Published: September 25, 2009 07:47 am      

Letters for the Editor: September 25, 2009

Where's criticism of Obama policies?

Hypocrites can be defined as humbugs, a perfect description of the editors of The Daily Star and some saintly local liberals.

Sam, Cary and Tom Grace and the local liberal humbugs would dump all over President George Bush every time he hiccupped. Yet, the disaster we now have in the White House gets a free pass from these humbugs.

With the nation more polarized than ever, the economy in a shambles, the body count growing each day in Obama's personal losing war in Afghanistan, with freedom-restricting legislation being shoved down our throats and millions of jobs lost on Obama's watch, what, you ask, are The Daily Star "all-stars" _ I mean humbugs _ commenting about? Is it about Obama's mess? Not on your life.

Cary writes about his Mud Lake adventure, Tom Grace and his equally goofy uncle write about puppy love, and Sam writes about a gay guy who was discriminated against a half century ago. Humbugs all.

Then there are the sanctimonious local humbugs who think we tortured three terrorists scum who helped murder nearly 3,000 innocent Americans on 9/11 and plotted the attack on the USS Cole, resulting in 17 dead sailors.

Although the terrorists were threatened, got an unpleasant bath and got smoke blown in their faces, no one died, no limbs were lost, and not one drop of blood was shed. The tough methods used by the CIA agents did reveal information that saved American lives and kept our country safe. Now our elitist local humbugs want these heroes prosecuted when they deserve a medal.

These same local humbugs who wring their pious hands over the tough treatment these killers received would volunteer in a "saintly" second to pour the water if it meant saving the life of one of their loved ones. Humbugs all.

William Eckardt

Oneonta

Many choose to be uninsured

To elaborate on Tom Sears' Sept. 15 opinion piece, "Don't let truth get in the way," the oft-quoted statistic of 47 million uninsured is actually a gross overestimation of the problem, as recent research suggests the number of Americans who cannot currently afford health insurance is much lower.

A new study by Dr. June O'Neill, who served as director of the Congressional Budget Office from 1995 to 1999, shows that nearly half of those uninsured Americans could likely afford to purchase health coverage. These individuals have incomes at least 21/2 times the poverty level, with the average "voluntarily uninsured" household making $65,000 per year.

We should not rush into the creation of a new, expensive health care system without a better understanding of the uninsured population. As long as we continue basing our arguments on inaccurate numbers, it's hard to see how we can make effective policy decisions.

Kristen Lopez Eastlick

Washington, D.C.

Lopez Eastlick is senior economic analyst for the Employment Policies Institute.

Don't change Neahwa Park

I agree. Please leave the Neahwa Park alone. I've lived in the city for 54 years and never heard anything so dumb. Next, they'll be wanting to do away with the pond. And next the skate house and next the swimming pool, and heaven knows what next _ maybe the playground where the kids play or the picnic tables.

I think the new plans for the park will create an eyesore. Please leave the park as it is and build this place somewhere else.

Frances Monroe

Oneonta