Letters, 11/14: Promises to Republicans
digg it!
Facebook
del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit
I read Gail Skinner’s letter Nov. 7 and wondered if he thought the end of the world was coming with Barack Obama’s election. I am a liberal and a Democrat, and I think my letter speaks for the majority of us. To conservatives and Republicans, I and my fellow liberals and Democrats hereby make these promises to you:
1. We will respect you for your conservative beliefs. We will never call you unpatriotic simply because you disagree with us.
2. We will let you marry whomever you want; who you marry is none of our business.
3. We will not spend your grandchildren’s money on personal whims or to enrich our friends.
4. When we soon bring our children and grandchildren home from Iraq, we will bring yours home, too. We will never send them off to war based on a lie.
5. When we become the last Western democracy to have universal health coverage, we promise that you, too, can see a doctor regardless of your ability to pay. When stem cell research finds cures, we will make sure they are available to your family as well.
6. Even though you opposed environmental regulation, when we clean up the water and air, we will let your family drink and breathe it, too.
7. Should a mass murderer kill 3,000 people on our soil, we will hunt him down and bring him to justice. We will protect you.
8. We won’t take away your hunting guns. If you need automatic assault weapons to kill a deer, you aren’t much of a hunter. The carnage at the mall in Omaha and other places has to end.
9. When we raise the minimum wage, we will pay you and your employees that new wage, too. When women make equal pay with men, we will pay conservative women that same wage, too.
10. We will not tolerate corrupt politicians who are bought and paid for by the rich. I promise this because this is your country, too.
You are every bit as American as we are. We sink or swim together. Let’s see if we can make things better for our 300 million fellow American — and the rest of the world.
Steve Schukar, Lincoln
Some perspective
I think these rants about William Ayers being a “terrorist” are misguided. Let’s put this in perspective. I wear two slogan buttons proudly. One says, “War is terrorism,” and the other says “Killing one person is murder; killing 100,000 is foreign policy.”
Vincent Sullivan, Crete
Longer limit for safe haven
I believe the safe haven law needs to be changed. However, I truly believe that the age limit needs to be expanded from the proposed 3 days old to at least 2 years old. I have e-mailed all of our state senators on this belief as well as Gov. Dave Heineman.
We have too many children in this state who are the victims of child abuse. Especially Shaken Baby Syndrome.
If we expanded the age limit to 2 years old, maybe we could save some of these children’s lives if parents and caregivers knew they had the option to drop off the child before they abused them.
I also believe we need to propose a plan or establish a committee to look into providing more assistance to these families who feel they have nowhere to turn with their older children.
We as a community need to put our children and their well-being first.
Kim Morsett, Raymond
Give Obama break
“NOW WHAT?” was the headline in big white letters (LJS, Nov. 6) with the question mark running right into the face of Barack Hussein Obama, our next president.
On day two after the election, we should give him a break. He does not begin his first hundred days in office until late January of next year.
Nina Williamson, Lincoln
Post Your Comment
Standards and RulesYour posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
Have you NOT read up on Mr. Ayers???? He was one of the LEADERS of the Weather Underground. Check your FACTS. He has not denied participating in bombings many years ago. Check for yourself. He does NOT deny this.
"Those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it" "
Although your list is well intended, there are obvious mistakes that a lot of liberals take as truths.
3. Tell Murtha who has the largest amount of earmarks in govermental history that he isn't spending our grandchildrens money to keep his constituants happy.
4. A lie? Tell that to Clinton, Pelosi, Kennedy, Kerry and so on who voted FOR the war before they voted against it.
5.Universal health care which will include illegal aliens? Canada isn't doing so well with thiers.
8. There is no such thing as a automatic weapon used in hunting or for self protection, they are all semi auto. Assult weapon is a Clinton term that doesn't mean a thing except it looks military. Still shoots one bullet for every pull of the trigger. Obama has voted for laws that threaten our second ammendment rights, when he wasn't voting "present"
19. Politicians like Dodd, Frank, and the others in the democratic party, including Obama who got huge donations from freddy and fannie, who used f&f as a cash cow? Now f&f wants a bailout.
