LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Bring on some global warming 

Between turning up the oil furnace and stoking the fireplace last week, I haven't had a lot of time to pay attention to any news other than the local weather.

I did manage to catch a couple of clips about the governator of California. Seems he started off the week announcing he would help take the state back into economic ruin by passing his own little California Kyoto Accord. Being generous with other people's money always makes a politician feel good about himself. In addition, he gets the extra added warm fuzzy from being "environmentally responsible." Gosh, that's nice.

Meanwhile, I suppose my oil bill will be going through the roof. Dang, I wish this global warming thing would just kick in a little.

The other bit of news I caught about the governator was his request for federal disaster aid because of lost citrus crops in California during this last cold spell. Hmmm. I guess you have to be either a politician or an environmental wacko to hold these sorts of contradictory concepts in your head at the same time. But then, to a politician, other people's money in the form of federal aid, or other people's money in the form of business taxes is all just other people's money, I suppose.

Anyway, I'm glad I took the time out from stoking the fire last week to drive my SUV around the block a few times. I think it's working; it seems to be getting warmer.

STEVE GOLLY 

Eugene

Take the long view of EmX

The buzz around the new Lane Transit District buses seems to be emphasizing the six minutes saved by the new EmX route. This has led David Pokvitis (letters, Jan. 22) and others to wax sarcastic regarding the value and cost of such a modest savings of time. What we should all reflect on is that each person on the bus means fewer people driving their own vehicles.

The new buses are hybrid-diesel, meaning they consume less fuel. Our commitment to quality public transportation means less traffic, lower dependence on fossil fuels and, yes, a 16-minute trip between Springfield and Eugene. In the long run, it also means a slowed rate of global warming and fewer killed overseas protecting Exxon's oil profits. It makes $24 million seem like a bargain.

Sarcasm aside, I wouldn't take an LTD flight to San Francisco if I were Pokvitis; they have a bunch of liberal-minded politicians committed to public transportation there, too.

STEVE HARWOOD

Eugene

Criticism of Pelosi off base

In an embarrassing editorial on Jan. 22, The Register-Guard strained to find some reason to criticize the success of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic House leadership for passing six major bills through the House at what The Associated Press called "breakneck speed."

First, The Register-Guard carps that it really wasn't within `100 hours of taking control" but only within 15 days of Pelosi being sworn in as House Speaker, neglecting to mention (or maybe understand) that the `100 hours" promised referred to legislative work time, not 100 hours of clock time from the moment she was elected speaker.

The Register-Guard called it a "political gimmick intended to convey the impression that the new Democratic leadership can move quickly and efficiently." Excuse me? Passing six major bills soon after the House convenes and is organized is not quick and efficient? Please give me some more of these "gimmicks."

Then the newspaper goes on to decry the fact that the Democratic leadership applied the same rules adopted and used by the Republicans for the last five or more years, thereby "freezing out Republicans."

Apparently, the editor didn't realize that each of the six bills "passed with bipartisan majorities," as noted by the AP article. I guess that none of those Republicans voting for these bills realized that they were being treated "as furniture."

MICHAEL WELLS

Eugene

Fight to keep traditional values

President Bush and the traditionalists in government have done a terrific service to all Americans. The central government is mandated to provide national security, which they are trying hard to accomplish. They still need to secure the borders and require all immigrants to adhere to the rule of law.

Where they have failed is in the traditionalist viewpoint of the Founding Fathers and, more recently, in the Ronald Reagan conservative philosophy. That belief system includes independence from big government, reliance on hard work for personal gain, personal responsibility and looking out for your fellow man.

These values are the backbone of our great country. The cacophony of the liberal media and the progressive movement are striving to destroy these traditional values, which will leave us with anarchism, a void in moral values, big government and lack of incentive to better ourselves, our neighborhoods and our world.

We desperately need to support the visions of our country's founders based on the traditional values we so cherish.

