support our Constitution, but don't go spreading any ideas that don't represent my ideas.
DAVE LOEVNER
Twin Falls
Results of a recent 50-state survey reminded me of the Daily Mirror headline on 4 Nov. 2004; "How Can 59,054,087 People be so DUMB?"
Survey USA’s overall rating of Bush’s approval/disapproval showed his best results in Idaho with a 59% approval rating and a 36% disapproval rating. Automatically I think, "How can 59% of Idahoans be so DUMB?"
One can actually believe that there weren’t 59,054,087 people who voted for Bush. Dr. Dennis Loo of the University of Cal Poly Pomona reports widespread alterations in several states during 2004. George would tell you that those voting machines without paper trails must have come straight from heaven.
In Florida in 2004, Bush received more than 100% of the registered Republican votes in 47 of 67 counties, over 200% in 15 counties, and over 300% in 4 counties. Oddly enough, registered Dems who crossed over to Bush did not increase from 2000, and Independents dropped support by 15% since 2000.
Exit polls which have historically been the best monitor of election fraud were suddenly "without merit" as of November 2004. Statistician Dr. Steve Freeman reports that having exit polls unmatched by results only in precincts with no paper trails creates a 250 million to one chance that the exit polls were wrong. Another oddity; where results did not match exit polls, the results ALWAYS favored Bush.
In the last 5 years, the average American has seen the death of his right to vote, the death of honesty, the death of opportunity, the death of personal freedom, and a return to essential bondage with the Bankruptcy Act. Your elected Idaho senators and representatives in D.C. have all conspired to support this travesty of an administration. They voted for a Bankruptcy Act based on lies despite the fact that Idaho will be the tenth negatively impacted state. They voted to diminish the power of the Ethics Committee to protect Tom DeLay.
George Bush is a vengeful sociopath. How any ethical person can support the policies of this administration is beyond comprehension. How is it that so many who profess to be godfearing people are willing to go along with consistent patterns of malfeasance and destruction of the American dream.
Will you be willing to answer for this when you go to your perceived reward? George and his cabinet won’t be there for you.
AN
Gooding
Liberal viewpoints don't belong in T-N
Several letters to the editor have appeared in recent weeks in condemnation of The Times-News policy of printing editorials and comments representing the liberal point of view.
One letter described our community as one of the most conservative communities in the country. Speaking for everyone here, we want it just the way it's always been. We don't need or want change. We are happy in our own little, tiny world of ideas, and certainly don't need yours. How dare you intrude upon our lifestyle. We have rights to feel and speak openly.
Don't you see all the yellow ribbons, everywhere? That is support for our beloved president and his desire to do so well for our freedom. Without Bush's policies in Iraq and New Orleans, we might be at a loss for our freedom.
Look at our budget. The liberals want you to believe Bush has ruined the budget, but he represents our way of life so that is not possible. Most of us are doing OK making a living and paying the bills. If by chance you're not perhaps you shouldn't be in this country. We're all doing fine and taking care of ourselves. We'll work with anybody not needing any help. So when you ask about my current economy, it's just fine.
It is my intent to have Roe v. Wade overturned. If anybody wants an abortion, they'll have to have butchers do it illegally in back alley ways. That'll teach them. Focus energy on adoptions? I can't, because I'm expending all the energy I have to make abortions illegal.
We support our Constitution, but don't go spreading any ideas that don't represent my ideas.
DAVE LOEVNER
Twin Falls
Friday, September 09, 2005
The Blame Game
THE BLAME GAME
Georgie!
Georgie, Georgie, bo Borgie Bonana fanna fo Forgie
Fee fy mo Morgie, Georgie!
Dick!
Dick, Dick, bo Bick Bonana fanna fo Fick
Fee fy mo Mick, Dick!
Come on everybody!
I say now let’s play a game
I betcha I can place some blame on everybody’s name
The first letter of the name, I wish that person wasn’t here
Just like the days when the hurricane drew near.
