Another bumper crop of LTE's. Harvest 'em and chew 'em up.
First-time writer
This is my first time writing to The Readers' Forum, but I just can't keep my opinions to myself any longer.
I am so tired of everyone blaming the problems our country has right now on what has happened in the last three years. Our problems started many years ago with greed from unions that forced our companies to have manufacturing done elsewhere because they couldn't afford the salaries and benefits.
I feel a lot better now.
MARY LOU RITTER
Advance
Downhill slide
Well, he inherited a AAA+ rating from President Bush as well. And what has Obama done with that? This reduction — the first time we have lost our sterling rating since 1917 — has been done on Obama's watch.
With his unrestrained spending on misguided ideas (stimulus, cash for clunkers, Obamacare) he has enslaved a generation of Americans not yet born to a debt that will ensure they will never get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They can look forward to losing 80 percent of their income to the monstrosity of a government that has grown exponentially during Obama's presidency, and the debt will still hang over their heads and strangle their dreams.
We do not have a monarchy in this country, and I trust we will never have a dictatorship within our borders. We are a peaceful people who trust in democratic elections when we want changes in our government — 2012 can't come soon enough for me!
STEPHANIE EMERY
Clemmons
Perry's prayers
In an effort to get national recognition, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas held a massive prayer meeting on Aug. 6. Elmer Gantry could have not done better.
The only problem is the prayers did not seem to work. That day, 30 U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan, and the debt rating of our nation was lowered. There is still a drought in Texas, and we still have a socialist president.
The last time we had an evangelical president from Texas was George Bush. Everyone remembers what a disaster that was. What this country needs is a presidential candidate who has the courage to tell voters the truth about the economy and offer solutions. Prayers are not necessary.
THOMAS L. GWYNN
Advance
Disheartening mess
When I see on TV and read in the Journal about the mess we are in, I am really disheartened. The one emphasis on how to solve this is to tax the rich.
If we want to reduce our deficit, it is incumbent for all of us to accept this responsibility, not only the rich.
The way I see doing this is to have a national sales tax of 5 percent (but not on food). In the course of a year, this may cost the average family $200 or $300. Is this asking too much to help the country?
We are in this mess collectively; we should try to help this collectively.
WILLIAM A. SANDER
Winston-Salem
Pennies
We can help our economy by starting a movement to get the government to quit making pennies. They cost more to produce than they are worth. All businesses could stop charging an amount ending in cents.
Let's pull together to help stop the wastefulness of our government.
JERE DAILEY
Advance
Another appeal
Here we go again.
On Feb. 22, in a letter printed in the Journal ("Cease further appeals"), I urged the Forsyth County commissioners to vote no on sectarian prayer before the start of their meetings. The commissioners appealed to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after Judge James A. Beaty Jr. of District Court ruled it was unconstitutional. The 4th Circuit agreed with Beaty.
Now the majority of commissioners want to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court only takes about 4 or 5 percent of cases presented to it.
The six commissioners who voted to appeal should pay for any and all legal fees. Only Walter Marshall voted no, saying, "I can't support anything that says the government should be run by the Bible and not the Constitution." He was the wise one of the board.
The Journal's Aug. 2 editorial "Latest ruling upholds Constitution," said, "… taxpayers — many of whom are against this fight — could ultimately be hit with a share of the bill.
"Game over, commissioners."
"The good Lord set definite limits on man's wisdom, but set no limits on his stupidity — and that's not fair!" — Konrad Adenauer, German statesman (1876-1967).
PAUL E. RUTLEDGE
Lewisville
This is my first time writing to The Readers' Forum, but I just can't keep my opinions to myself any longer.
I am so tired of everyone blaming the problems our country has right now on what has happened in the last three years. Our problems started many years ago with greed from unions that forced our companies to have manufacturing done elsewhere because they couldn't afford the salaries and benefits.
Also, it's about time everyone in Washington compared their salaries and benefits to what we average Americans have. They should participate in our Social Security and have to buy into Medicare and a supplement like we do. And how about a flat tax?
