Problems with TEA party methods
Regarding the Sept. 14 article on the "TEA party" members joining in protests in Washington, D.C., I feel compelled to make two points.
Firstly, the reported use of images of the president of the United States of America being made to look like Adolf Hitler. Perhaps the TEA party members forgot their history lessons, and don't know that the war Hitler started resulted in the deaths of an estimated 48 million people around the globe, including at least 400,000 Americans.
They fought to preserve your freedom to protest. Shame on you for invoking Hitler for political purposes. Any truly patriotic American would refuse to be associated with such revolting pictures, and would either destroy the posters or leave the event.
Secondly, the coverage of this and similar events never states what the TEA Party supports, only that members oppose government spending. It's easy to oppose taxes, harder to decide what the government should do.
Are these people willing to sign a pledge that they will not accept Medicare coverage when they are old enough to qualify?
Are any of them veterans who would turn down VA medical care? If their local bank fails, would they refuse to be reimbursed from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.?
Does the gentleman who drives a tractor-trailer think it was a bad idea for the federal government to have taxed us to build the interstate highway system?
How about government help for struggling dairy farmers? The list could go on, but the point is made.
If these groups want any credibility, they need to stop screaming generalities and start offering well-thought-out solutions.
Steven Gayle
Gilbertsville
Sen. Ted Kennedy suffered enough
All my life, the Kennedys have been a part of me. Teddy, as we all know, was blessed, yet suffered too much tragedy in life.
I would like to comment in part to Mr. Lehenbauer's comment about the media forgetting Mary Jo Kopechne.
First, he says that The Daily Star lowered its standard of decency and fair reporting. I strongly disagree. I believe The Star was fair and certainly decent.
He says the editorials were humorous. What is humorous about a beloved U.S. senator passing?
No one makes light the passing of this fine young lady, as Mr. Lehenbauer states in his letter.
Mr. Lehenbauer says that Sen. Kennedy acted selfishly in July 1969. In my judgment, that is debatable. Several times Kennedy attempted to save her life, without success. Yes, he should have reported the tragedy sooner.
Where I come from (Otsego County) ,when one passes, we remember the good that is in the deceased's life, not bring out the bad.
Mr. Kennedy lived every day that tragedy over and over again.
He did not get away with anything. I believe he prayed for forgiveness, and God gave it to him.
I believe, through Mary Jo's tragedy, he made the most of his life by serving the American people for 47 years. His greatness came from the lessons he learned from Mary Jo's passing, along with his brothers John F. and Robert F.
Teddy said, "The work begins anew, the dream lives on ..."
Richard A. Mathewson
Unadilla
Another view of health care reform
OK, have it your way. No health care for illegal aliens!
They aren't hard-working Americans, so just dump them at the curb; there's more where they came from.
While you're at it, cut off health care for kids and the poor, since they obviously aren't contributing to the ruling class' financial well-being.
Speaking of contributing, what about all those old people (who happen to consume an unfairly large part of our health care budget); we may as well cut them off too, and save a few dollars.
Then there's the working poor; if they were worth saving, they'd have jobs that provide good insurance _ out to the curb!
What about those slackers who are already sick? What sense does it make to spend health care dollars on pre-existing conditions when we can just write them off as lost?
And then there's all those returning veterans, whining about having to wait years for prosthetic limbs and psychiatric counseling; they're only producing unrest, so cutting their health care back may bring a double bonus, savings and peace and quiet.
There, see! Health care reform isn't so hard. All we have to do is let market forces sort it all out. It's the American way!
Once we start coddling one of these groups, we'll be on a slippery slope to financial ruin, and we won't be able to bail out our investment bankers, car makers and insurance companies the next time they bet and lose.
If you don't and won't ever fall into any of these categories of useless untermenschen, make sure your representatives know where you stand on this important issue! Heil Wilson!
Stuart Anderson
Otego
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