And then I say bo add a B then I say the name and Bonana fanna and a fo
And then I say the name again with an F*** very plain and a fee fy and a mo
And then I say the name again to burn it in your brain
and there isn’t any name that I can’t blame.
Condy!
Condy, Condy, bo Bondy Bonana fanna fo Fondy
Fee fy mo Mondy, Condy!
Mikey, Mikey, bo Bikey Bonana fanna fo Fikey
Fee fy mo Icky, Mikey!
Georgie!
Georgie, Georgie, bo Borgie Bonana fanna fo Forgie
Fee fy mo Morgie, Georgie!
Dick!
Dick, Dick, bo Bick Bonana fanna fo Fick
Fee fy mo Mick, Dick!
Come on everybody!
I say now let’s play a game
I betcha I can place some blame on everybody’s name
The first letter of the name, I wish that person wasn’t here
Just like the days when the hurricane drew near.
And then I say bo add a B then I say the name and Bonana fanna and a fo
And then I say the name again with an F*** very plain and a fee fy and a mo
And then I say the name again to burn it in your brain
and there isn’t any name that I can’t blame.
Condy!
Condy, Condy, bo Bondy Bonana fanna fo Fondy
Fee fy mo Mondy, Condy!
Mikey, Mikey, bo Bikey Bonana fanna fo Fikey
Fee fy mo Icky, Mikey!
Monday, August 29, 2005
Spitting in the Snake
In Idaho, left-leaning letters to the editor are like spitting in the Snake, e.g., going "ptooey" into the Snake River and expecting a wave. Not enough to make us stop, however. All of these letters have appeared as letters to the editor in the Twin Falls Times News. My family has contributed any with initials signed AN, AM, SM and StM. For clarity, I am going to go through the entire blog and match up responses; sometimes this will mean several letters.
August 2005
Idahoans made a serious mistake with Bush
Bush was congratulating himself on the improving economy today. Now for some ugly truth.
On August 6, the national debt hit $7,888,603,196,558. Each American’s share of this debt is $26,579.39. The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $1.64 billion per day since September 30, 2004!
The dollar has declined 38% since Bush’s Great American Giveaway to the Rich of $450 billion in tax cuts.
The real reason for the GOP’s repressive laws will be evident when our economy finally tanks for good. Even the Stepford citizens might be hard to control then, thus the true reasoning behind the Patriot Act, Homeland Security, etc.
Our country has been plundered and the climax is coming. Add it up. Massive tax cuts for the rich; continued welfare for corporations; $9 billion a month for Iraq; slashing social programs including education, health; huge Medicare prescription bill that specifically denied states the ability to seek lower prices; $1 billion of US treasury bills purchased by China per day; no raise in the $5.15 per hour minimum wage; and how about the following?
According to the National Association of Realtors, 23% of houses bought in 2004 were investments; another 13% second-homes. Since 2001, more than 2/5 of non-government jobs created have been in areas related to housing. Mortgage backed securities account for $4.6 trillion. Say: "Adjustable rate mortgages." See: Greenspan continue to raise the prime rate. Read: Bankruptcy Act. Pretty soon, most of us won’t even be able to shop at WalMart.
By inflation-adjusted dollars, median income fell 1.2% between 2001 and 2003. Using the same measure from the end of 2003 through March 2005, 80% of the work force saw an income decline of 0.9%. At the same time, corporations are seeing record profits while they scale back benefits for the general employee. Got health insurance?
And to tickle your funny bone, it was just announced that Halliburton’s KBR division had a 284% increase in second quarter operating profits. This despite their history of "questioned and unsupported" expenses.
If you think the Magic Valley produces a lot of cow manure, it is nothing compared to what this administration uses to bury the truth.
SM
Gooding
August 2005
Extreme left abandons reason on GOP
After reading the thesaurus-toting Ms. SM's doomsday letter of Aug. 18, one would wonder on what planet she has been blogging and if Moveon.org has given her a free membership for spewing its hate.
