LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.Byline: The Register-Guard Lawmakers neglect resource I hope that it did not go unnoticed that as soon as the largest tax increase in Oregon history was passed, the Legislature let die a bill that would have doubled the harvest on two of the state's forests in Tillamook and Clatsop counties. This is why I will vote to reject the tax increase. Oregon has countless millions of acres that could be logged for sustained yield sus·tained yield n. 1. The continuing yield of a biological resource, such as timber from a forest, by controlled periodic harvesting. 2. The quantity of a resource harvested in this manner. without touching one ancient tree, which would bring millions of dollars into the state's coffers on state-owned lands and county coffers through harvest taxes on federal lands. The measure would have created 4,000 jobs and an estimated $215 million in personal income. The Democrats and our Democratic governor were quoted as saying this was a short-term response to the budget crisis. Their response is a total neglect of the largest resource our state has to offer. When this state's legislators begin to recognize the resource our state has and how to prudently allow harvest of non-old-growth timber, which will bring millions of dollars to the state and counties, then I will support their budget. JACK BARROWCLIFF Springfield Sept. 11 response off track The second anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, has passed. On that day, I reflected on the first months following the attacks. The world, not just the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , came together that day in shock and horror that "the land of the free" had been brought down to its knees. Our airports were shut down, Wall Street was closed and a big hole in the New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. skyline was created. The United Nations unanimously voted to stand behind and support the United States through this difficult period. Clerics from different faiths held hands as one. America quickly took action by going into Afghanistan and overthrowing the Taliban with cheers and approval throughout the world. Osama bin Laden's terrorist camps in Afghanistan were disrupted and destroyed. Progress was made. Then our commander-in-chief, George W. Bush, presented another agenda, of which the world disapproved. He ordered the invasion of Iraq under the guise of liberation for the Iraqi people. Our president worsened an already problematic situation not only for the United States, but for the world at large. Why didn't our president uphold his promise to the Afghan people and focus on stabilizing that country, making it a model for democracy? Instead, he chose to invade Iraq, even though there was no imminent threat Imminent threat is a standard criterion in international law, developed by Daniel Webster, for when the need for action is "instant, overwhelming, and leaving no choice of means, and no moment for deliberation. , creating more confusion and instability in that region of the world. DEBBIE KLEPPEN Eugene Kucinich leads war opposition The Sept. 13 editorial cartoon This article or section deals primarily with the United States and Canada and does not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. showing Bush's jobs program - "Join the Army" - is right on the mark. The Bush strategy of economic destruction aimed at the working class (declining wages, high unemployment and tuition increases of 200 to 300 percent) leaves working class high school graduates with no choice but to join the military. What the cartoon doesn't tell us is that most of the Democratic presidential candidates support this policy by their support of the Iraq occupation, Bush's pre-emptive pre·emp·tive or pre-emp·tive adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of preemption. 2. Having or granted by the right of preemption. 3. a. attack policy and the pursuit of empire. Supporters of these policies include candidates Howard Dean Howard Brush Dean III (born November 17, 1948) is an American politician and physician from the U.S. state of Vermont, and currently the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the central organ of the Democratic Party at the national level. , John Kerry Kucinich also has led congressional opposition to Bush's economic policies, opposition to the so-called USA Patriot Act USA PATRIOT Act [Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorists], 2001, U.S. and opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), accord establishing a free-trade zone in North America; it was signed in 1992 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States and took effect on Jan. 1, 1994. . He supports economic policies that benefit working people, including a program to rebuild our transportation infrastructure, support for unions, and protection of our air and water. ANN TATTERSALL tat·ter·sall also Tat·ter·sall n. 1. A pattern of dark lines forming squares on a light background. 