Letters 10/9/2008

Dear Editor,
The U.S. economy is in very bad shape. While the notion of "bailing out" Wall Street firms understandably doesn't sit well with many people, including myself, I recognize the potentially severe implications to the credit market and the overall economy if Congress doesn't act swiftly. That said, the $700 billion plan brought to the House floor for a vote today is far too big and ignores the pressing need to directly help working and middle class Americans make ends meet and survive these tumultuous times. The measure also fails to reinstate any real regulatory authority over the financial markets to prevent Wall Street from abusing the system again and creating a similar crisis in the future.
We must provide stability to the financial markets. Unfortunately, President Bush and Treasury Secretary Paulson pulled this $700 billion figure out of thin air and I simply cannot give my approval on such an enormous sum of money that is excessive to addressing the situation as it stands currently. Based on testimony from Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke, it is clear to me that a much smaller package of $150 billion would be sufficient to enable the federal government to intervene and bring stability to the financial markets over the next several months. Were Congress to pass a $150 billion package instead of a $700 billion figure, we could help stabilize people's retirement accounts, prevent the dramatic loss of revenue for the State of New York as well as local municipalities throughout the state who are facing major budget shortfalls and prevent the very real possibility of raising state and local taxes; and we could do so without placing such an enormous burden on taxpayers. Passing a smaller package would then allow us to reassess the economy and make a determination whether we need to authorize the use of more federal dollars to stabilize the markets. I have worked very hard in Washington to convince my colleagues in Congress to pass a scaled down package, but unfortunately the $700 billion figure remains intact.
Any financial rescue plan would be incomplete without an economic stimulus plan attached to it that builds up our economy rather than just allegedly bailing it out. We need to make dramatic investments in our infrastructure, health care system, and education system. All across New York communities are lacking the revenue needed for many important initiatives that help create job growth and will either ignore them or resort to unwanted tax increases to meet those needs. By investing in our own country we will create jobs, spur economic growth, and begin to lift the working and middle class out of this economic mess. Without question, the problems on Wall Street affect Americans on Main Street. However, our solution must not be to just throw money at fixing Wall Street. We must invest directly in Main Street to help strengthen the working and middle class.
Because this bill fails to include an economic stimulus component, is far too large in cost, and does nothing to fix the underlying lack of regulatory authority that got us into this mess in the first place, I simply could not support it. However, now that the bill has passed, I will aggressively use my oversight authority to ensure that the measure is enacted and executed as effectively as possibly and will look for ways to strengthen our economy with future supplemental legislation.
U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey
Hurley, NY

Dear Editor,
Every once in awhile I hear someone speak and realize I've been operating in a fog of "this is how we've always done it." Dr. Leon Botstein, President of Bard College, spoke about education at the Woodstock Elementary School on October 1st . I found it both challenging and inspiring, and it definitely opened up my thinking about what is possible in our high school. Dr. Botstein saw our small district as an opportunity, much easier to improve than larger ones. It seemed to me that it would make sense to consider some of the conceptual shifts he presented, rather than spend large sums of money to create a new middle school. I believe that much of our nation's thinking about adolescents is driven by fear of them and by our schools' inability to control their threatening behaviors. Buildings are not the answer to this challenge.
Dr. Botstein, the President of Bard College, spoke not as an educational consultant but as a person passionate about learning. His main educational concern is the quality of high school education. For most students, he said, school is marking time, where they learn little that seems important to the rest of their lives. Dr. Bottstein observed pointedly, "Children are naturally passionate to learn how the world around them works, why the sky is blue. We, as parents and teachers, murder this curiosity. We tell our children to 'just wait' until they get to college. Learning will be different then." He went on to explain that it is self-defeating to have children memorize rules of science or dates in history before they have the larger picture of how science works in their life or how regions of the world have progressed in terms of culture, power and economics. "You don't give a child the rules of baseball before they have played the game and experienced its joys and challenges a bit. Then they want to know the rules!"
The challenge he poses to our system is "How can we design the classroom experience so that young people truly want to learn what we are teaching?" This was not a talk about games, self-esteem or using TV shows or gimmicks to capture student attention. Bard operates two public high schools in New York City. Dr. Botstein and his staff have negotiated successfully with both the city bureaucracy and unions to offer education that is content-driven rather than test-driven and is taught by passionate subject specialists who have also been trained to teach. There is oversight. There are high standards. Teachers develop their own curriculum, choose books, design experiments and create tests to engage students in the exploration of science, history and culture and to identify and teach key concepts and broad learning.
Dr. Botstein shared his views and experiences on many aspects of education. I won't attempt to cover them here. I was disappointed in the turnout for this unusual opportunity. Many, many people will have to become enthused about these issues in order to create a twenty-first century education center for our grandchildren and great grandchildren.
I hope someone videotaped the talk because I believe many more people should see it and talk about it. I applaud the School Board for promoting such creative thinking and I look forward to the next installment.
Susan Goldman
Woodstock NY