It is one thing to disagree with a national party and a president but quite another to carry on with such blind animosity. One would wonder if these people have the same fervent hatred toward the terrorists.
As far as Ms. SM's same ol', same ol' mantra about robbing the poor and giving to the rich was last year's election slogan, which is as boorish now as it was then. People with money have it for a reason. Does Ms. SM think that they just woke up one morning and were suddenly rich? A novel idea would be that they actually worked hard for it. Is Ms. SM not cognizant of the fact that we are not living under a socialist government? No, you are not entitled to the more ambitious people's money.
As far as the state of the economy is concerned, I am no economist as Ms. SM or the left-bloggers apparently are, but I don't think I'll be hiding my money in a mattress anytime soon. Ms SM would have Mr. Bush give more money to social programs. Well, count me out on that one.
The big difference between the right and the left is that the left wants to give without accountability, whereas the right would like to help people help themselves. One wonders if it makes the left feel superior by keeping the poor in their places.
And, yes, Ms. SM, I do have health insurance because somewhere along the line, someone educated me on the fact that it is my responsibility to take care of myself and my family. People buy their insurance before they purchase such items a SUVs, cell phones, computers, cable TV, etc. Only then should one qualify for government assistance. The far left of the Democrat party have turned into humorless, hate-filled people who wouldn't understand irony if it jumped up and slapped them in their faces. I'll remember that about myself when, inevitably, the Democrats come into power.
Cooler heads know that elected officials, no matter how misguided we think they are, are not evil. They are just good people with different ideologies.
KR
Gooding, ID
September 2005
Perhaps KR needs a thesaurus to understand my letter to the editor. Somehow she has interpreted my warning about the US economy into another rich versus poor diatribe. Her statement that elected officials are "just good people with different ideologies" is astounding. Since when is malfeasance an ideology?
Perhaps if Ms. KR actually investigated some of these situations instead of using the tried-and-true right-wing method of diverting attention from the real issue or just totally ignoring it, she could formulate a response that had something to do with my original letter. But since she does not now nor has ever seemed willing to do that, I will do it for her:
GOOD PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES:
"George W. Bush - President George W. Bush "whose own election was dubious" has seized monarchical powers in sending this nation into war without any legitimate congressional declaration of war or equivalent congressional action. He has lied to the United States Congress and to the American people about the rationale for the war. He has imprisoned American citizens without charges and denied them access to lawyers and the courts. He has thus trampled on the United States Constitution and he has violated his oath of office." John Bonifaz, author of Warrior-King: The Case for Impeaching George W. Bush.
Tom Delay - Tried to coerce a Congressman for a vote on Medicare. Diverted funds from a children's charity for lavish celebrations at the Republican convention. Threatened retaliation against interest groups that don't support Republicans. Accepted trips from corporations and later helped kill legislation they opposed. Accepted trips from the lobbyist for a foreign government in violation of House rules. Crippled the effectiveness of the House Ethics Committee by purging members who had rebuked him. Paid family members more than $500,000 out of campaign contributions.
Oh dear, so many "elected" GOP leaders, so little space...
As for KR's label of the left as "humorless, hate-filled people," who is it that slimed Cindy Sheehan, outed Valerie Plame and evoked the following? "I had been hesitant to speak out before because this Administration is so vindictive. But now I will ... Anybody who confronts this Administration or Rumsfeld or the Pentagon with a true assessment, they find themselves either out of a job, out of their positions, fired, relieved or chastised. Their career comes to an end." -- Janis Karpinski, interview August 3, 2005.
SM
Gooding, ID
Isn't there a quote about fighting a battle of wits with an unarmed person?
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Why would you want the Democrats in power?
After reading Ms. SM's letter of Sept. 5, my first and only response was "wow." Talk about someone proving my point. Now I am forced to add a new adjective to hate-filled, humorless and ironically challenged and that would be "hysterical."