2. Cloth woven or printed with this pattern. adj. Eugene Get war profiteers out of office Eighty-seven billion dollars is a lot of money. Used for humanitarian aid, it could save the lives of billions of people who will die of starvation or illness. President Bush asks us to sacrifice for the war on terror This article is about U.S. actions, and those of other states, after September 11, 2001. For other conflicts, see Terrorism. The War on Terror (also known as the War on Terrorism . Of course, he doesn't mean everyone. The middle and lower classes are already paying the ultimate sacrifice. Our loved ones are coming back in body bags and with missing limbs at the rate of one dead and 10 severely wounded every day. You won't find very many rich among the volunteer Army or the reserves, who thought they were going to give up a weekend a month so they could make ends meet or go to college. When social programs are cut, it doesn't hurt the rich. They can afford good health care and private schools. The rich who are enjoying tax rates that are lower than they have been since Herbert Hoover are getting bigger breaks every year. I recently learned that a rollback of Bush's tax cut for just the richest 1 percent of Americans would more than pay for that $87 billion! Many of these people have invested in Halliburton, Bechtel or the arms industry and are making millions of dollars from Bush's illegal and unnecessary war. The rich and powerful, the corporations, and the war profiteers who got us into this mess are the ones that should be paying for it. For that to happen, we first need to get them out of office. JERRY BRULE Eugene Billionaire's motives suspect Billionaire George Soros' recent $10 million donation to help defeat President Bush in the next presidential election turns out to be an instructive exercise in connecting the dots. Soros, through his Open Society Institute, supports illicit drug illicit drug Street drug, see there legalization LEGALIZATION. The act of making lawful. 2. By legalization, is also understood the act by which a judge or competent officer authenticates a record, or other matter, in order that the same may be lawfully read in evidence. Vide Authentication. , (they choose to call it "decriminalization decriminalization n. the repeal or amendment (undoing) of statutes which made certain acts criminal, so that those acts no longer are crimes or subject to prosecution. "). Since 1991, Soros has contributed over $15 million to the drug legalization movement. This includes funding the Lindesmith Center and its successor, The Drug Policy Foundation. These pro-dope organizations also fund ballot initiatives all across the nation, including Oregon, yet claim that they have grass-roots funding. If you're gullible, you can believe those who want to legalize le·gal·ize tr.v. le·gal·ized, le·gal·iz·ing, le·gal·iz·es To make legal or lawful; authorize or sanction by law. le dope -but a little skepticism is warranted here. The current Bush administration has been the most anti-drug administration since President Reagan. Given Soros' obsession with legalizing drugs, it's little wonder he's contributing vast sums of money to defeat Bush. Your job? Connect the dots. In his book, Soros explains his motives - he is, after all, one of the richest men on the planet. You may come to suspect he wants more money, as I do. JOHN E. ENGLISH Eugene U.S. hoarding Iraq contracts A few days ago while talking to a friend about President Bush asking for help in Iraq from other United Nation countries, he asked a very interesting question: "Do you suppose that if Germany, France, Belgium, Poland, etc., should decide to aid us, some of their own private companies would be allowed to share in the reconstruction work along with Vice-President Dick Cheney's old firm (Halliburton)?" That sounded like a fair arrangement to me, and it should be an important inducement to other countries to take part. Now what do you suppose the answer from the Bush administration will be if other potential participants make such a request? Will it be, "Oh, sure, we'll be glad to share the wealth with you"? Or will it be, "Oh, we're sorry, we have already signed contracts for all that work. We'll be glad to accept your donations, however!" Does anyone care to make any bets? Our Congress has just been asked to pour another $87 billion, which we can't afford, into this unpopular venture. Since we conducted this war against the advice of the United Nations, it takes a lot of nerve to offer other nations nothing more than invitations to donate money and lives. JIM Jim Miss Watson’s runaway slave; Huck’s traveling companion. [Am. Lit.: Huckleberry Finn] See : Escape SHERMAN Coos Bay Top priority? It's sports There is no money available for the necessities in our society - police officers, jail beds, animal control. Yet there is lots of money in Eugene. And Eugeneans are willing to spend it, for one thing: sports. New stadiums. Box seats. Reserved seats. Season tickets. The money that is spent watching grown men chase a ball and run into each other would fund many of the necessities that make our community safe and livable. Anything wrong with sports? Not necessarily. But when it becomes more important than public safety, education, health and human services Noun 1. Health and Human Services - the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979 Department of Health and Human Services, HHS - all of which are severely underfunded un·der·fund tr.v. un·der·fund·ed, un·der·fund·ing, un·der·funds To provide insufficient funding for. underfunded adj → infradotado (económicamente) - one wonders where our priorities are. Rather, we know what our priorities are. We fund sports. We don't fund the cattery cattery a housing facility for cats; usually for boarding or breeding. at Lane County Animal Regulation Authority, police officers, substance abuse treatment and jail beds. And so we have a new generation of people abusing animals and getting away with it "Getting Away With It" was the first single released by the English band Electronic, which comprised Bernard Sumner of New Order, ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, and guesting vocalist Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys. , drug addicts who have no treatment possibilities. And we sit in our private skyboxes costing thousands and thousands of dollars to watch sports, or buy tickets costing hundreds of dollars. And we wonder what has happened to society. JANETTA OVERHOLSER Cottage Grove |
|
||||||||||||||||

Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion