Letters to the Editor
Tuesday, March 24, 2009 10:43 AM PDT
Library will succeed if
given the chance
Editor,
After watching for some time now the battle back and forth over the library, I feel it is time to speak up. I think it is time to stop looking at the library as a “revenue source” for the city — a place to make money. To my way of thinking, we should give the library back to the citizens of Ontario who have already paid for it once and have elected a board of directors to run it for us and let them do so without their hands tied behind their backs!
Cut the apron strings, and let it fly on its own — to sink or swim. My bet is that if you’ll give it a chance, it will fly. But let’s help it to do so by giving them a building to work with up front without having to make huge payments to “Big Brother” all the time. Turning the building over to the board, to be operated by perfectly competent people, makes perfect sense. It also makes perfect sense for the city leaders to have one less headache to have to worry about all the time. Why does that idea not appeal to some of our council members?
One idea the council has is that they think they need to recoup the money paid by the taxpayers of the city to build the building in the first place, so there will be money to replace the building when this one wears out (if it doesn’t get spent along the way). Let the library board come forth with a plan to set aside a fairly sizeable amount each year in a “building fund” to replace the building when that time comes (not my original idea, but I think it’s a very sensible one). Of course, they must not “spend it along the way,” either. I firmly believe that if a poll were taken of all the citizens of Ontario, the majority would agree with this plan. Come on, folks, speak up if you think this is a good idea.
Glen Banner
Ontario
Congress lacks accountability
Editor,
Recently it has come to light that there is little to no accountability to Congress or the people on the part of the Federal Reserve. While the citizens of this country are required by law to give an accounting of every penny, the Federal Reserve has never been held to the same standard.
During this time of extreme economic crisis, congress and U.S. citizens should be given an accounting.
Legislation to require an audit of the Federal Reserve, HR 1207, has been introduced in Congress by Congressman Ron Paul.
Currently there are 11 co-sponsors for this legislation, and it has strong bi-partisan support.
If Congressman Walden supports this important legislation, it would prove to his constituents that he not only holds the Federal Reserve to the same standard as he does his constituents, but it would also show that he believes in transparency.
Unlike the Bailout bill that Greg Walden voted in favor of that had hundreds of pages and little time to study, this bill can be read in less than 5 minutes.
I hope he will take the time to read it and then move to support it by becoming a co-sponsor.
Please call and urge Congressman Walden to support this bill. His D.C. office number is (202) 225-6730.
Elaine Smith
Prairie City
Underpopulation is not a word, but its time has come
Editor,
For 40 years we’ve suffered various warnings of deprivation due to overpopulation. Even as old warnings become new facts of life, we ignore the problem of too many people and quibble about how to patch the symptoms.
For example, our growing numbers are used to excuse, as a necessary evil, the costly radioactive hazards of nuclear power, when instead a campaign to reduce our population and energy demand is both simple and prudent. Once in my 60 years, I saw people, conservative and liberal, join a campaign to improve their lives and their children’s lives.
We knew smoking was bad for us, but we (cough) quit only after it was painfully obvious we had been duped, lied to, manipulated and poisoned by tobacco companies that cared more about profits than people.
Have capitalists who cared more about profits than people fooled us into believing overpopulation is good?
One indication we are believers is that overpopulation, a word in popular use for 40 years, has no opposite; underpopulation is not in the dictionary.
Underpopulation (having plenty for all) is a nightmare for economists and their clients; underpopulation breaks their profit machine of growing demand for declining supply.
Capitalism of unending growth is a king-of-the-hill game. Underpopulation levels the playing field with capitalism of, by and for the people in a marketplace of sustainable and safe technologies, living-wage jobs and products growing in quality not quantity.
For years, we’ve suffered repeated advice that, with ingenuity, there will be plenty for all and it’s our fault if we don’t grab our share.
Well, it’s painfully obvious there’s not plenty for all. We’ve foolishly believed growth is good for us when, in fact, it’s our undoing. We’ve been duped, lied to, manipulated and poisoned by capitalists who care more about profits than people.
This may be the only reason people, conservative and liberal, join an underpopulation campaign to improve our lives and our children’s future.
Bruce Howard
Hood River
Hope for the unemployed
Editor,
For the unemployed, these days, there is a glimmer of hope. They can fail to pay their income taxes and there will be a possibility of being hired to serve as a member of the president’s cabinet.
Joseph T. Burdic, M.D.
Ontario
Inauguration was overboard
Editor,
I have a complaint. We are in a recession, and it is getting worse. We all can see what has been happening to the economy. People are getting laid off left and right. Businesses, large corporations, home owners are in trouble and losing money. Housing is in trouble. Thousands and thousands of people are losing their homes. Foreclosure rates are sky-rocketing. The governor of Idaho, as an example, had to make large cuts into the state budget for the fiscal year of 2009. It is OK for businesses, corporations, tax payers and even at the state level to cut. People understand cuts. Yet, our newly inaugurated president of the United States spent over $170 million, the most expensive in our government history, for his inauguration — $170 million.
I am not against having an inauguration for the president, but to spend that kind of money, 19 very lavish balls and parties that went on for four days, that is just too much. There is something wrong when a leader says we are in hard times and we have to act now and then has the most expensive inauguration in the history of this land. It is clear where his priority lies. I love this country and am proud to be an American. Something needs to happen, and it has to start at the top down. The bottle neck is always at the top.
A. Lynn Barton
Ontario
When did they stop caring?
Does anybody care anymore? Has greed now taken over our doctors ? They will only care for you now based solely on the type of insurance you possess.
Truly unhumane, I say. July of 2008, my daughter was diagnosed with probable cervical cancer. The report from the pathologist stated it a severe stage. In November, she was tested again. Once again, it came back as severe or worse.
Her family doctor referred her to a specialist, Doctor Mairs, in Ontario. She faxed Lisa’s medical records over to his office and told us they would be calling us to set up an appointment.
That call never came. Six weeks went by, still no call. I went in to Lisa’s family doctor with her and asked why no call from Dr. Mairs yet. She was appalled. She called Dr. Mairs herself. They told her that they called us several times and left a message. Not true. She told them that Lisa was very sick and she needed to see Dr. Mairs now, so they did set an appointment that day but for two months out.
We filled out and sent all paper work required. On March 9, the day before her long-awaited appointment, a half hour before closing, they called and cancelled her appointment, stating she didn’t get her medical history put in online. Something we didn’t know we had to do and also said they would not reschedule her.
Bottom line: Lisa has Medicaid, Dr. Mairs doesn’t accept that form of payment, but by law he has to if a patient is referred by her family doctor, so for months they thought of a way not to see her and, sad to say, succeeded — shame on them!
Whatever happened to the oath that they swore to to provide the best care possible to another human, no matter what, to save a life? Out the window with all our other values we had as a loving people we once were. I pray to God it’s not to late for my daughter once we do find her a specialist that is not worried what she has in her wallet but what she has in her body destroying her
Cindy Hunt
Payette
