Letters for October 14, 2008

October 14, 2008 07:40 am

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Charming, folksy not enough in leader

My husband recently overheard the following remarks in a Delhi eatery in reference to the vice presidential debates: "I really thought she was great," and "I think I'd rather see her running for president." If these remarks are any indication of the mentality of people who watched the debates and will vote in the upcoming election, then we're in trouble.

Gov. Palin's well-scripted, well-rehearsed opening-night performance did nothing to counter the fact that she is still utterly unprepared in terms of national or international experience to assume the role of vice president of the United States. Despite her charming, folksy persona, she said nothing substantive about how to extract ourselves from our current economic disaster or the disaster in Iraq. Just how and when is the military "surge" supposed to guarantee us "victory," when Gen. Casey said our destructive binge in Iraq can only be solved politically by the Iraqis themselves. As Sen. Biden said, "Show me the plan!"

Here's some more food for thought: Our rush to fight the non-existent terrorist threat in Iraq (no WMDs, no connection to 9/11) has cost more American lives and mutilated more Americans, to say nothing of the Iraqi people, than the demise of the World Trade Center. The astronomical dollar cost of the Iraq debacle is another story.

Gov. Palin's spot on the Republican ticket may have sparked a swooning spasm in the ranks of the "radical right," but not for those of us who care about the real issues facing this country.

We have seen where President Bush's charming, folksy incompetence and arrogance have taken us. Please don't insult the American people with more of the same.

Carmel Banks

Delhi

Lambert will help keep Otsego safe

Recently your paper published a story about three men who were caught trafficking drugs here in Otsego County. According to your article, one of the men was captured by local police only after a foot chase through the campus of Cooperstown Central School. This foot chase took place while school was in session, and many children at the elementary school were outside playing during recess. Both Cooperstown schools were locked down so that this dangerous individual could not enter either of the buildings.

As a teacher and coach, I can tell you that any time a school is put in "lock-down mode" it is a very scary time. To have such a dangerous criminal apprehended with so many young children around is a reminder to us that Otsego County is not immune to serious criminal activity. If not for the quick action of our sheriff's deputies and local police officers, this drug dealer may have escaped and remained a threat to all of us.

This November, we have the opportunity to elect a county judge who has an eight-year track record of being tough on crime. John Lambert has prosecuted thousands of criminals as our chief assistant district attorney and has the knowledge, temperament and experience to keep our county safe. John is also the father of three children and understands the importance of protecting our children from those who break the law.

I have known John Lambert since he was a boy growing up in Cooperstown. John has always had a high level of energy, which he brings to the workplace on a daily basis. This Nov. 4, please cast your vote for John Lambert to be our next county judge. We need his energy and experience to keep our county safe.

Frank Miosek

Cooperstown

Seward has worked hard for farmers

I have worked with Sen. James Seward on several fronts over the years, and want to voice my support for his re-election.

During my time as a county legislator, Senator Seward was always helpful, providing assistance, both financial and technical, whenever possible. He has always been willing to listen to local representatives and advocate for them in Albany.

As a farmer, I also feel Sen. Seward is the only choice for the 51st District. He has proven time and again that he is in touch with the agricultural needs of upstate New York.

When dairy farmers were facing dire straits due to a drop in milk prices, Jim Seward and his colleagues in the Senate initiated the Dairy Investment Act, providing $30 million for those who needed it the most. He expanded funding for important safety programs, such as tractor rollover prevention, to protect those working the land. Sen. Seward also helped clean up unnecessary red tape through the agriculture building code exemption, and he voted for legislation to reverse a federal regulation that forces farmers and other small businesses to pay taxes upfront for tax-free fuel sold in New York state. Sen. Seward has also supported state funding for the Center for Dairy Excellence, New York State Apple Growers and Maple Associations, along with Taste New York. Most recently, Sen. Seward was named to the New York State Farm Bureau's Circle of Friends for his positive voting record on issues impacting agriculture.

Sen. Seward has provided real solutions to the problems farmers and others are facing, and we need him to continue working in Albany for all of us.

Hugh Henderson

Oneonta

Values-oriented people must lead

It was a breath of fresh air in our country's political landscape to see a family at a political convention spotlighted that portrays the principles of working and hanging together through the trials and tribulations of life _ the philosophy that helps to build our country and has brought our country through many difficult times.

This is in marked contrast to what is being fed to the people of our country through much of the media who think it is funny or old-fashioned to practice these values.

We saw these values in the sacrificial giving of time and resources to help those in need after Hurricane Katrina and the genocide in Darfur, Africa. This is in marked contract to the selfish greed we have just witnessed on the part of people close to some in today's political arena.

It seems to me that much of the opposition to one of our candidates is a result of people feeling they have been deceived and lied to by many powerful forces in this country. It is difficult to acknowledge that one has been cheated of important loving relationships, many times through no fault of one's own.

Perhaps watching and listening to and reading about how others have been willing to sacrifice freedom, time and resources to help those in need will encourage some to know that all is not lost and our country can still be led by this type of person.

David R. Scudder

Roxbury

Bailout bill makes same mistakes

I may be an engineer with two college degrees, but let me see if I understand this:

The president, the secretary of the Treasury (a former Wall Street CEO) with four months left in his tenure, and the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank coerce Congress (with threats of dire consequences for inaction) into quickly passing a law, with little debate, that allows the secretary, on his own authority, and his own terms (and without a plan in place ahead of time to implement the proposed law), to purchase up to $700 billion of bad debt (which was created by Wall Street firms lending money for badly collateralized mortgages and other loans) plus adds another $150 billion to our deficit (to convince Congress to approve the other $700 billion) using funds that will have to be borrowed from Chinese and other foreign investors, without any plan for repaying these investors and without any guarantees that the purchase of these bad debts will do anything to improve the economy?

Is our government not repeating the same stupid mistakes that caused the problems in the first place? Does The Daily Star Editorial Board really understand the implications of this law? If it did, it would not be so quick to castigate Congresswoman Gillibrand for her vote on it, and heap praise on Congressman Arcuri for his vote.

Jeffrey Harris

Davenport

Losing respect for McCain over lies

As Election Day nears, John McCain continues to destroy his integrity by spewing lies that have continually been debunked by independent sources.

What a shameless man! On the first day in April, McCain said, "Americans want more respectful campaigns." Well, I guess he was fooling all of America, because he hasn't been respectful at all.

I used to respect the man, but now I only pity him and his hateful rhetoric.

Nico Meyering

Oneonta