MARY LOU RITTER
Advance
Downhill slide
President Obama has been whining for two-and-a-half years that he was not responsible for our financial woes — he had inherited it all from George Bush.
With his unrestrained spending on misguided ideas (stimulus, cash for clunkers, Obamacare) he has enslaved a generation of Americans not yet born to a debt that will ensure they will never get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They can look forward to losing 80 percent of their income to the monstrosity of a government that has grown exponentially during Obama's presidency, and the debt will still hang over their heads and strangle their dreams.
We do not have a monarchy in this country, and I trust we will never have a dictatorship within our borders. We are a peaceful people who trust in democratic elections when we want changes in our government — 2012 can't come soon enough for me!
STEPHANIE EMERY
Clemmons
Perry's prayers
In an effort to get national recognition, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas held a massive prayer meeting on Aug. 6. Elmer Gantry could have not done better.
The only problem is the prayers did not seem to work. That day, 30 U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan, and the debt rating of our nation was lowered. There is still a drought in Texas, and we still have a socialist president.
The last time we had an evangelical president from Texas was George Bush. Everyone remembers what a disaster that was. What this country needs is a presidential candidate who has the courage to tell voters the truth about the economy and offer solutions. Prayers are not necessary.
THOMAS L. GWYNN
Advance
Disheartening mess
When I see on TV and read in the Journal about the mess we are in, I am really disheartened. The one emphasis on how to solve this is to tax the rich.
If we want to reduce our deficit, it is incumbent for all of us to accept this responsibility, not only the rich.
The way I see doing this is to have a national sales tax of 5 percent (but not on food). In the course of a year, this may cost the average family $200 or $300. Is this asking too much to help the country?
We are in this mess collectively; we should try to help this collectively.
WILLIAM A. SANDER
Winston-Salem
Pennies
We can help our economy by starting a movement to get the government to quit making pennies. They cost more to produce than they are worth. All businesses could stop charging an amount ending in cents.
Let's pull together to help stop the wastefulness of our government.
JERE DAILEY
Advance
Another appeal
Here we go again.
On Feb. 22, in a letter printed in the Journal ("Cease further appeals"), I urged the Forsyth County commissioners to vote no on sectarian prayer before the start of their meetings. The commissioners appealed to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after Judge James A. Beaty Jr. of District Court ruled it was unconstitutional. The 4th Circuit agreed with Beaty.
Now the majority of commissioners want to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court only takes about 4 or 5 percent of cases presented to it.
The six commissioners who voted to appeal should pay for any and all legal fees. Only Walter Marshall voted no, saying, "I can't support anything that says the government should be run by the Bible and not the Constitution." He was the wise one of the board.
The Journal's Aug. 2 editorial "Latest ruling upholds Constitution," said, "… taxpayers — many of whom are against this fight — could ultimately be hit with a share of the bill.
"Game over, commissioners."
"The good Lord set definite limits on man's wisdom, but set no limits on his stupidity — and that's not fair!" — Konrad Adenauer, German statesman (1876-1967).
PAUL E. RUTLEDGE
Lewisville
LTE1: I'm glad the LTE writer feels better. Yes, union greed and ignornance of basic economics has much to do with our problems. So does corporate short-sightedness and refusal to look past the next quarter. So does the mismanagement by our various governments, particularly the ideologues and trained seals in DC.
ReplyDeleteLTE2: 2012 will arrive in its own time, though the results are far from certain, given the R candidate field. Playing the blame game is accomplishing nothing. President Obama did indeed inherit some messes. His record in dealing with them is at best spotty, starting with his focusing on HCR most intensively. This reflects his initial emphasis on his ideology. Later, he has been compelled to be more pragmatic. Blaming one man for all the problems of the past 2 1/2 years sets up his replacement in 2013, if any, for inheritance of that blame. The problems involve but transcend the WH resident.
