Letters, 9/3: A cure for gas pains
Having to pay well in excess of $3 per gallon for gasoline week after week should be a signal for all Nebraska voters to change out the incumbent House members for a new team in November.
Just prior to the House going on a five-week recess, the Republican members stalled action on bills to eliminate excessive speculation of crude oil contract trading and then have gone on a daily showfest demonstration demanding offshore drilling. The Democrat members did not see this as the required solution to skyrocketing gas prices caused by trading speculation.
During the Great Depression caused by rampant speculation of securities and commodity contracts, trading controls were put in place by President Roosevelt to limit speculation. These controls have been deregulated under leadership of Sen. Phil Gramm and by his wife, Wendy, who was presidentially appointed to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Wendy Gramm opened the barn door to allow massive speculative trading by hedge funds and swaps dealers who get access to large pension funds to gamble with. On being replaced as chairperson, she became a director of Enron.
For these misdeeds of Republican leadership, we now have to continue to pay more than $3.50 for gasoline and more for diesel fuel.
Don Eret, Dorchester
A symbolic gesture
It is curious that the Republican spin machine has decided unanimously to criticize Barack Obama’s acceptance speech Thursday for its ostentatious stage setting. It is also curious that this criticism actually began prior to the delivery of his speech. Why so much attention to the stage and so little to the speaker and his message?
The “temple of Obama” line does truly have the appearance of being (as Barack Obama alluded) the response of an opponent who has run out of ideas.
It also seems hypocritical. When was the last time any Republican made a public speech anywhere without being absolutely covered in American flags? If flagrant exploitation of symbols is so offensive, then perhaps Republicans should refrain from doing it themselves.
Joe Gores, Lincoln
Like war? Vote McCain
As this election proceeds, it is more and more clear that people want a rah, rah candidate who will deliver us from all the evil nations out there.
If people want to be at war somewhere for years and years, then John McCain is the candidate. He was raised with a military family, and he basically sees the military side of this world. War is the road to destruction, because it doesn’t lead us anywhere for long. We can end our current occupation in Iraq soon, because the Iraqis want us out of their territory. McCain doesn’t want to leave. Next is Afghanistan, where the real trouble is.
McCain as president can string that war out for years and in the meantime probably get us into war with Russia for one reason or another. He loves war games, but this country has no money for endless wars, and our military is exhausted and wants to come home. He will probably institute the draft and spend billions of dollars on military equipment.
Barack Obama, on the other hand, wants peace, not by badgering or threats to other countries, but by negotiations. He doesn’t just want to win, but to bring permanent calmness and cooperation to the whole world. He is not the almighty conqueror but a man of character and integrity. Most of the world thinks he is great, but he comes back home from his vacation with terrible lies and innuendoes greeting him. If we vote for war instead of Obama, the majority of the world will be very disappointed. Our place in the world will deteriorate again.
Anita Crouse, Lincoln

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I too want peace in the world but Obama is not the way. With countries like Russia who is currently killing civilians in Georgia, Muslims who have and are killing millions of innocents around the world, Contras who are also killing innocents in Vensuela and many other hot spots in the world it is not time to pull our heads in. Ask youself how we can allow Iran to have nuclear weapons when they have vowed to destroy Israel?
Ask yourself what would have happened if Hitler had not been defeated, Ask yourself how can we stand by when dictators like Hussiene fill mass graves with thousands of innocent bodys.
Obama's track record is very short on getting anything world wide accomplished, name one in fact. He is very anti second amendment. He has a past of "following" radical people from communists to people who "damn" the United States, his own wife not being proud of our country till he was nominated for president. Obama if elected will make George Bush look like a hero, wait and see.
In the words of Lawrence Ferlinghetti,poet of the 60's, "The world is a beautifull place as long as you don't mind some of the people dying some of the time as long as it isn't you." Peace at any cost is not the answer. "
Ken wrote on September 3, 2008 5:24 am:
What kind of gutless person is he? "
Zoomie wrote on September 3, 2008 6:30 am:
Lost on the GOP, of course, is that the last guy to win the White House also appeared on a stage, in 2004, with Greek columns in the backset, was far more the image of a "worldly Prince", coming from a powerful and wealthy family, and he's certainly gone a long way to fulfilling the mission of an anti-Christ by bringing needless death and destruction worldwide... "
election wrote on September 3, 2008 6:33 am:
Jack wrote on September 3, 2008 8:36 am:
Ignignokt wrote on September 3, 2008 8:45 am:
Democrat talking point.
Democrat talking point.
Democrat talking point. "
Darwin wrote on September 3, 2008 9:05 am:
Innocent civilians lose their homes. Mothers and fathers lose their children, and children lose their parents. Soldiers lose a leg, or an eye, or their lives. Countries lose their infastructure, or lose their respect. No matter what side emerges victorious, everyone loses.
War is never the answer, although it sometimes ends up a last resort. However, in today's world, war is seen as righteous and glorious. We, the strong and holy, the virtuous and morally superior, fight to free the weak and helpless from their bonds of servitude. We fight to free them, even when they dont want us to. Even when we have to kill them. We have to kill them for their own good.