Dear Editor,
I was at the same special meeting of the Onteora School Board that Lisa Childers has reported on in your last issue.
The information presented by this board was so grossly misleading that I shudder to believe people elected "for the people" would so blatantly communicate misinformation to parents that would unjustly and with no substantive evidence cause alarm and concern. Reports from the World Health Organization were cited but only part of the information was used.
The information being given to the general public by this board about the dangers of manganese in the water is information concerning "inhalation" not "ingestion," and the WHO reports clearly state that there is no evidence of a correlation between toxicity from inhalation and ingestion except in extreme deliberate overdoses in laboratory animals.
There is no evidence of neurological disturbances by ingestion unless, again, extreme overdoses were injected directly into the blood stream.
The levels in our drinking water on the High School/Bennett campus are above what is deemed acceptable (.84 at the last testing compared to .3 which is acceptable). This level causes an aesthetic problem but it is not deemed a health risk.
Manganese, when bound to iron (found in all well water) at even the lowest levels, can cause a brownish discoloration but not a health hazard. Did you know that there are significant levels of manganese in breast milk and soy formula?
I am not in any way trying to discount the need to correct this problem, though. Your district was notified in January 2008 (first notification from the Board of Health). The water is tested monthly on a regular basis. As of May 2008, your district was ready to resolve the problem as suggested by consulted experts (5 months).
Your new board, knowledgeable of the problem, was elected in May 2008, seated in July 2008 and as of October 2008 still can't agree on a solution (3-5 months).
Instead, they call a special meeting to point fingers and accuse our administration of "unwarranted unspeakable disregard for our children's lives."
How about solving the ongoing problem instead of accusing people of the same inability to act that this board seems to possess?
Anyone interested can Google "World Health Organization report on drinking water."
Rita Vanacore
Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
I am writing in regards to your paper’s recent front page article reporting on the public meeting at Belleayre Ski Center so that residents and ski center supporters could present their views on New York State's proposed budget cuts for the ski center: The subtitle included the words: "Foes come together....". I am assuming that this is in reference to the Bellearye Resort opposition and the resort supporters both attending said meeting.
I'd like to make sure that no one misunderstood those words and thinks that anyone in the resort opposition is a "foe" of Belleayre Ski Center.
I would like to assure your readers that the members of Catskill Heritage Alliance, the Save the Mountain coalition, WOMA, HART, Catskill Water Commission, Friends of Catskill Park and HPA are now and always have been supporters of Belleayre Ski Center. Many of us ski there, have worked there or have family members who were or are Belleayre employees. We recognize the many positive effects Belleayre has had on our local community and the surrounding region.
Our opposition to the "Belleayre Resort" is based on the destruction of the Highmount Ridge to build the proposed timeshares (for private use of ski-in and ski-out facilities built by and maintained by the State (i.e. NYS taxpayers) and the underground spa and conference center with all of the accompanying roads and parking lots. These timeshares and related structures are proposed for construction above a 2500' elevation.
We feel that if not for this proposed mountaintop Highmount Spa development, these supposed severe and destructive budget cuts might not have come to pass.
Our members support of Bellearye Ski Center continues to be strong and intact.
Freddi Dunleavey
Highmount, NY

Dear Editor,
In your last edition, Kevin Millar quotes former Comptroller Alan Hevesi’s negative report about the Belleayre Resort. Mr. Millar says the report was “analytic and dispassionate.” He suggests that based on Mr. Hevesi’s report, developers should pull the plug on their plans. Here is what Mr. Millar did not tell you.
1) Mr. Hevesi’s report in 2006 was issued more than a year before the September 5, 2007 Agreement in Principle. His report endorses Mr. Hinchey’s proposal to limit development to one site – which is what the Agreement in Principle ultimately did – so Mr. Hevesi’s primary objection has been answered.
2) Mr. Hevesi said there were still unanswered questions. Those are now being addressed in a new Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement being prepared by Crossroad Ventures. And a new Unit Management Plan for the Belleayre Ski Center being prepared by the Department of Environmental Conservation. Additionally any cumulative impacts of the proposed projects must be addressed before any permits can be issued. Both of these plans will have to go through the public hearing process.
3) Mr. Hevesi issued a report in March 2004, advocating strongly for an identical, though much larger project connecting the NYS owned and operated Gore Mountain Ski Center with the hamlet of North Creek, in the Adirondack Forest Preserve. In that report, the Comptroller said “Connecting Gore Mountain with North Creek will help make the town a destination resort and help to capture some of the $100 million New Yorkers spend annually on skiing in Vermont .” Now one must wonder why Hevesi thought a public/private partnership at Gore was so good while the Belleayre project was so bad.
If you take the comptroller’s “analytic and dispassionate” Belleayre report and apply the same logic that was applied to the Gore report you will come up with the same but very different results.
If ever two projects were practically identical in nature, these two are it. Gore’s setting in North Creek in the Adirondack Forest Preserve is nearly identical to Belleayre’s in the Catskill Forest Preserve - both are owned by the State of New York. Ironically the main two lane highway that links both resorts is the same State Route 28.
According to Hevesi, Gore averages about $25 in income for each skier visit, just like Belleayre does. Hevesi conservatively estimates $4.00 is spent regionally for each dollar spent on the mountain, meaning Gore currently brings about $21.7 million to its region (same as Belleayre) and with the new development, could bring $45 million to its region. Unfortunately, in his Belleayre report, Hevesi did not bother to site any of the ski center’s positive impacts on the community as he did in the Gore report.
Keep in mind that the Gore public/private partnership would create 2,514 new beds as compared to 982 for the Belleayre project. Gore is expected to add 168,000 additional skiers each year with its public/private partnership, according to then Comptroller Hevesi, for a total of 359,000 annually. Wow! So much traffic in such a small town in a forever-wild wilderness area.
How could two studies of nearly identical projects in nearly identical circumstances get such different results? Simple. The results of the studies were developed to correspond with the foregone conclusions that the people who requested the studies wanted. In the case of the Belleayre report, Congressman Maurice Hinchey and 11 organizations opposed to the plan requested the study. In the case of the Gore report, the people endorsing the plan requested the study.
Don’t believe me? See for yourself. Compare the press releases issued for each study by looking at these two e-mail addresses. www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases /mar04/031104.htm and www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/aug06/081006a.htm
Chuck Perez
Big Indian, NY