LTE3: One of the several reasons I dropped my R party registration is that the R's are hostile to scientific fact. Perry favors the teaching of Intelligent Design along with evolution. Sorry, gov, evolution is fact. The Intelligent Design is in the fact of evolution, not a snap of heavenly fingers in 4004 BC. Everything in the universe evolved and grew as part of a process. Even JC was born, grew, and matured in the usual process.
LTE4: Ah, a suggestion rather than TB blame-fixing. The tax system should be completely reformed. I'm not sure re the sales tax, but it's worth discussing.
LTE5: This suggestion would save some pennies, figuratively speaking, should have been done a few years ago.
LTE6: I balk at calling Marshall wise, but his vote was indeed correct.
Thomas Gwynn's LTE is interesting. I agree about the theatrics, but in 2 or 3 years if this economy is not humming along enough to absorb the three fold increase in our money supply by the Fed, what will befall this nation by way of super inflation and a worthless dollar will fill every church pew in the land. He is right about needing a candidate who will tell the truth about our near depression economy and what may need to be done. Does anyone really think that kind of candidate could possibly be elected? This idea probably is behind the enthusiasm for Gov Christie of NJ.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Sander's LTE is pretty good too. Since this Administration is fixated on following in the footsteps of what is left of western Europe, then the "tax the rich" mantra is a natural next step. Very emotional in tough times but is only symptomatic of the remnants of a dying ideology looking for the best place to die out of site of the circling future. About our tax code; would we set up this code now to deal with our economy's challenges if we could set up something different?
ReplyDeleteGood AM, WW!
ReplyDeleteI agree that an honesly blunt candidate's election chances would be slim, but perhaps not so slim as in past years. The economy is itself being rather blunt with us, and more folks are beginning to face facts. Unfortunately, a sense of entitlement still pervades a significant part of the electorate, encouraged by pols and pressure groups who monger victimization.
Stab...an exellent point you have there! The double edge sword of the entitlement mentality has sustained many a political career. We are a lot like Europe in many places, but unlike them, we still have time to stop some of our problems. Most of us won't like the solutions and none of us will like it if we do nothing.
ReplyDeleteMary Lou Ritter...how about a flat tax? Sign me up!
ReplyDeleteRick Perry described as Elmer Gantry. Good one.
ReplyDeleteNote to young umnarried people: It's ok to date a Liberal, but marry a conservative. Think of the children.
ReplyDeleteActually, I have dated a liberal, which started a sequence of events that led all the way to divorce. We had some interesting times, including Clinton's scandals and impeachment/trial. She and I watched all that together, with her denouncing the process while I cheered the prospect of the scummy liar being tossed out of office.
ReplyDeleteAnd Mrs. Staballoy voted for Obama, couldn't stand Bush. I, of course, cancelled her vote. She is undecided now, no longer pleased with President Obama, but unimpressed with the R field.
Stab...tell Mrs Stab to stand by on the R field as it may yet become a cast in numbers that would please Cecil B DeMille.
ReplyDeleteBoth of us are hoping the field will literally increase in size with the addition of NJ Gov. Christie. Then, if he would pick a running mate like Condoleeza Rice, the R party could show that it can move past empty suits and unfastened artillery, while replacing President Obama and (speaking of loose cannons) VP Biden.
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon folks! Feels great outside.
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: Congrats on your first LTE! In total agreement about the uselessness of the blame game and that our problems were many years in the making. As far as union greed, that is part of the American conundrum where you have a strong demand for both higher wages and everyday low prices. The two are not compatible for domestic production. Btw, the COL in DC is way above the national avg, so salary comps are going to be askew.
LTE 2: Speaking of the blame game...the country was teetering on Great Depression II when Obama took office. Combine with 2 wars and you have a royal mess that's going to set the US back a decade regardless of who occupies the WH.
LTE 3: Elmer Gantry! What an awesome comparison for Rev..oops, I mean Gov. Perry. Great observation Mr. Gwynn!
LTE 4: I do like the idea of a nat'l sales tax, but 5% is a bit high and may affect demand which would defeat the purpose. I suggest no more than 1.5%.
