Letters for May 12, 2008

May 12, 2008 07:33 am

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Bush worse than Carter

Tom Sears' column labeling President Carter as "one of the worst presidents in American history" took my breath away with its hypocrisy. His accusations against Carter can so accurately be applied to our current president, who has been widely named not ONE of the worst presidents ever, but THE absolute worst.

Sears points out that Carter "barely won over Gerald Ford." Bush failed to win the popular vote in 2000, and in 2004, his victory depended on a handful of votes in Ohio in an election rife with apparent fraud.

"During his term, he decimated our military readiness." Bush's unnecessary war of choice has stretched our military to the breaking point, destroying lives and families and leaving a devastating legacy of pain and debt.

Sears goes on to complain about the economic conditions during Carter's term. During Bush's term, more children have fallen into poverty; more people have no health insurance; we are entering a major recession; by any measure the majority of Americans are worse off than we were in 2000.

Sears also uses mortgage rates and a fuel crisis as benchmarks of Carter's failed presidency. Bush's failure to oversee mortgage practices has forced thousands of people to lose their homes and thrown our financial system into a tailspin. Perhaps if we had continued Carter's energy policies, we would have developed the alternative energy sources needed to prevent our current quandary. Instead, Bush made sure that we became ever more dependent on oil.

Finally, Sears brings up America's loss of reputation under Carter. Under Bush, we have estranged important allies and become one of the most despised nations on the planet.

Like Sears, "I can't begin to list all of the president's failings." Using the same criteria condemning Carter, Bush stands condemned.

Judy Lazina

Bloomville

Opposition to wind strange

The rising price of gas and heating oil isn't just scary, it is a problem that flat out won't go away.

I find it strange that some of the people who favor wind farming, specifically in Meredith, one of the few options available that could offer Delaware County its own form of self-sufficient relief, are opposed by people investing in properties in danger of foreclosure, as the situation is forcing people to leave the area.

G. Andolina

Delhi