Dear Editor,
What was really wrong about Joan Laurence-Bauer of Crossroad Ventures’ poor-us, we’re-right-and-you’re-wrong, self-congratulatory letter? Why did it leave such a bad aftertaste after I read it? It was voices of people who voluntarily wrote because of their sincere concerns being systematically and ruthlessly attacked by a specialist on a corporate payroll who were trained specifically in that art. It was curious. What caught my real attention was not about who was right and who was wrong. It was about what was the motivation behind the action. And how it was executed. In the end, it was a question of taste.
Maki Kurokawa
Roxbury, NY

DDear Editor,
I am writing in response to Earla Van Kleek's letter (Sept. 25, 2008) in which she states the Coach Burkhardt controversy is "getting to be old hat and a bit ridiculous and childish". I, for one, am proud of the outpouring of public support for Patrick Burnhardt. Many of the letters being submitted on the Coach's behalf are from current and former students. There is nothing childish or ridiculous about young people voicing their beliefs. As an educator, I am extremely proud these kids are standing up for something they believe in!
Furthermore, Ms. Van Kleek's letter contains incorrect information. This matter has nothing to do with whether or not Coach Burkhardt is capable of success on the elementary level. Of course he is. The problem is that there was NOT an excess of PE teachers at the middle/high school, as Ms. Van Kleek states there was. Patrick's High School position was filled by a new hire. This was NOT a position that was being eliminated. So why shouldn't the successful, extremely well-liked, inspiring Mr. Burkhardt be allowed to remain in this position? I am confused by this and I'm left with so many questions about the message the Onteora School District is sending the young people in our community. Work hard, dedicate your time and energy to something you love, inspire our youth to better themselves, instill pride and confidence in these young people, and then take their favorite teacher from them. The removal of a successful teacher from his position for no clear reason...now that is a great message, Onteora. Way to educate these young students on life.
The letters of support that have been flooding the BOE and local newspapers in support of Mr. Burkhardt are proof of what an outstanding and innovative coach, teacher, and mentor he is. Shouldn't this be celebrated? Shouldn't we honor a teacher who inspires? Shouldn't we publicly recognize an educator who has obviously touched so many lives? Why should he be punished? Most importantly, why should the STUDENTS be punished?
So, Ms. Van Kleek, in my opinion this is not a "childish" matter. This is the matter of children. And what matters is giving them the BEST education we possibly can. How do we do this? We start by giving them enthusiastic teachers who make a difference. We give them teachers who are so inspiring that a community is willing to stand up and fight loudly on their behalf. We most certainly do not do this by ripping these teachers from their lives for no clear reason. I certainly hope the Superintendent can see beyond any personal issues to the bigger picture, to what really matters here and give the Onteora High School back their beloved teacher and coach!
Sarah Young
Saugerties, NY

Dear Editor,
I find it disturbing that Len Bernardo is attempting to implicate Art Smith and Mike Hein in the jail fiasco. Bernardo seems to be suggesting that Smith and Hein, in their previous roles as County Administrator and Deputy Treasurer, had some role in this mess. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I served as a volunteer “witness to the process” on the Special Committee that investigated the Jail. Neither Smith nor Hein were implicated in any way throughout the investigation.
Art Smith, who is not a politician, has served Ulster County tirelessly for years. Of late, he has been invaluable in helping to script the new administrative code for the charter. He is one of the most respected employees this county has working for it.
Whether you want to forget about the jail or not, the fact remains that this project has created a 30 year budgetary burden for the taxpayers of Ulster County. The overall price for the jail will top off at 121.9 million dollars. That is 92.5 million in actual costs and the rest in interest.
Had it not been for Mike Hein and the Treasurer’s office recommending that the compensation money from Big Tobacco be used to pay down the bonds for the jail, the overall costs would have reached 144.9 million.
From the evidence collected by The Special Committee it is quite clear that a small group of elected officials, county employees, and politically favored professionals set the stage for the perfect storm that manifested itself as Hurricane UCLEC. Neither Smith nor Hein were part of that group.
If you would like to hear this group in action, contact the Clerk of the Legislature and ask for an appointment to listen to the recordings of The Jail Steering Committee.
Thomas P Kadgen
Shokan NY

