Everybody wins with Obama plan
We’re voting for Barack Obama, and here’s why.
The Bush-McCain economic plan continues the disastrous “trickle-down” approach. It’s based on the false assumption that the money rich folks save through reduced taxes will be invested to create an exploding job market. Has that been the case? If you’ve been paying attention, you know it hasn’t been.
The Obama economic plan is a “spiral-up” concept. He will reduce taxes on low- and middle-income families. Those families will buy more stuff. Rich folks will need to make more stuff for low- and middle-income folks to buy. Families prosper. Businesses thrive. Everybody wins.
What’s hard to understand about that?
Sen. John McCain doesn’t understand. He says the economy is fundamentally strong. Apparently he doesn’t have a radio or television in any of his seven homes n and, of course, he can’t read newspapers online unless one of his staff members is on hand to turn on the computer.
There are dozens of other reasons to vote for Obama. Check them out at www.barackobama.com.
Don and Pat Simmons, Missoula
Obama, Dems can deliver fair tax system
I read a disturbing report recently. Two out of every three United States corporations paid no federal income taxes from 1998 through 2005, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress. I remember a controversy from several years ago about getting a more accurate accounting of service workers’ tips to help make sure that people working for tips pay enough taxes. OK, fair’s fair. People working for tips and corporations should pay their fair share of taxes. Keeping it fair seems to be the hard part.
Someone said, “Control your business, don’t let it control you.” I assume that the saying was originally aimed a person in business, but I think America would do well to take the advice now. Relying on the goodwill of the market to consider the equitable treatment of the citizenry is not a wise policy. Wealth and power are well-known narcotics that have been abused many times at the expense of ordinary people. There are many examples, local and otherwise. A level of oversight is needed beyond that which businesses might be inclined to provide for themselves. American legislatures provide the oversight, but has the relationship of elected power evolved to favor corporations over people?
It’s obvious that the success of business is crucial, but America cannot afford to allow its people to take second place to the interests of commerce. Recent history has been very kind to big business and pretty harsh for the rest of us. In the current political climate, I believe that the Democrats and Barack Obama can deliver a tax system that will be fair to big business and to ordinary people. I want all Americans, moguls and minions alike, to pay their fair share of taxes. It’s only fair.
Dewey Adkins, Missoula
McCain the backward-looking candidate
For decades, both Democrats and Republicans have exhibited a Cold War mentality. Many in this country credit those Cold War “warriors” with spending the Soviet Union into submission. That may be true, but what is less recognized is that in the process of “winning,” we also succeeded in bringing our own country to the brink of bankruptcy.
Sen. John McCain has been part of this process for more that 28 years. He has supported military spending and subsidizing oil companies, and he has voted for foreign policy driven by our insatiable need for oil. Given the current energy and economic crisis, it hardly seems logical to continue policies that have nearly brought our country to its knees.
It is true that Sen. Barack Obama has less experience and has advocated a major change in direction that would end subsidizing the oil industry, encourage diversification to clean, renewable energy, and utilize existing oil leases rather than sacrifice additional pristine natural reserves. In addition, he advocates regulating speculators, emphasizing conservation, and developing solar power, wind power and the next generation of biofuels.
This change, of course, will obviously be challenging and clearly it will be expensive. But the choice between a candidate experienced in policies that have outlived their usefulness and a candidate with a vision for a new diversified course seems clear. Moving forward with Obama is better than looking backward with McCain.
Brenda J. Holland, Missoula
Bush, appointees ones ignoring science
This letter is in response to the Missoulian’s July 29 editorial on the court ruling to reinstate federal protection for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains. Thanks for noting that the judge expressed concern over Wyoming’s wolf plan (which allows wolves to be shot on sight, anytime, across about
85 percent of the state), and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s curious and unexplained about-face for approving the plan. Wyoming’s reluctance to provide adequate protection for the species had stalled wolf recovery over the last few years. In many respects, the court’s decision is not surprising.
However, when the Missoulian accuses Judge Donald Molloy of “ignoring science,” the editors point their fingers in the wrong direction. The reality is that the Bush administration (and the Interior Department) has routinely ignored and politicized science throughout its tenure, particularly science involving endangered species decisions. One high-ranking Interior official was forced to resign last year when an internal review concluded that she rode roughshod over scientific decisions and repeatedly bullied her own staff scientists to alter their conclusions to fit the administration’s priorities.
A subsequent congressional investigation this year found that the suppression of science was even more widespread at Interior, and that perhaps dozens of endangered species decisions may have been tainted by administration politics. One must wonder if similar shenanigans have played a role with the federal government’s efforts to delist the wolf in the northern Rocky Mountains.
Mike Phillips, wildlife biologist and House District 66 representative, Bozeman
Professor brutally honest, passionate
My wife Amy and I were students in the University of Montana fine arts graduate program under James Kriley and are in absolute shock at the news of his death. Dr. Kriley was one of the greatest educators we’ve ever known.
I came into the program for an MFA in acting and an MA with an emphasis in education. I had some teaching experience and carried more than a bit of arrogance about it; he set me straight about all that I didn’t know before I knew what had happened.
Never one to sugarcoat, he pushed you harder than you thought possible. Brutally honest when he needed to be and full of passion for his craft, he could be an imposing figure. We knew, however, that underneath it all was love: for the crafts of acting and directing, the arts as a whole, and most importantly, for the people around him.
Everything he did came from knowing what we were capable of, even (and, perhaps, especially) when we didn’t. Brilliant, funny, intimidating, intuitive and utterly dedicated to the importance of the arts in the world, James Kriley was one of a kind.
Our years at UM were among the best of our lives, and a great deal of that was due to our work with him. Amy and I are better human beings for having known Dr. Kriley. We send our love and condolences to his family, his friends, and all those around the world who are also feeling an especially heavy heart at his passing.
Art Almquist, Tucson, Ariz.
Visitations not at record levels
Reliable analysis requires accurate data. Your series on Glacier National Park suggests that many problems are due to significant increases in the number of visitors. In 2007, there were 2,083,329 visitors to the park. This is less than the 2.1 million to 2.2 million visitors recorded between 1991 and 1994, and well below the peak year of 2,203,847 visitors in 1983. Had park visitations increased at the same rate as U.S. population since 1983, the 2007 figure would have been about 2,836,000. Whatever issues and problems face Glacier National Park, they are not due to record visitations.
Paul E. Polzin, Missoula
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)