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McCook Gazette
Letter to the Editor

Now's not time for complacency

Monday, April 6, 2009

Dear Editor,

Regardless of your political beliefs, this is a time of action not complacency.

The government is on the move and so should be the people. Your job is not over once you've cast your vote. Politicians need to be reminded how they need to represent the people who have elected them. Many people feel a growing frustration about banks and business considered too big to fail, bills that are too big to read, and a government too big to govern.

There is anger toward both political parties with earmarks, spending, borrowing and power grabs. If you feel overwhelmed at the speed and extent our nation is "evolving" away from our constitution and the principals on which our nation was founded, I encourage you to write and call your congressmen and attend events such as the Tax Day Tea Party in North Platte, April 15 at 5:30.

On the other hand if you are pleased by the notion that our government would even consider such things as monitoring your personal thermostat, tracking your car for a mileage tax, exchanging the dollar for some form of global currency, or adding greenhouse gas taxes on every head of livestock; then you need to contact your representatives and encourage them in these endeavors and indicate your willingness to pay whatever it takes.

If you are proud of the way government has managed the postal service, education, your social security funds, lobbyists, the tax system that appears to be too complicated for the average politician to navigate; then you are going to love their ideas for health care, mandatory volunteer service, and saving the environment.

Regardless of your political views, you need to stay informed. These huge shifts in policy should be discussed in congress and around your kitchen table before they happen. Edmund Burke, philosopher and statesman said, "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little."

Carol Friesen

Wallace

Comments
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  • Regardless of your political beliefs, you should be looking for change in our health care system and ways to help lesson our impact on the environment.

    One of the main causes for personal bankruptcy in our nation is medical costs, something that doesn't devastate people's pocketbooks in many other first world countries. I am looking forward to changes in this area, even if it may increase my taxes. NPR recently posted a story online discussing several other health care systems and their costs. Even with higher taxes for these systems, the citizens of these countries pay less in the end for their medical care. I encourage you to look for this story at npr.com.

    As for being proud about management of the postal service, education etc., I'm not. Our educational system is depressingly under-funded. Our children are learning from out-of-date textbooks in often out-of-date classrooms. But thanks to the recent earmarks in stimulus spending, some of that money is promised to our schools.

    I completely agree with the need to stay informed about issues, but don't let your opinions be formed by rumor or half-truths. Also, before attending a tax day tea party, make sure you know what groups are sponsoring said events. You could be taking a stand against more than tax issues.

    -- Posted by mefriesen on Mon, Apr 6, 2009, at 10:00 AM

  • I'd have found this piece considerably more compelling if the author had included citations to anyplace where the policies she fears have been suggested.Otherwise I'm afraid I have to consider it just one more wingnut rant composed of the fear-inducing e-mails circulated amongst the residents of lower wingnutistan for the purpose of further inflaming already fervid imaginations

    -- Posted by davis_x_machina on Mon, Apr 6, 2009, at 10:41 AM

  • davis, I don't think it does much for your validity to start calling names. I don't know what a wingnut is, but it doesn't sound very friendly. Also, I would disagree with your desciption of my letter as a rant, but then that might be how you catagorize anyone who has feelings different than yours. To clarify a couple of things for you: The greenhouse gas tax on livestock was suggested by the EPA in its July 11, 2008 release of its advance notice of propsed rulemaking. It would give the EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gas from manmade sources and stationary sources including livestock. The milage tax was considered in Oregon and CBS reported the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood suggested this as a federal move which would require equipping cars with a GPS. Obama did not embrace this policy. The thermostat that was considered is the Programmable Communication Thermostat which features a non-removable FM receiver that would allow the adjustment of temperature by the power company. This was being seriously considered in California. And finally I am surprised that you didn't know that U.S. Treasury Secretary Geithner first denounced the move to a global currancy when questioned on March 25 by US Representative Michele Bachmann and the next day at a Council on Foreign Relations event, Geithner stated he was open to supoorting the concept of global currancy. I watched both clips on the news. While these may or may not come to pass, they have been broached and that was my point.

    -- Posted by carolfriesen on Mon, Apr 6, 2009, at 8:57 PM

  • mefriesen, you have some good points about health care and it is hard to debate specifics since there hasn't been a plan presented. I would urge extreme caution in making fast radical changes with the system but rather open this up to debate and discussion. There is again the "sense of urgency" to have this proposal finished by summer break. It will be hard to go back and fix problems once this is enacted. I find it hard to find examples of where the government has managed any enterprize successfully or cost effeciently and I don't see them coming to their senses now. According to Adrian Smith this $3.4 trillion budget increases our national debt by $2.7 trillion and will double that debt in 8 years. Heath care needs reform but what can we afford? I urge people to educate themselves through discussions and exposure to a variety of media which would include listening to liberal and conservative views. As far as the North Platte Tea Party is concerned, it is not an organization in charge but a collection of individuals with common concerns from throughout this part of the state. It is not dictated what your protest signs must or must not say, but it is encouraged that they be tasteful and supporting the ideals of returning to the values and principals on which our nation was founded including fiscal and individual responsibility. I think you should come and see for yourself. It will be the kind of event you could take your mother to.

    -- Posted by carolfriesen on Mon, Apr 6, 2009, at 9:23 PM
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