Dear Editor,
As Minority Leader of the Ulster County Legislature, I am extremely disappointed in the way our race for the County Executive has turned. I have tried to stay on the side lines, hoping that the winner will be able to work with the Legislature to change the tides of economic depression in our county.
I now see that the “Good Old Boys” are not going to let things change. For Mr. Hein (who has lost 500 jobs while spending millions) to accuse his opponent of not meeting jobs numbers that were not in place when granted IDA status, amazes me. I am sure if you look at other businesses’ documents, the same would be evident. This has not been the first time businesses have not met their quotas, nor will it be the last. However, this has turned into a “witchhunt” and a political football at best because Bernardo is running for County Executive.
For Ms. Gallagher (who was Chair of IDA while jobs were leaving the County), a (so called) lawyer who has endorsed Hein, not to realize the job clause was “her doing” after the Skate Time application was complete, leads me to question her ability as a lawyer. For Lance Matteson, President of UCDC, to let this happen, makes me believe that he has no plans of making Ulster County his permanent home—just staying long enough to collect a hefty paycheck. All this at the expense of the people of Ulster County while our economy continues to decline.
I have four daughters and one has already relocated to the Boston area after college. Mr. Hein, Ms. Gallagher and the economic paycheck passing through the County Mr. Matteson, could care less about our children returning to the area or about the economy of the county.
The County should ask Ms. Gallagher for her immediate resignation on the IDA Board and the UCDC Board of Directors should consider the same for Mr. Matteson for allowing politics to enter into two entities of the County which should remain neutral. If Ulster County is serious about economic development, the appearance of what these people have done (an abuse of their positions) will continue to add to the negative image Ulster County has across the country. It sends the wrong message to the residents of the County to allow these agencies to mingle in the political races.
I would hope that the voters of Ulster County see that Mr. Hein is truly a desperate “Good Old Boy” and will do anything to undermine the livelihood of individuals who have worked hard to make a difference in their community for the youth and residents. It does not say much for Hein’s integrity.
In conclusion, as Minority Leader I am working for the people of Ulster County. The economy continues to be a serious concern of mine. This is a setback for the future of our County.
Glenn Noonan, Minority Leader
Ulster County Legislature

Dear Editor,
The Republican candidate for Ulster County Executive is trying to pin the Ulster County Jail Debacle on Democratic Candidate Mike Hein.. Mike Hein has only tried to clean up the mess left by the Republican Legislative efforts to build the case for a new jail, then get it designed and built. They tried and tried, but they never got it finished before the taxpayers got fed up and elected a Democratic majority.
While the Republicans were messing up the jail, they also finished their job of raising our County property tax over the past 20 years by 590%. Their last tax bill was your bill for the 2006 County Taxes and that raised taxes in one year by 38%.
When the Democrats took control of the Legislature in 2006, the fund balance was spent, they had raised taxes 38% and the jail was two years late and $25,000,000.00 over budget. The Democrats were the ones who stopped the bleeding and with the able assistance of county employees and a couple of local contractors finished the jail and had inmates in place in February 2007. The truth is that had the Democrats not taken control of the Legislature the Jail might still be under construction.
Notice – Nowhere in this was Mike Hein mentioned. He did, in the fall of 2005 advise the Republican Majority Legislature that they were looking at a 50% tax increase if they did not get spending under control. They made a few wild estimates about sales tax increases and revenue sources and cut the tax increase down from 50% to 38%. The Democrats took over in January 2006 and in July 2006 appointed Mike Hein as Administrator. That fall he presented a budget that actually cut spending for the first time in the history of the Ulster County budget process.
Mike Hein as Deputy Treasurer and then County Administrator has worked with the Legislature to reduce the impact of the jail, get it open, staffed, and in operation with minimal additional costs. The fact that the bonding is going to cost the taxpayers $6,000,000.00 dollars a year for 20 years and the contractor settlements are going to cost the taxpayers $1,500,000.00 per year has to be credited to the Republican Leadership and the Republican Legislature that brought the taxpayers of Ulster County the fiasco construction project called the Ulster County Law Enforcement Center.
Mike Hein helped the Democratic Legislature fix the problems left by the Republicans. He deserves a chance to show what he can do as County Executive without all the false accusations that the Republicans are throwing around.
My vote is for Mike Hein to become the First Ulster County Executive. He will make us all proud.
Vic Work
Wallkill, NY