Ms. SM should look up apoplectic in that well-thumbed thesaurus. It would be 23 letters before "whiny." The only subject Ms. SM didn't bring up was the dreary allusive Halliburton non-story. Now how could she have missed that buzz word?
I think Ms. SM fully comprehends that I could counter every one of her quotes with my own and we could go on ad infinitum boring the whole of Magic Valley to distraction with hysterical rantings by at least one of us. So, I'll just ask Ms. SM one question. She states that those mean ol' Republicans lied to those poor unsuspecting Dems in Congress about the rationale for the war and stole not one, but two elections right out from the noses of the Democratic National Congress, John Kerry, and their minions of lawyers.
So why, Ms. SM, would you possibly want to put these same inept, bungling idiots into power. And that, Ms. SM, is a perfect example of irony.
KATHY ROONEY
Gooding
August 2005
Idahoans made a serious mistake with Bush
Bush was congratulating himself on the improving economy today. Now for some ugly truth.
On August 6, the national debt hit $7,888,603,196,558. Each American’s share of this debt is $26,579.39. The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $1.64 billion per day since September 30, 2004!
The dollar has declined 38% since Bush’s Great American Giveaway to the Rich of $450 billion in tax cuts.
The real reason for the GOP’s repressive laws will be evident when our economy finally tanks for good. Even the Stepford citizens might be hard to control then, thus the true reasoning behind the Patriot Act, Homeland Security, etc.
Our country has been plundered and the climax is coming. Add it up. Massive tax cuts for the rich; continued welfare for corporations; $9 billion a month for Iraq; slashing social programs including education, health; huge Medicare prescription bill that specifically denied states the ability to seek lower prices; $1 billion of US treasury bills purchased by China per day; no raise in the $5.15 per hour minimum wage; and how about the following?
According to the National Association of Realtors, 23% of houses bought in 2004 were investments; another 13% second-homes. Since 2001, more than 2/5 of non-government jobs created have been in areas related to housing. Mortgage backed securities account for $4.6 trillion. Say: "Adjustable rate mortgages." See: Greenspan continue to raise the prime rate. Read: Bankruptcy Act. Pretty soon, most of us won’t even be able to shop at WalMart.
By inflation-adjusted dollars, median income fell 1.2% between 2001 and 2003. Using the same measure from the end of 2003 through March 2005, 80% of the work force saw an income decline of 0.9%. At the same time, corporations are seeing record profits while they scale back benefits for the general employee. Got health insurance?
And to tickle your funny bone, it was just announced that Halliburton’s KBR division had a 284% increase in second quarter operating profits. This despite their history of "questioned and unsupported" expenses.
If you think the Magic Valley produces a lot of cow manure, it is nothing compared to what this administration uses to bury the truth.
SM
Gooding
August 2005
Extreme left abandons reason on GOP
After reading the thesaurus-toting Ms. SM's doomsday letter of Aug. 18, one would wonder on what planet she has been blogging and if Moveon.org has given her a free membership for spewing its hate.
It is one thing to disagree with a national party and a president but quite another to carry on with such blind animosity. One would wonder if these people have the same fervent hatred toward the terrorists.
As far as Ms. SM's same ol', same ol' mantra about robbing the poor and giving to the rich was last year's election slogan, which is as boorish now as it was then. People with money have it for a reason. Does Ms. SM think that they just woke up one morning and were suddenly rich? A novel idea would be that they actually worked hard for it. Is Ms. SM not cognizant of the fact that we are not living under a socialist government? No, you are not entitled to the more ambitious people's money.
As far as the state of the economy is concerned, I am no economist as Ms. SM or the left-bloggers apparently are, but I don't think I'll be hiding my money in a mattress anytime soon. Ms SM would have Mr. Bush give more money to social programs. Well, count me out on that one.