LTE 6: I've seen this proposed before. Not a bad idea given the price of copper, but there's strong resistance.
LTe 7: Love the Adenauer quote as well as the idea of the 6 CC's footing the bill.
Cecil B. grew up in Washington, NC
ReplyDeleteCheck out Google today. They're doing a tribute to Fermat's last theorem.
ReplyDeleteStab..Christie and Rice would be a well rounded ticket....but can you imagine the ulcers some would have knowing a Black person was a heartbeat from the Oval Office :)?
ReplyDeleteBob...Cecil B is from little Washington? He saw a cast of tobacco plants?
ReplyDeleteHi dotnet!
ReplyDeleteI saw Fermat's Last Theorem, said, "Looks good, I'll take your word for it."
here's where I got the 411:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cecilbdemille.com/bio.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/proof/
ReplyDeleteAndrew Wiles on Solving Fermat
Hey Stab!
ReplyDeleteTo translate, there is no solution for any power (n) greater than 2 where x raised to the nth power + y raised to the same nth power equals z raised to that nth power. Fermat claimed to have an elegant proof, but it was lost and noone has been able to solve the proof. One mathematician claimed to have solved it years ago, but it was an indirect proof that many say doesn't count.
Christie would certainly be a "well-rounded" ticket all by himself. Funny how mainstream R's continue to cling to the desperate hope that he will enter the race and save the R's from the current crop of likely losers.
ReplyDeleteand Perry just added his name to no climate change group. :), Lets see, he denies evolution, he denies the science of climate change, and he claims that lowering taxes will raise revenues. and ooh, I love dance a little side step, .....adios, mofo,
ReplyDeleteHi AJV, and a belated hi to Bob!
ReplyDeleteAJV, no longer a mainstream R, I do consider it a forlorn hope that Christie will enter the grind (see my gripe in The Leopard's Limb). However, if Romney fades a bit and the social conservatives split the vote, then there might a call might arise for corpulent NJ gov to join the grind. I suspect Christie may decide he's happy where he is until 2016. Problem is, we need candidates like him now.
Bob: I knew where Perry stands on AGW without looking. I have for years complained about knee-jerk liberals. There are conservative analogues to them, and seemingly more as time passes, intellectual Luddites, as it were. What passes for modern-day conservatism, like the Republican party, has passed me by.
The party of Teddy, Rockefeller. Eisenhower etc. has been overrun by the likes of Palin, Bachmann, & Perry. As a result, more mainstream R's like Romney have to cowtow to the ideaillogical extreme right of the party.
ReplyDeleteSame applies in a leftward direction with Dems, particularly in primary season. This is obscured somewhat by the generally Dem-leaning press.
ReplyDeleteSad to say, neither party is peopled by worthies* such as those R's you named. Romney, of course, would govern more toward the center, but as you say, he must genuflect to the socialcons during primary season.
*The worthies sometimes have feet of clay, as well. Ike had Kay Summersby, and Rockefeller died in the saddle, so to speak. Death, where is thy sting?!
There's a great deal of social and economic upheaval going on. Gay marriages are becoming more accepted, there's a black man in the WH, latinos are rapidly growing in population with reports suggesting whites will be a minority by mid-century, plus a HS education no longer guarantees a life long job at the local plant where the wife can stay at home with the 2.5 kids. The emotional hard core lurch to the right I suppose is to be expected for those who have trouble adapting to these changes. The US is in a pickle, but I don't see it in as dire condition as others, at least certainly not as bad as say Europe (outside of Germany and France).
ReplyDeleteProof that Christy is running:
ReplyDelete1. He made a very presidential candidate type speech in Iowa last week.
2. Jonathan Alter said that Christy is putting together focus groups, always a dead giveaway. Oops, turns out Alter made that up.