Dear Editor,
"Instant 'redress,'" my day in court? Let's look at the facts.
Tuesday 9:30 a.m. to court...judge's written decision by 4 p.m.
Looks like it to me. So this is what's meant by "speedy justice?" "Speedy," most assuredly. Justice? Camel dung. Rather a message to those miscreants who would dare challenge the boys in the back room, were you to dare attempt to "do it yourself."
You may treat your own infirmaties, fix a loose wire, build a cabinet, repair a flat, but don't ever even think about serving as your own lawyer.
Look what happens. If you don't mind being run over, not killed mind you, rather left only to conjur a centuries-old cavalry. Reminiscent of the day a New Jersey judge wrote me a letter in which he directed me to retain a divorce lawyer.
Yesterday, Supreme Court Justice Christopher Cahill legally screwed the very notion of the possibility that the unwashed masses have "ballot-access" through which they might attempt to right wrongs.
Now, what are my options, if any? I fear we UM have gone down the proverbial tubes. I had not realized it because I'd not had need to act...merely to bitch and moan. Complain.
Personally, I was wiped out, as surely as by a tsunami...on three counts, none of which I anticipated, not being a lawyer, nor knowing where to look for guidance.
Nor did I perceive in the forest of mendacity key words which would mean my downfall. One-syllable, simple, Anglo-Saxon words: file...service...failing to name one of the three parties...failing to specify the specific signatures with which I found exception...words whose jargonic-complexity, one of which required a specific (for me: indeterminate) action no later than a particular time and date (which I failed to fulfill...I could not possibly have done so because of the deadline) guards "club members," gives added evil meaning to the hypocritical proceedings.
Were all this illegal, we might legally revolt.
Club members likely believe this nuisance to be over and done with. It may be. As a lost love, my mission is hard to shake.
Rather than press further the issue, I (hate this word) should revive my career, 20 years in mothballs; yet I ain't no more motivated by money.
As I shared with a friend: "Tuesday, while walking home from uptown, the judge's decision burning a hole in my pocket, I began humming a certain ancient Beatles melody, attempted realization of which under the cloud of national security might get me 25 to life."
But, look, Wikman: you've got "33 years" left. It might be well-worth those incarcerated years.
The candidate is dead; long live the candidate.
Allan Wikman
Kingston, NY

Dear Editor,
The coverage of the first Presidential debate between Senator Obama and Senator McCain was good. I also watched it. However I am disappointed and saddened. I have great respect for both Senators, but it a tragedy how much time was wasted discussing the economy. Our priorities are upside-down. In a true Presidential debate, attention should be on why our nation has lost God and has lost reverence before all mankind. I don't believe that the average American has the intellectual capacity to understand the complexity of the economic issues. But everyone would understand if we would have leaders who had the courage and integrity to tell their people that we as a nation have forsaken God, and become unfaithful to the principles of democracy that founded our nation. May the next President have the courage to lead our nation back to God. When God is first, all questions such as the war, the economy, and other social ills will find their answer. Then this country will become a true leader in the international community.
Johann Christoph Arnold, Sr. Pastor
Woodcrest Community
Rifton NY