The big difference between the right and the left is that the left wants to give without accountability, whereas the right would like to help people help themselves. One wonders if it makes the left feel superior by keeping the poor in their places.
And, yes, Ms. SM, I do have health insurance because somewhere along the line, someone educated me on the fact that it is my responsibility to take care of myself and my family. People buy their insurance before they purchase such items a SUVs, cell phones, computers, cable TV, etc. Only then should one qualify for government assistance. The far left of the Democrat party have turned into humorless, hate-filled people who wouldn't understand irony if it jumped up and slapped them in their faces. I'll remember that about myself when, inevitably, the Democrats come into power.
Cooler heads know that elected officials, no matter how misguided we think they are, are not evil. They are just good people with different ideologies.
KR
Gooding, ID
September 2005
Perhaps KR needs a thesaurus to understand my letter to the editor. Somehow she has interpreted my warning about the US economy into another rich versus poor diatribe. Her statement that elected officials are "just good people with different ideologies" is astounding. Since when is malfeasance an ideology?
Perhaps if Ms. KR actually investigated some of these situations instead of using the tried-and-true right-wing method of diverting attention from the real issue or just totally ignoring it, she could formulate a response that had something to do with my original letter. But since she does not now nor has ever seemed willing to do that, I will do it for her:
GOOD PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES:
"George W. Bush - President George W. Bush "whose own election was dubious" has seized monarchical powers in sending this nation into war without any legitimate congressional declaration of war or equivalent congressional action. He has lied to the United States Congress and to the American people about the rationale for the war. He has imprisoned American citizens without charges and denied them access to lawyers and the courts. He has thus trampled on the United States Constitution and he has violated his oath of office." John Bonifaz, author of Warrior-King: The Case for Impeaching George W. Bush.
Tom Delay - Tried to coerce a Congressman for a vote on Medicare. Diverted funds from a children's charity for lavish celebrations at the Republican convention. Threatened retaliation against interest groups that don't support Republicans. Accepted trips from corporations and later helped kill legislation they opposed. Accepted trips from the lobbyist for a foreign government in violation of House rules. Crippled the effectiveness of the House Ethics Committee by purging members who had rebuked him. Paid family members more than $500,000 out of campaign contributions.
Oh dear, so many "elected" GOP leaders, so little space...
As for KR's label of the left as "humorless, hate-filled people," who is it that slimed Cindy Sheehan, outed Valerie Plame and evoked the following? "I had been hesitant to speak out before because this Administration is so vindictive. But now I will ... Anybody who confronts this Administration or Rumsfeld or the Pentagon with a true assessment, they find themselves either out of a job, out of their positions, fired, relieved or chastised. Their career comes to an end." -- Janis Karpinski, interview August 3, 2005.
SM
Gooding, ID
Isn't there a quote about fighting a battle of wits with an unarmed person?
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Why would you want the Democrats in power?
After reading Ms. SM's letter of Sept. 5, my first and only response was "wow." Talk about someone proving my point. Now I am forced to add a new adjective to hate-filled, humorless and ironically challenged and that would be "hysterical."
Ms. SM should look up apoplectic in that well-thumbed thesaurus. It would be 23 letters before "whiny." The only subject Ms. SM didn't bring up was the dreary allusive Halliburton non-story. Now how could she have missed that buzz word?
I think Ms. SM fully comprehends that I could counter every one of her quotes with my own and we could go on ad infinitum boring the whole of Magic Valley to distraction with hysterical rantings by at least one of us. So, I'll just ask Ms. SM one question. She states that those mean ol' Republicans lied to those poor unsuspecting Dems in Congress about the rationale for the war and stole not one, but two elections right out from the noses of the Democratic National Congress, John Kerry, and their minions of lawyers.
So why, Ms. SM, would you possibly want to put these same inept, bungling idiots into power. And that, Ms. SM, is a perfect example of irony.
KATHY ROONEY
Gooding
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