War is not glorious. It is not righteous. It is not virtuous, or holy, or fun. It is horrible. It is death and blood and the screams of the dying. A soldier may act honorably in war, but war is never honorable.
It should be the last resort. The recourse when all other attempts have failed. War does not make us strong. It does not scare our enemies into passivity. Evil begets evil. Violence begets violence. Blood feuds never end. War is easy. Peace is hard. "
Saline County wrote on September 3, 2008 9:26 am:
RE Ray wrote on September 3, 2008 9:26 am:
karwied wrote on September 3, 2008 9:34 am:
MarkyMark wrote on September 3, 2008 9:42 am:
Obama = Magna CumLaude at Princeton & Harvard. Bush & McCain = a couple of D+ students with their fingers on the button.
By the way for you people who get your news from Limbaugh, Hussein does NOT = Hitler! "
Tired wrote on September 3, 2008 9:49 am:
Wake up wrote on September 3, 2008 9:50 am:
"stood up and opposed the war in Iraq." He never explains just where he did this brave standing up. He hopes that we are too stupid to realize that he was NOT a senator when the war started. He hopes that we will assume that because he is a senator now, he was a senator then, and had access to the intelligence that Congress (which voted almost unanimously to authorize the war) had. In fact, he was an unknown nobody when the war was authorized. More empty promises Obama says: "I'll recruit an
army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries." (Lincoln you think
your property taxes are high now, just wait). Even someone as ignorant of the Constitution as Barack Obama must know that a president can't hire even one teacher, much less an "army" of teachers. Nor can he pay them higher salaries (Higher than what?), or any salary. All of this is up to the states under the Constitution. Theres not enough room for all the
rest of his lies. If you look underneath it all, you've got the Kennedys'
and Clintons manipulating this whole fiasco!!!! "
Woke Up wrote on September 3, 2008 11:00 am:
Please clarify wrote on September 3, 2008 11:08 am:
SB wrote on September 3, 2008 12:21 pm:
Blind support wrote on September 3, 2008 12:57 pm:
While you're at it, ask yourself how we can allow Pakistan to have nuclear weapons when they are an arch enemy of India. Ask yourself how saying "There is an individual right to bear arms, but it is subject to common-sense regulation" (Obama's stated position on the Second Amendment) is very anti anything (unless, of course, you are anti common sense). Ask yourself why you condemn Michelle Obama for saying she is not proud of some of the things this country has done, yet say nothing about Cindy McCain stealing from her own charity to feed her drug habit. Ask yourself how you could possibly believe that the world would be at peace with McCain starting yet another war in Iran and a new cold war with Russia. "
Jeff wrote on September 3, 2008 1:46 pm:
Re Don Eret wrote on September 3, 2008 1:46 pm:
Today's situation is exactly the opposite as the great depression. Lately the Federal Reserve has lowered interest rates (and thereby flooded the country with cash) while commodity prices were already rising, causing a massive commodities bubble that wasn't just for oil. Eventually the market will correct itself when rates are raised. However, here we are again with the governement trying to intervene with stimulus packages, talk of windfall profits tax, keeping interest rates too low to protect the few million people who bought more house than they could afford, and not letting bad wall street businesses fail. All they are doing is prolonging the pain of the people and increasing inflation. Let the markets take their course. "
Correction Ken wrote on September 3, 2008 1:47 pm:
Bush, in his infinite wisdom even said the "Democrats are Terrorist-Happy", according to a half dozen witnesses. Don't confuse tough talk with results.
By the way, still negotiating with Hitler would have been a good thing, had it avoided WWII, don'cha think? "
Neville Chamberlain wrote on September 3, 2008 1:56 pm:
Charles Jones wrote on September 3, 2008 2:08 pm:
Mike wrote on September 3, 2008 2:11 pm:
Way to go Charlie wrote on September 3, 2008 2:47 pm:
On the subject of the Republican flag worship, here is part of an editorial by Reggie Rivers of the Denver Post:
The U.S. flag means a great deal to nearly all Americans. Military veterans have strong emotional ties to the flag as a symbol of their service; politicians believe that children will be better citizens if they pledge allegiance to the flag; most Americans would be outraged if a flag were desecrated in a public setting; and, after Sept. 11, the flag was a ubiquitous symbol of our national unity.
However, the flag is not without its problems. It seems that too many Americans have forgotten that the U.S. flag is merely a symbol of our ideals - it is not the actual embodiment of them.
Totalitarian leaders have been notorious for treating symbols as if they were real, arresting people who disrespected them. But in the United States, we enjoy broad political freedom partly because we separate symbolic activities from actual threats. If you want to cut out a picture of George W. Bush in The Denver Post and throw darts at it, the Secret Service will not arrest you.
However, in the case of the flag, the distinction between the symbol and reality is murky. Many people would rush forward and punch anyone who was harming a flag. Many Americans would react as if the flag were a small child that needed to be rescued, and that's not normal...
...If a man in North Korea were arrested for stomping on a newspaper photo of Kim Jong Il, we would condemn his arrest as a form of political repression. However, if a man in Denver were arrested for stomping on a U.S. flag that he purchased at Wal-Mart, many of us would not recognize it as political repression. Many would say it's OK to arrest a man for harming a flag, because we've forgotten that the flag is a symbol.