Dear Editor,
Jews for Palin-McCain? I think not!
If you are paying any attention to John McCain’s pick as the vice-presidential candidate of the Republicans, Sarah Palin, you know she is a member of an extremely conservative church, and that Palin has been prayed over by a controversial witch-hunting minister, to whom she gives partial credit for her election as Alaska’s Governor.
What you may have missed is that a few minutes before Palin took the stage to be blessed by witch-hunter, Thomas Muthee, this so-called Christian minister went for the bigot-of the month award with his anti-Semitic rant claiming the world financial markets are controlled by the “Israelites.”
Why didn’t Sarah Palin walk out then and there and disown this bigoted preacher and his anti-Jewish remarks? Does she agree with his comments and theology?
It’s clear she thought enough of him to have him lay hands on her and call for his Lord to keep her free of witchcraft, even as he exclaimed “Bring finances her way, even for the campaign, in the name of Jesus."
And, why didn’t Sarah Palin stand up and shout “Stop!” when the “Jews for Jesus” front-man, David Brickner, appearing in the Wassila Bible Church, exclaimed that the problems confronting Israel was part of God's judgment on non-Christians? She sat there silently in the congregation,
just two weeks before being vetted by John McCain as his running mate.
So, let’s remember, just a few minutes after Muthee proclaimed that Jews control world finances, she accepted his blessing and hopes that she be free of witchcraft. This entire scene can be viewed online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl4HIc-yfgM. Watch it all for yourself. Seeing is believing.
Can we ascribe Muthee’s and Brickner’s statements to Palin? No, of course not. But, could she have publicly and privately denounced them for the scurrilous screed that they shouted and left the church that gave these hateful remarks a home? Yes, she could have. And she didn’t. Why not? Perhaps someone will ask her at the upcoming Vice Presidential debate. We’ll be watching.
Just as disturbing as Palin’s silent acceptance of this drivel is John McCain’s shockingly poor judgment in picking her to be (as he hopes) only a heartbeat away from the Presidency.
Tobe Carey
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
This is not an ordinary election. The election is all about change for our Country or more of the same. Before you vote for John McCain check the facts. Ask yourself are you financially better off now or did you feel better about your financial situation back in the nineties. McCain voting ninety percent of the time for Bush’s policies for the past almost eight years helped get this Country into the worst financial shape since the great depression.
As reported one of McCain’s ads claims that Obama’s plan will have "painful tax increases" for working families. The ad is not correct. In fact, Obama's economic plan will affect ninety five percent of Americans by getting taxed less. People earning two hundred and fifty thousands dollars or more will get a tax increase. McCain wants to give billions of dollars in tax breaks to big business and less of a tax break to the working class. Big oil companies getting tax breaks while we worry about being able to buy our gas.
John McCain tried to steal the show by cancelling his debate with Obama all the time knowing that he had to attend the debate. If he didn’t it would have looked like he was afraid to debate Obama. He then went to Washington hoping to push along the bailout debate. By most accounts his political stunt didn’t work because nothing happened in Washington while he was there. After an appearance in Strongsville, Ohio, Senator McCain ignored questions about the bailout plan.
Which Presidential candidate will be more likely to drag our Country into another war or prolong the two wars that we are in? John McCain has said that he knows war and knows how to win wars. That sounds like he may be a little trigger happy if this Country was ever threatened. Out of the blue after Obama was leading in the polls he switched his rhetoric to pushing for change. After twenty plus years in the Senate what has he changed to help the working class? He’s favored deregulations time after time that helped get this country in the financial mess that we’re in. Obama’s entire campaign from day one has been about changing the way Washington works and how to help the working class. It’s very possible that congress will be a filibuster-proof Congress in January, 2009. In one of his speeches McCain waved his pen in the air and said I’ll veto the first bill that contains any pork. I guess along with forgetting how many houses he owned he forgot that Congress can override that veto and any others that didn’t benefit the working class. He says that he will end corruption in Washington, but hasn’t done a thing in to end it in all the years that he’s been a Senator.
The media doesn’t seem to want to talk about McCain’s health, but McCain is 72 years old and if elected will be the oldest President ever elected for a first term. He’s had serious cancer problems and then it’s the well published fact that he couldn’t even remember how many houses he owned. I’m fearful that he might forget what to do with that little suit case that follows the President wherever he goes. And, he just might forget to give the working class people the little tax break that he promised. He was a POW for five years. Being a POW for five years and being tortured as a POW could have adverse affects on his mental or physical health as the years go by. If he had to step down Sara Palin would be the President. If the happens, look out America. That would only be worse.
Bill Warnecke
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
This years fall colors will be silver, gold, blue and they could be LOSERS. What if the bank failings effect you and you can't buy them? What if you have to use last years wardrobe? Well, don't worry. I've been using last decade’s colors for some time now, and believe it or not, they all come back. Furthermore, the landfills will do fine without your discarded clothes, old computers, etc. I think every man, woman and child should have only one luxury - a live-in hairdresser. If your hair looks good, you can put on last year’s jeans, and any tee shirt from the past 20 years, and get away with it. Everyone knows it's the hair that counts. For entertainment, we'll can double up on driving and enjoy our neighbors company. Hey,
we won't have jobs, so we'll have plenty of time. OK. Now you know what they mean by, "it's so bad, it boggles the mind". Enough of my boggling.
We, the People prevented the bailout, at least at the time of this writing. I don't know much about how to fix the economy, however, I do believe, like so many of us outsiders, that the Wall Street movers and shakers are all crooks and have been taking our hard earned money, telling us that it's worth more than it is, and then stole it. What worries me now, is how they are going to try to steal our votes. It's fixed.... again.
Under the Bush HAVA act, there is a "perfect match" qualification, which means that l/4 of Colorado voter have just been removed from the rolls. Using a computer system, they compare your information to all your government records, including motor vehicle, social security or any other government transaction. Robert F. Kennedy points out that under this rule, he has Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. on his driver’s license, whereas he often uses Robt. F. Kennedy, Jr. If you leave an initial out, a Jr. out, or a even a hyphen, your vote is out. He thinks he would be denied in some states.
Another rule relates to absentee ballots. If you know a college kid that thinks that absentee ballots will work for them, please tell them to include a COLOR COPY OF THEIR DRIVERS LICENSE in with their registration, or else, they won't qualify. Yes, it's true, and they don't tell them in advance, they just disqualify them. 300,000 New Jersey residents were just informed that they couldn't vote. Bobby Kennedy estimates that 12 million votes will be thrown in the trash, without notice this year. Furthermore, a study was done in NY State, and it found that 80% of errors were actually caused by state clerks,
when taking down your information. Of course, the greatest danger of this, is for immigrants, who's "u"'s are often replaced with "O"s.
I guess you think I'm nuts, and maybe I am. After all, it's not easy to stay calm, knowing that your country is going down the tubes, taking away your rights along with your money. But, it's happening folks. I'm getting tired, so I'll just remind you to phone, email any of those "representatives" that you can, and if you have the time, volunteer on the phone banks for Obama, and warn the college kids. Let's not throw the towel in just yet, even if you don't like the color. You may need it next year.
Jill Piperno
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
This week three items have impinged on the mind. One is getting the scholastic resumes of Obama, McCain, Biden and Palin and learning that Obama has in-depth background in politics, public policy, political science, international relations, and law with a JD (law degree) Magna Cum Laude from Harvard. Biden has BA in history and a BA in political science and a JD from Syracuse University. McCain graduated at the bottom of his class from the U.S. Naval Academy. Palin has a degree in journalism plus some courses in business administration. A basic knowledge of politics, government, and related areas including history is very important to one who leads a country. One has to have a background of depth and be mentally capable to make good choices.
A second item was the fact that the congressional agreement on the bailout did not include one request which was made asking that the CEOs of the various entities receiving the bailouts would agree not to receive more than a paltry $400,000 salary. The opposition took the position that the government can't tell business what to pay as it would be contrary to our free enterprise system. What a wonderful system it is! On the other hand, it may not be the system but the way people use it.
And the last one is hearing McCain say in his speech that he wants health care made possible for everyone and that Obama wants it done by the federal government to which senator McCain said, "I don't want the government telling the doctors what to do." Really, managing insurance effectively and for 20 percent less than it is being managed now is not telling anyone what to do. What does he think the private, for profit corporations are doing if not telling the doctors what they can't do and making it impossible for many people to get anything done? Wonder why he thinks it all right for the government to prevent women from getting needed care because he and millions like him have certain beliefs about life.
Mescal Hornbeck
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
In the NY Times, Sept.25, there is an article about Susan Cheever and her 13th book “Desire: Where Sex Meets Addiction.” A 1999 book, “Note Found in a Bottle: MY Life as a Drinker,” she wrote about a week in Cuba with the alcoholic love of her life and having sex with three men in one day. She blamed alcoholism for her troubles with men. She has not had a drink in 16 years but she slept with lawyers, doctors, book salesmen and delivery men.
Ms. Cheever says “...when I wrote about alcoholism, I had no idea there was such thing as sex addiction. It’s only in writing this book that I’ve come to see that all additctions are one addiction. Addiction isn’t about substance - you aren’t addicted to the substance - you are addicted to the alteration of mood that the substance brings. If that substance is removed you will replace it with another.” ( I had come to a similar conclusion about 20 years ago.)
Ms. Cheever says “bankruptcy can be honorable; alcoholism and going to rehab; drug addiction. Look at Eliot Spitzer, nobody mentioned the word addiction. If Spitzer had been a drunk, that would have been O.K. He would have gone into treatment.”
She says “if she was in a situation that incited fear or panic, she would reach for the nearest man. Usually it would be a ten-minute flirtation, sometimes more.” (It is possible, of course, to flirt, not because of fear or panic but simply because the exchange of sexual energy is fun and stimulating.)
Ms Cheever says, “Women’s currency is their looks. Like it or not, the most powerful woman is an 18-year-old woman.”
Robert Jacobson
Mt. Tremper, NY

Dear Editor,
The Phoenicia Times began as a rather parochial newspaper but has evolved into a publication of hate, innuendo, character assassination and personal/political attacks. The first two letters in the Press of 09-11-08 are about the drop in OCSD registration and the second is advocating for a blog on the OCSD web site. Blogs are like Wikipedia; anyone can adjust or add some facts. Eventually blog sites become battlegrounds for any topic or venues for unsavory presentations. But of course the First Ammendment is supported by all of us and the Second Ammendment.
The letters of support for Patrick Burkhardt [phys-ed] are appropriate and well taken. "Save the Mountain" deserves dialog and debate in any forum, but it's becoming rather robust in the various charges. [I remember being admonished a couple times by the Editor for "strong" criticism and changed the choice of wording, or invited him to do it].
For those who don't remember, 1982 saw a Heath Care for All and it was reversed. Why? Because I and other retirees would now lose the employer/ employee negotiated Health Care benefit and join the National Plan [at a cost of over $800 per year]. Let's look at the British, Canadian,Dutch and German plans. Canadians come to the USA for immediate surgery rather than wait on a year long list. It's authorized. So much for government health care. By the way;=2 0no one is turned away from medical attention here at any level of need or delivery. Not even the Shah of Iran [courtesy of James Carter].
The Democrat National Convention of 1968 in Chicago became a police "thing" to be sure. It has been established that CBS with Dan Rather at the helm incited the riot in Grant Park and CBS was subsequently fined. But let's blame PBS and Jim Lehrer along with Bill Moyers for a recent RNC "event".. PBS is not my favorite for much except good informative programing.
Nancy Pelosi had it right in not attempting to impeach GW; not because of the expense, but what for? The Democrats as well as Republicans supported all the Bush legislation, voted for it and Bush signed it. He never met a proposal he didn't like [save two]. Now the Bush "haters" want to pile on. Pretty difficult to help start a war and then quit gracefully or change one's mind politically.
The attack on Mrs. McCain because she is rich; her aunt lives in a corporate apartment complex, is a bummer. Theresa Heinz Kerry is far wealthier, has 13 homes including one in Switzerland [Who's who in Real Estate Holdings] which she visits by personal jet and no one says a word. The Kennedys have homes all over the place. Sh-h-h. Mentioning Mrs. McCain in the same sentence as informing us that, "the San Diego Treasurer states that there is a 1.5% penalty added to each month of delinquency doesn't prove a thing. My RE or Shool tax bill has my name on it and informs me that I must pay the penalty for delinquency. Have I now been informed that I owe a penalty. And if my corporation or family pays the tax on corporate assets, whose business is it?
Why did none of us who watched both conventions see any disturbance[s] outside of the halls? How about showing pictures and news items of all this bad behavior by the police or at least testamony and eye witness accounts. Some writers have great imaginations and Hollywood beckons.
The letter from H. Clark Bell, fmr GOP Assemblyman of Woodstock is beyond the bounds of discrimination and decency. I must admit that 72 is not a good age to do anything. Eighty years ago getting to 72 was an accomplishment despite good health, but John McCain is 72 and has a cancerous lesion on his left cheek. God forbid that he "check out" unannounced and Sarah Palin becomes President. She would be a "First"! John McCain has proven his durability and survival skills [something Mr. Bell probably avoided]. I can see a White house press conference; "Madame President, will you ban all reporters from the White House?"
I agree that constitutionally Sarah Palin may indeed be referred to as appearing as a marajuana smoking, gun toting Annie Oakley. So can my wife who is an excellent pistol and rifle shot [@78]. My wife can also gut out a deer. H. Clark Bell has earned a few well deserved desriptive adjectives but what else from a "low20life?". Why the hate? How did this letter published in the Olive Press pass the "smell" test?
Community Organizers have no real definition. What do they do and when do they do it? Does that prepare one for high elective office? 148 days at the desk in the US Senate certainly is not a qualifier. Voting "present" is not "absent".
What is a "minimally motivated criminal"? What is "alternate sentencing? Why cannot a General be an effective Admiral? MacArthur planned and executed the "Inchon Landing" with great success. Going from Director to County Executive is a quantum leap [just like Sarah Palin from Councilwoman, to Mayor to Governor to VP; did I mention Soccer Mom with 5 kids?].
Michael Berg's appeal for funding and food for the Winter Food project is real, commendable and appropriate. Between you and me, I make hunting knives [Tongore Knives] which are sold [$180.00] or raffled for St. John's Food Pantry, vol FDs, Museums, Libraries, vol Ambilance, Churches, etc]. I have crafted over 250 knives and make no money [not even for supplies].
The last letter was like the last performer at a recital, It was above the best and above the rest. It was quite touching to see the names listed that supported the Killian Mansfield event. This is true "parochialism".
The Editorial for 09-11-08 is right on as to the fact that it speaks for the publication. I agree, disagree with it at times but that opinion is the Editor's or Publisher's right and privilage.
Do us all a favor; read this and burn it. The "haters" will lose.
Glenn T. Anderson
Olivebridge, NY

