Obama has extreme position on abortion
In a Missoulian letter dated Sept. 30 (“Get the facts about the candidates”), the writer urged voters to do their own research on the election at Factcheck.org. I think that this is wise advice - as far as it goes.
I wonder, though, whether inquirers will learn that Barack Obama, when he was an Illinois state senator, during three successive years opposed a legislative proposal which would have mandated that babies who were born alive - breathing, and with a heartbeat - during an abortion attempt were to be given medical treatment rather than just placed somewhere out of the way until they died as a result of their neglect.
Now, when a baby has already been aborted but is still alive, and if it is not given the same type of medical care to which “preemies” are entitled, we have gone beyond abortion, and have progressed to infanticide. Do we really want a president of the United States of that sort?
I also wonder whether inquirers will find out that Obama hopes to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which legally defines marriage as existing only between one man and one woman. Will Factcheck.org tell them that he intends to allow unrestricted experimentation on human embryos or that he will allow gays and lesbians to enlist openly in the military? It might be interesting to see how many of these items are considered “facts.”
Larry Roland, Missoula
Vote no to property tax increases
I have a flier in my Missoulian today that says we need to vote “yes” on a property tax increase.
You must be kidding. With gas and the rest of the financial situation, anything on that upcoming ballot should be ignored, or do not complain about the taxes in the upcoming year.
I recall, a while back on the news, reporting about all the increases in levies that Denver voted OK on, then a short time later screaming bloody murder about how high their tax bills were. What did they expect? If the shoe fits here, wear it.
This thinking also reminds me of the young students signing up for ROTC for a free education, then when a war or conflict comes along, getting called up to active duty and yelling, “Well I didn’t think I would have to go to war - I just wanted a free ride.”
G. Campbell Good, Greenough
Vote Democratic for Montana
Come on, Montana voters, let’s step into the 21st century with new hope and courage.
We have a fantastic Democrat in Gov. Schweitzer, who has brought our state an enormous surplus in our budget during his term. We have a seasoned Democrat in Sen. Baucus, who continues to bring federal dollars into our state to repair our roads and bridges. We have an outstanding Democrat in freshman Sen. Jon Tester, who represents our wishes in every decision he makes. We should be ecstatic to have such men in our corner.
So let us take this one step further and elect a man named Barack Obama, a Democrat who knows how to bring us out of this economic mess, will bring tax cuts for almost every person who is a resident of Montana, who will bring this horrible Iraq war to an end and who will restore our reputation as the greatest nation on earth amongst the international community.
Come on, Montana voters, vote for Obama, who will intelligently guide our nation, not rule it.
Cheryl Bramsen, Florence
DeHaan is best commissioner candidate
Roger DeHaan has earned my vote. The job for county commissioner takes a special kind of leader, and I believe DeHaan fits that bill.
Ravalli County residents desperately need a commissioner who will actually listen to the public and consult with experts in the field before making important decisions. We need someone who is not a puppet of the development industry, like Greg Chilcott and James Iman are. We need someone who will look beyond today and actually consider what the future of our valley needs to survive and thrive.
DeHaan is smart; he has a degree in civil engineering. He is dedicated to serving the public with his many years participating on the health board, the Victor Growth Policy and Highway 93 Planning Focus Group, just to name a few. He has the respect of valley residents from both political parties and he is not beholden to any special-interest group.
Whether you are a Republican, Independent or a Democrat, voting for Roger DeHaan ensures your way of life in the Bitterroot will be protected from greedy, unsightly, unregulated development. DeHaan wants a plan for our future that brings out the best of public policy and actually protects the investment you have in your home.
Set aside partisan politics and vote for a future planned with good, common sense. Vote for Roger DeHann and John Meakin, and tell Chilcott and Iman to go work for their developers somewhere else.
Phyllis Bookbinder, Corvallis
Remember who pays for their promises
Well, it is that time again. Two things to think about: First, government has no money of its own. It is our money, so when candidates promise anything to anyone, it is you and me who will pay the bill.
Second, I was told many years ago that any government powerful enough to give you everything you want is powerful enough to take everything you have.
There are no free lunches. Oh, one question. Why all the hate? “Hate” letters to the editor, “hate” candidates, hate and more hate - pretty scary if people “hate” just because someone thinks differently.
Cliff Trexler, Hamilton
Democrats caused mortgage crisis
Once again we hear the nauseating phrase, “the failed policies of the Bush administration,” most notably from the leaders of the Democratic party, Barack Obama of Illinois, Nancy Pelosi of California and Harry Reid of Nevada.
Here’s what really happened: In the 1990s, under Clinton, the Democrats, with their chicken-in-every-pot ideology, pushed to make homeownership available to minorities, those with low incomes and those who could not qualify for conventional home loans. Thus were born the “NINJA” loans - No Income, No Job or Assets. These loans were then sold, usually to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
As early as 2000, Republican Congressman Richard Baker of Louisiana introduced the first attempt at legislation to give the regulators of government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac more power, but it was defeated.
In September 2003, the Bush administration, with particular support from John McCain, proposed a significant overhaul of the housing finance industry, allowing the Treasury Department to assume supervision of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Led by Barney Frank, D-Mass., the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, it was stonewalled by Democrats in congress.
In 2005, Chuck Hagel, R- Neb., introduced the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005. The proposal was for more regulation and oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including minimum critical capital levels, enforcement and penalties and golden parachutes. As a co-sponsor of the bill, McCain made an impassioned plea for its passage. The vote was along party lines, with Republican voting for it and Democrats against it. Consequently, it never got out of committee. It is of great importance to note that Obama voted against this reform.
It’s also worth noting that since 1989, the No. 1 recipient of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac political action committee contributions has been Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and No. 2 is Obama.
Mike Nordquist, Stevensville
New emergency center would save lives
The life you save by voting for the Missoula County Emergency Operations Center bond could be your own, your child’s or your grandmother’s.
The 9-1-1 Center is housed in a basement room of the Missoula County Courthouse. Visitors sometimes call it “the dungeon.” It is without windows. It is unbelievably crowded. It is depressing. Under these conditions, one wonders how the dedicated operators can respond to hundreds of calls each day.
If you get involved in court litigations wouldn’t you like to know that important evidence at trial is safely stored and readily available? That important part of the justice system is in danger of being compromised by space restrictions and limited modern technology.
The potential “terrors” we should fear the most - prolonged emergency events such as wildfires, chemical spills, health pandemic, weather-related events, etc. - require the coordination of first responders in the city, the county and the wider region. The new center will vastly improve interagency communications.
We should be proud of our public servants who anticipated this need. Their foresight means that the cost to Missoula County taxpayers will be about $16 million for a project costing $23.5 million. The difference is made up by non-tax contributions from the county, federal earmarks and other sources. The facility will be built on land already owned by Missoula County on Mullan Road next to the Missoula County Detention Center. That’s a great location for the Sheriff’s Department, which will be a part of the new center.
See for yourself. Tours are scheduled Tuesdays at noon and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Meet at the Information Desk off the Pine Street entrance in the Missoula County Courthouse Annex or call 258-3160 to arrange additional tour times.
Do the right thing. Vote yes for the Emergency Operations Center Bond.
Don and Pat Simmons, Missoula
Vote incumbents out of office
I doubt that there is one rational person left in the country who thinks that the United States is in good shape. Whether you are on the far right, far left or somewhere in between, you have to know that the country is in deep trouble.
How do we get out of this mess? The obvious answer is to re-elect the people who got us into this disaster in the first place.
Voters all across the country should return all of the people who have been in the Congress and Senate for the past 10, 15, 25 years. Isn’t it apparent to everyone that they have been doing a marvelous job?
The mantra of both presidential candidates has been “change.” If the people of this country want real change, if they want to send a real message to the royalty that now inhabits the Congress and the Senate, they will vote out every last incumbent and hopefully vote in some third-party candidates.
The only change politicians understand is a change in their job status - as in unemployed.
Norm Meyers, Florence
Focus on healing nature, society
The American dream is changing again. There will always be a break in the pattern. This time, we want a healthy environment and society. A dream, come true, that will sustain human needs at a growth rate not to exceed natures’ ability to supply the goods. Indeed, quite a challenge for a society that dreamed of wealth and position.
I do not have a solution to meet this challenge but I do have some ideas:
• A reduction in the spending of energy, conservation or energy. Just say no more often then yes to each new venture that requires energy. Perhaps Nancy Reagan was correct. Slow down and watch where we are going. We see more.
• Improve education. We do not know the value of native plants and animal species and of their relative roles in an orderly system that provides humanity with high-quality natural resources. We did not bring that knowledge and wisdom with us when we immigrated to this land because plant and animal species and climate differ in this new world from that in the old world. This is what homeland security is really all about.
We can ask Native Americans to teach us what they know about this landscape which filled their needs, that is, if they still have that knowledge and wisdom, and are willing to share. After all, we are all one species living with the same environment.
No. 1 is something each of us can do without depending on a government beyond self. No. 2 is political, whether local, regional, national or international. Show me a politician who will run for office with this platform and he or she has my vote.
Charles Tiernan, Missoula
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