The Christian Lord knew that humans were prone to this type of confusion, so his Second Commandment called for a moratorium on idol worship. We should heed this commandment.
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0617-32.htm "
Sue F. wrote on September 3, 2008 2:50 pm:
Keep talking far lefties wrote on September 3, 2008 3:06 pm:
for far leftys wrote on September 3, 2008 4:16 pm:
See my fellow republicans what I have to think about. I will probably make my way towards aa democratic vote.
Ca "
Hey Mike wrote on September 3, 2008 4:37 pm:
wow... wrote on September 3, 2008 4:47 pm:
karwied wrote on September 3, 2008 5:17 pm:
ken wrote on September 3, 2008 5:29 pm:
Maybe you should take a lesson on the use of qoutes. You said that "If Obama had been president, or Clinton for that matter, 9/11 probably wouldn't have happened. George Bush Jr had just returned from his 4th month of vacation in his first 7 months, and was "sick and tired" of terrorist briefings. His head wasn't into it, virtually ignoring the sense of urgency.
Bush, in his infinite wisdom even said the "Democrats are Terrorist-Happy", according to a half dozen witnesses. Don't confuse tough talk with results.
By the way, still negotiating with Hitler would have been a good thing, had it avoided WWII, don'cha think? " These are all your words.
And you indicated that if we were still negotiating with Hitler, WWII wouldn't have happened. But he would have tried or attempted to take over the world. How would you like him as your President? "
Active Military wrote on September 3, 2008 5:32 pm:
None of the above wrote on September 3, 2008 6:13 pm:
Nostrodamus wrote on September 3, 2008 7:08 pm:
Sorry Ken wrote on September 3, 2008 8:33 pm:
Taxes wrote on September 3, 2008 8:36 pm:
No math wiz...but wrote on September 3, 2008 9:00 pm:
Don Eret is EXACTLY right. wrote on September 4, 2008 12:27 am:
The Senate brought up the Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act, S. 3268, for debate. This bill sought to reign in excessive speculation and provide better oversight and transparency in the energy markets in order to end the volatility and steep inflation of oil prices. On July 25, the Senate voted on a motion to invoke cloture on this legislation (a move to end debate and allow for a straight up-or-down vote on the bill). I voted in favor of the cloture motion; however, it failed on a 50-43 vote (60 votes were needed to invoke cloture and permit the full Senate to consider this measure). Like you, I was disappointed this legislation was stalled by procedural tactics and not given an up-or-down vote. Please know I will keep your views in mind should this, or any other legislation intended to give the CFTC enhanced authority to regulate certain energy trades on markets other than the regulated futures exchanges, come before the Senate in the coming months.
It happened in the House of Reps too. Big oil OWNS the GOP and wants all the drilling leases they can get their hands on. They will NEVER let us off the oil teat. "
More evidence of obstruction... wrote on September 4, 2008 12:41 am:
On July 24th, 2008
H. Res. 6578, the Consumer Energy Supply Act of 2008 was rushed before congress seeking to provide quick relief at the pump, something that drilling absolutely CANNOT do. The measure received strong majority support in a House vote of 268 to 157, but failed to receive the two-thirds necessary to pass under suspension of the rules. All Democrats present voted for the measure, while 157 Representatives voted against it. The measure would direct the release of a small amount of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, bringing down gas prices and sending a strong message to energy speculators.
The American people have paid for more than 700 million barrels of oil to be held in this government stockpile. At significant taxpayer expense, the SPR is currently 97 percent full - its highest level ever.
You can see the names of the 157 representatives who voted for BIG oil interests over yours with this link. And guess what.....you''ll NEVER believe it!....
ALL 157 are members of the Gas, Oil & Petroleum party.. Stunned?
Furthermore, give ya one guess who ALL THREE reps from Nebraska sided with.
Ding! You got it! Smith, Terry and Fortenberry all sided with Arab oil interests over yours and mine. I laugh every time I see the lies Lee Terry spouts on his commercial.
See who the 157 are here and contribute to their opponents soon and often!
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2008-527&sort=vote "
osisbs wrote on September 4, 2008 1:28 pm:
Dorchesterite wrote on September 4, 2008 10:41 pm:
The only way to lower gas prices is to ensure Republicans re-take the House and stop the Marxist Pelosi.
-Fellow Dorchester Resident "
ken wrote on September 5, 2008 5:37 am:
Dorchesterite....... wrote on September 5, 2008 10:32 am:
Sad but true. Disappointing to see them chanting drill, baby, drill at the convention. We've been addicted for too long now. After shortages in the 70's we knew we needed to get treatment but instead went into denial, like nearly all addicts. I could post a bunch of photos of Bush groveling with the sheiks......just Google it. Might as well face it .....its now the Greedy Oil Party. hey've any taken over your convention, for God's sake! drill baby drill! drill baby drill! Mindless addict.
And one other very important thing in this election. To belittle community organizers diminishes the work and teachings of Jesus Christ himself. "