BRUCE PRATT 

Springfield

Fair board shake-up was needed

The critics of Lane County Commissioners Bill Dwyer, Pete Sorenson and Bill Fleenor and their decision to not reappoint Mike Schwartz to the Lane County Fair Board need to take a closer look. The fairgrounds belong to everyone in Lane County, and these commissioners have stepped in to remind the fair board of the public good.

Shaking up the fair board and getting new members with the greater public interest in mind is just what the commissioners should be doing.

I appreciate Commissioners Dwyer, Sorenson and Fleenor for having the courage to take a stand.

JIM CRAIN

Eugene

Israel lobby attacking Carter

The Israel lobby and its neocon minions are busy. A prime mover in the invasion of Iraq, the lobby now wants the United States to bomb Iran and attack Syria. The lobby's attacks on former President Jimmy Carter include playing the usual anti-Semite card.

Politicians and the media cower and are silent, but the former Israeli minister of education, Shulamit Aloni, defends Carter: "The State of Israel practices its own quite violent form of apartheid with the native Palestinian population. ... The U.S. Jewish establishment's onslaught on former President Jimmy Carter is based on him daring to tell the truth. ... Israel practices a brutal form of apartheid in the territories occupied."

Israeli human rights organization B'Tselm states, "Israel has established in the Occupied Territories a separation cum discrimination regime, in which it maintains two systems of laws and a person's rights are based on his or her national origin. This regime is the only one of its kind in the world and brings to mind dark regimes of the past, such as the apartheid regime of South Africa."

Locally, the Pacifica Forum is being attacked for its criticism of Israel. Thanks to U.S. welfare, Israel has a budget surplus and balance of payments surplus. With one of the world's most powerful armies, Israel is the only country in the Middle East with weapons of mass destruction.

They will expand and defend Israel to the last American who comes home in a body bag.

ANDREW POLETTE

Marcola

What if flags noted abortions?

I find it ironic that two stories made the cover of a recent City/Region section (Register-Guard, Jan. 22). One story pertained to the contraceptive known as Plan B. Presumably, Plan A was not having unprotected sex.

The second story was about volunteers placing little colored flags on sections of grass at the University of Oregon to represent deaths in Iraq.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there were 848,163 legally induced abortions in 2003. I wonder how much grass would have been left showing if the volunteers had planted one flag for each fetus aborted.

BRIAN NOBLES

Springfield

Lots of lakes allow motorboats

There have been several letters recently protesting the proposed ban on boat motors in Waldo Lake. I disagree with these letters.

Locate Waldo Lake on a map and observe that within a 40-mile radius one can find the following big lakes and reservoirs: Fall Creek, Dexter, Lookout Point, Hills Creek, Odell, Crescent, Davis, Wickiup, Crane Prairie, Cultus, Cougar and Blue River. Just 20 minutes from Eugene are Fern Ridge, Dorena and Cottage Grove reservoirs.

Motorboats can be a lot of fun for fishing and skiing and just bumbling around, but they don't need to be on every lake. There is no shortage of places to go and enjoy motorboats and jet skis. Waldo Lake is a clean, quiet place, and I think it should stay that way. That's why I think banning boat motors is a good idea.

BROOK ADAMS

Eugene

Is paper printing propaganda?

I realize that although editorial cartoonists are bound by no journalistic standards and can make any kind of veiled claim that they choose, the same cannot be said for this or any other newspaper. I speak today of the repeated editorial cartoon barrage of claims for an Iranian nuclear weapons program. The Register-Guard has printed at least 10 such cartoons over the last year but has never had even one article that examines the veracity of these claims.

I have written at least three letters now, pleading for any such evidence - any at all. But my letters have been ignored. You would think that after the journalistic fiasco that negligently accepted the administration's weapons of mass destruction claim, the media would be at least a little more alert to this tactic of being used to promote war.

It's obvious that we cannot accept the government's honesty any more. With this continuing campaign, though, I am beginning to think that the news media, including this newspaper, indeed may be part of the propaganda machine.

CHARLES ROEHRICH

Eugene