I too wish our country was doing better but I don't see any poltician with the answers we really need, even Obama. Lets see where we are in another year, you (or I) may have to eat our words. "
The spewing of lies and propaganda have been surging from Bush and his cronies at a shockingly unprecedented rate, more than at any time in our nation's history. There are so many corrupt Americans along with Bush, who hear the sound of cash registers whenever terrorism is mentioned and/or occurs.
The Bush administration was proud to provide the massive opitulation to defense, spying, and evisceration of rights that have continued unabated. We have to ask ourselves, who is the Bush government at war with? And why does Bush and the US Strategic Command believe that the American people are the enemy? "
we,are children & grandchildren will be paying cause of BUSHES policies of
spend, spend, spend. How many of us have lost our retirements because of
BUSHES econmics for the Rich, take away from the middle class? What a mess you so called conservatives have made of our country. "
I support an increase in the minimum wage, and i want a clean environment.
And I don't want corrupt politicians. Have you spoken out against those on your side who fail to declare thousands in income for renting out the villa (Rangel) or who get the sweetheart deal on the home mortgage, while turning a blind eye to the bad banking practices of the company that holds your mortgage (Dodd). I have said that Stevens and others should resign. And most of the GOP has asked that Stevens resign.
I am not young, but I have never had a problem with equal work for equal pay. If there is a problem, I have not seen it in the last 25 years. "
But it's just as Ovid once said:
Promittas facito:pollicitis dives quilibet esse potest.
Translation: Make lots of promises; anybody can be rich in them. "
You see, your statement basically confirms the Democrat party view to me...that they consider ANY semi-automatic (different from fully-automatic) to be an assault weapon. There are many semi-automatic firearms on the market with legitimate hunting uses, but again, hunting is not protected. The 2nd Amendment guarantees the people the right to keep and bear arms for the security of a free state. Now, we hold these truths to be self-evident, that criminals don't care about laws, and gun bans don't stop or even reduce crime. Take a look at Washington DC if you want an example.
One final note...I will no longer be putting off the purchase of the handgun I have wanted for some time...because I fear that in a couple years, the Democrats will have already begun their efforts to disarm the citizenry. Have you ever considered the notion that the Von Maur shooting would have had a much lower death toll had people taken the responsibility for their safety upon themselves? I forget though, I'm talking to a wall. The ol' Ben Franklin quote, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety," only applies when the government is listening to your phone convo with grandma. "
If we don't start working towards the middle our country will splinter, and divide and them it wont be a country anymore. "
Re your comment #5, Canada's Universal Health Care program is okay. Unless you have lived there and used it you don't really know. Nobody ends up bankrupt because they were unlucky enough to have a catastrophic illness in their life. And by the way, Canadians pay for their health care throught their employer. It is still insurance. And they still buy supplemental insurance. "
And, since my daughter lives in Canada, I happen to know that they are doing very well with their health care system. Rumors prevail about people waiting for surgeries, etc. They are just rumors . . .
Please, for America's sake, help the country and don't sit back and hope that "democrats fail", because that attidude helps NO ONE, including republicans. Thank you. "
If anyone is offended by your letter, it is simply because the Truth Hurts.
It's time we give America back to the people. When to the War Crimes trial start? (See Constitution Article 1, Section 10). "
So you think to speak for everyone who isn't a conservative.
1.If you believe that burning and stating as President Elect that you do not respect the Flag or our National Anthem that that is patriotic. You and I have 2 different views about what patiotism is. No matter who has been if office I may have not agreed with policy but I HAVE ALWAYS RESPECTED MY FLAG AND MY COUNTRY.
2. The laws read that marriage is between a man and a women. I think if partners want to get married then they should have the laws changed. But don't tell me I have to teach my children that this is a normal wasy of life and that it needs to be taught in their classes. My husband and I teach our children tolerance with our beliefs.
3. As for spending my childrens and my grandchildrens money- that has already been done by our wonderful Legislature. Our own parents may not have the Social Security Money they paid in all those years- I don't expect to ever see any Social Security for myself or my children.
4. You say you will bring our children back from Iraq. Maybe you should fact check. President Elect Obama intends to beef up our troops in Afghanistan and it is more dangerous there for our children. As for Iraq even Clinton Obama and the rest of your Democrats Ok'd the war based on the facts that everyone had at the time.
5. Univeral Health Care does not work! I have friends in Canada that bring their family members here to the US to receive treatment for cancer. I also speak as a mom of a 9 year old child that has no insurance due to a birth defect. I pay out of my pocket for every single bill he has. I think we need to change our current Health System to include that every child has a right to coverage. That everyone has a right to coverage and that coverage should not cost so much that you have to decide between having the insurance or using the money to buy groceries. If we tried for Cobra Insurance on our child the premium would be over $1000.00 a month for him alone. We already pay that for his twin and myself and husband. But we still have the right to choose our Doctors and when we get the care we want. Can you say that about Universal Health Care? Just look to Kaiser Permanente - The voards decide what procedures you need and when - Not the Doctors. Same for Universal Health Care.
6. We as a conservative family already help protect our environment. Teaching our children to value clean air and water too. What do you do?
7. Hasn't Bush and Congress been doing exactly that? Have you seen another terrorist attack on our country since 2001? President Bush and our congress HAVE been protecting us. I feel safer with Homeland Security protecting our Airlines and our Country.
8. I don't believe you need fully automatic weapons to 'hunt' however a law-abiding citizen has the right under the 2nd amendment to own guns and to protect his home. We have laws in effect that say children and criminals can not own any type of weapon but who do you see breaking the law and using weapons to commit crimes? It is not the person who owns guns and obeys the laws it is the very ones who shouldn't have a weapon in the first place. Maybe instead of using $'s to change gun laws we should spend the time on actually fighting the gangs and people committing the crimes. Makes too much sense to me.
9. You have to get the Democrats to agree with the Republicans to get the minimum wage increased. And with passing a law to increase the minimum wage DO NOT ALLOW ANY PORK TO BE ADDED WITH THE BILL.
10. You won't tolerate corrupt politicians????? Maybe you should move to another country- Oh wait - is there a country anywhare that doesn't have corrupt politicians. I think that this is a universal problem. Also there are corrupt politicians on both sides of the aisle.
So Steve if we want change we have to watch everything Obama does and watch what Congress does and if we don't like it then we write our Congressmen and tell them what we think afterall we elected them (or not) but they serve us not themselves! "
However, her remark about Iraq and President elect Obama sending our troops to Afghanistan ... I don't want to speak for anyone else here, but I fro one welcome that idea. Maybe if President Bush would have had the wisdom to do this we would not be in the mess we are in. And trust me, we are in a mess. The war in Iraq has darn near bankrupted this country, both fiscally and mentally. People would not be so downhearted if we were in Afghanistan fighting against the people who attacked us, as opposed to occupying Iraq and acting as police in a civil disturbance.
If we are going to come out of this mess, we all have to come together and make it work. We can't have the D's blaming Bush, or the R's claiming "this is day 9 of the Obama recession". Both sides need to come together and make it happen. Either that or we start our own party. Take all the moderates in this country and run our own candidates. I am just as tired of the far left as I am the far right. I still think this is the greatest country on Earth. Will our children be able to say the same? "
To start I will concede that I did vote for Obama in the last election solely based on the foreign policy of the Bush administration. Bush's only defense often times comes in the form of, "Well, we haven't been attacked since September 11th." Great point, but I think we tend to forget that the last major attack before that came on December 7th 1941... So tell me, which president gets the credit for the time in between where there was not an attack on our soil?