Dear Editor,
I just wanted to thank Farmer Frank Nazarro for the fantastic load of pies and quiche (a couple of dozen) he brought to the recent opening at the Arts Upstairs. With all the other wonderful food, that must have been our most abundant buffet ever, and it all got eaten. The lavish pile of pies being devoured by a warm and lively throng of art enthusiasts can of course be thought of as a form of art happening or performance art, and a tasty one at that. Thanks again for your abundant generosity.
Bronson Eden
Mt. Tremper, NY

Dear Editor,
A cougar was spotted on my daughter's property in the Glenford area last Friday. It was a large animal (too large to be a dog or coyote) that leapt across the road in a single bound. The witness is a reliable and intelligent woman who was understandably shaken.
We are reporting it to the DEP. Did anyone else see it? Does anyone have any advice? We are concerned, as there are very small children living there.
Monelle M. Richmond
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
Thank you for the article, "Shouldn't You Help This Dog?", together with a picture of the lost Siberian husky. I would like to ad a post script to your wonderful piece!
Last weekend, a woman who receives the Phoenicia Times in the mail saw the article and called her daughter in Margaretville, who had a husky that ran off. The owners were able to correctly identify "Gretel", whose name, we found out, is actually "Tasha!" Gretel, or Tasha, was delivered to her owners in Margaretville and all are happily reunited, with promises to keep her on her current diet and provide plenty of exercise. Your good deed is appreciated by all.
Gretel's Foster Mother