3. Cheney/Bush/Rove are NOT best friends w/Rick Perry, so are pressuring Christy to run.
Proof that Christy is not running:
1. His wife doesn't want him to.
2. His wife doesn't want him to.
3. He himself says that he just doesn't feel it.
4. His wife doesn't want him to.
Hello O.T.
ReplyDeleteMy money is on Not 1,2,3,4. It is said that items 1,2, and 4 deprived us of Colin Powell as a candidate. Hmmm, how old is Gen. Powell? Perhaps Alma might be persuaded otherwise.
"Perry also said he would not have signed the debt-ceiling compromise brokered by congressional leaders and the White House to avoid a national default.
ReplyDelete"No I would not have signed it," he said. "We got to quit spending money.""
By golly, we have to start showing fiscal responsibility by not paying our bills! LOL!!
On Christie - saw an update where he said he was absolutely not running and had not authorized any focus groups. (My database server has been down again this entire afternoon :( )
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteStaballoy, great response to LTE3. When I hear people talk about I.D. I still get too weirded-out to have a well thought out response!
LTE 5 (?)- the one about pennies: I agree it's a good idea, but it probably won't save us money in the short term. There's going to be a heckuva lotta rounding UP if the penny went out of circulation. I lived in Europe when the Euro officially went into cirulation, and I saw my household budget increase significantly from "rounding up". Maybe now isn't the time to kick that idea into high gear.
Re: Washington NC, quelle coincidence, I was recently looking at houses on the auction block in that area. How tempted we are to sell the stress and anxiety that comes with living in DC, and just buy a little fixer-upper in remote NC.
Dotnet, did you see John Stewart's comment to Perry "loving America" last night? I almost fell off the couch laughing.
I hope you're all doing well!
Ha! Buffcoach! How did I miss your "adios mofo"?
ReplyDeleteAwesome...I hope you don't mind if I borrow it!
(I'll give you credit!) :-)
LOL, hi Sharon, I've watched The Daily Show twice today.
ReplyDeleteWasn't it hilarious Bob?! I haven't been watching the Daily Show lately, but I'm glad I caught that episode.
ReplyDeleteA very good PM to you, Sharon.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Stab and I talk about relocating out of WS, which admittedly is not DC, sometime in the future when our dependents are less dependent. Or conversely, leaving the suburb and its lawns and moving downtown. O.T., we might end up neighbors. See you at Ziggy's.
Mofo's: I got booted from another website years ago for a reference to "yukkerheads, rednecks, homeys, and mofos." I wasn't being racist, just referring to riffraff (meth users and gangbangers) in general. The site staff didn't see it that way, so out I went. I later slipped back in with another AKA, a la our friend LG in the Readers' Forum.
I guess I need to watch the daily show sometime to learn what a mofo is?
ReplyDeleteHey Sharon!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I missed the Daily Show. I can imagine the perverted twist Mr. Stewart made to Perry's comment. Maybe I can find it on youtube.
Unless you've very recently refied, I imagine the difference in RE prices between DC and here would yield far more than a fixer upper unless ya'll are looking to bank most of the proceeds.
ww - take out the "o"'s then add letters to mf to make a very vulgar expression and you will have what a "mofo" is
Hi Whitewall! mofo is a very sanitized version of an expression where the first word is "mother". It's a hard-core one, but the sanitzied one is handy because not a lot of people know it... Written, as buffcoach did, it looks fun. "Mofo". Sounds like a kind of cookie or sandwich or something. "Yeah, I'd like the Mofo with extra cheese, please, Mofo." (I'm cracking up, I'll just end the commentary right there...)
ReplyDeleteStaballoy, I'm looking forward to hearing about the day that you and Mrs. Staballoy can have even a quiet dinner together. That's already rare. But you two sharing the same roof will certainly add to your quality of life tremendously.
When Jas and I are having a rough day, I tell him "let's sell the business, the house, our phones and move to a trailer in arkansas... I'd be happy if I just have you." The thought makes him happy. Me too.
I hope you all and your extended families are doing well. Staballoy, I hope your dad is improving.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/08/adios-mofo-rick-perrys-words-back-to-haunt-him.html
ReplyDeleteHey Dotnet, Maryland has more millionaires than any other state in the union. Incredible. But most of them are millionaires from equity. As of yet, there is not much "pro" in my proceeds, because I bought at the near peak of the market. And Jas has expensive taste in table wine, so we'll need cash reserves for that! :-)
ReplyDeleteNo really, our plan is to pay off the house in 8 years, sell the business and get the heck outta dodge. I love the ethnic restaurants, and weekends in the city, but the quality of life here is low on a day-to-day basis. We're going to move to the Charleston area +-, Jas is going to write a book and I'll get a regular full-time job to support his table wine budget. :-) We'll live off interest for everything else. Enshallah.
You all are invited to our near-the-beach house with a big pool and spacious yard and big guest suite!
WOW BOB! I didn't even catch that! The sound of his voice gives me the heebie jeebies. Sounds like the cousin of one GW Bush, moron extraordinaire.
ReplyDeleteSWEET :)
ReplyDeleteOh...thanks all. I guess I need to get back out more. After my wayward youth, I tried to change a little. Sharon, little Washington is an ok place esp waterfront. Some good deals there. That town did a good job with there updates on the water. With modern technology, you can do biz from anywhere now.
ReplyDelete... or our trailer in Arkansas, whichever comes first. If we have more weeks like the past few, it's more likely Arkansas! :-)
ReplyDeleteSharon...8 years might be too long so be careful. On the other...hurry! I got out of enough real estate by the skin of my teeth.
ReplyDeleteHi Whitewall, you are a wise man. You have great instincts and even better patience. Our timing always seems to be off, but I'm proud of Jas for having a great vision and following through on it. I think he's at the point where he's proud of himself for creating a thriving business, but it takes immense work. A. Lot. Of. Work. He needs a little break, one week of vacation doesn't seem to do it.
ReplyDeleteSo we are stuck until a better/natural turning point emerges. My guess 8+- years. Hopefully less, maybe more.
Our timing is always off, and we have to work harder because of it, but we're still lucky. (And we always have Arkansas!)
Did you and Mrs. WW have a vacation this summer?
Hey Sharon, you and Jas both have something to be proud of it seems to me. Timing, though exhilerating, can make your life miserable at times so don't be completely governed by it. With all I managed, I still left about a million and a half "on the table". No, we haven't taken a vacation yet. Too many ailing family it seems we have to take the lead in helping with. Oh well. Family is family. Both of you hang in there.
ReplyDeleteThanks Whitewall, you too. More than a million is hard to fathom, but I'm glad it wasn't a total loss for you. My grandmother always says, "you may think you have it bad, but someone always has it worse... think of them."
ReplyDeleteWell, next year, when the family members are back on their feet, and Mrs. Whitewall is even better, you can take a BIG vacation! Please send her my best. I think of you both often.
I'll talk to y'all later. I'm off to make some crabcakes. When you visit me in my beach house, I'll make some for you then. !!!
It is estimated that there are 140-200 billion pennies in circulation. So they are only worth, at most, $200 million.
ReplyDeleteAnyone planning to move to Little Washington, might want to read Jerry Bledsoe's book, Blood Games, about a murder and attempted murder there a few years ago. It involves an heir to the old Camel City Laundry, elite students from the School of Math & Science in Durham and NC State, some dope, Dungeons & Dragons, imaginary payoffs of Ferrari's and Porsches, general dumbness and serious injustice.
Not to mention that one of the perps and one of the victims live today in the same house in the Konnoak area of Winston-Salem.
I read that book, had forgotten it till now. I met one of the attorneys involved, can't remember his name, was from Raleigh.
ReplyDeleteBledsoe's "Bitter Blood" was a good read. I know/knew some of the folks mentioned in the book, but none of the principals, including a couple of LEOs involved in the final chase. Mrs. Stab lives a couple of blocks away from what she and her children call "the murder house." Maya Angelou lives on the same road.