Enough ranting though, it's time for the meat and potatoes. News Flash! Democrat? Republican? It doesn't matter who is in the White House because 99.9% of the CHANGE in your life depends on YOUR ACTIONS, not the actions of your federal government. Either party will provide us with roads, schools, clean water, protection, etc. These political marketing machines have us pointing fingers at one another in order to win elections when the ones we should be looking at is ourselves. If you want life to improve in America, start by improving your own, the rest will fall into place. Spend time with your family to build relationships and a next generation of integrity and moral fiber. Take classes to further educate yourself and improve your earning potential. Volunteer and have pride in your community. Whether you work as a carpenter or the governor, work hard, there is honor in any occupation.
Democrat? Republican? Just labels, people make the difference. "
I really think Democrats should and have pretty much pulled this plank out of the platform.....it still may take them a generation or two to start attracting some of the votes from the NRA kool aid gang. "
History has shown that socialism is a failed method of government. Conservatism has done for this country in a little over 200 years what socialism has failed to achieve for centuries around the world. "
Thank you for explicitly stating how many rights you intend on using a government gun to violate (paragraphs 5,6,8,9). "
I was Catholic for thirty years and now Atheist for the past 24 years, and I have more morals, scruples, and human values, than most of the self proclaimed Christians I know.
Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. "
I know I would have a lot fewer objections to supporting Democrats if they could detach themselves completely from their support of gun-control measures. That is not to say that I am a single-issue voter, because there are various issues on which I typically part ways with the Dems...but these are typically not issues of Constitutional law. I consider protection of our Constitutional rights paramount.
I strongly urge EVERYONE, Republican and Democrat alike, to research and familiarize yourself with the now-defunct 1994 'Assault Weapons Ban', and learn what it actually did in terms of public safety. I think most people will find that it was a useless piece of legislation that attached a negative stigma to they way certain weapons 'look'...but did not address any of the aspects of how a weapon functions. I say this because many Democrats have stated their desire to revive this ban. People really need to get over their fear of how a certain gun looks, and become more familiar with the functionality of a weapon...and how many 'evil-looking' 'assault-style' weapons are functionally identical to many well-established hunting weapons.
Probably the best piece of legislation on guns has been around for YEARS...the 'National Firearms Act of 1934'. Again, I strongly recommend that people read about this act...as it is probably the most important and effective pieces of 'gun control' legislation on the books...and it is one that I fully support. "
I suspect you are relying on the many, many smear e-mails (or perhaps FOX News) for your idea that Obama does not respect the flag. President Elect Obama’s website refutes that smear:
http://fightthesmears.com/articles/7/patriot
I, like most Americans, was raised to love and respect the U.S. flag and the National Anthem (which is actually about the Stars & Stripes). However, I think 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.
Some have chosen to express their dissatisfaction with the U.S. by burning or otherwise destroying the flag. Still others have proposed passing laws which would turn such symbolic acts into crimes. If a man in North Korea were arrested for stomping on a photo of Kim Jong Il, we would condemn his arrest as a form of political repression. However, if a man in Lincoln were arrested for stomping on a U.S. flag that he purchased at Wal-Mart, many of us would not recognize that as the same type of political repression. Many would say the man should be arrested for harming a flag, because we've forgotten that the flag is just a symbol.
The flag is a symbol of our ideals, ideals which include the ability to freely express your beliefs, even unpopular beliefs. When someone burns a U.S. flag, we should be proud that they have the freedom to do so, even if they do not appreciate it. "
2. The comments from the right (and religious right) reveal more about themselves than it does about any of the issues. Just relax, the country will not fall apart. Obama will prove himself to be a good & fair leader.
3. Sean1 - Very good. Here's one for you: Quid Quid Latin Dictum Sit Altum Videtur. (Translation: Anything said in Latin seems more profound) "
People in Canada buy supplemental for the same reason people do here. No one has ever said that all Universal coverages cover everything-just everyone. Each country's version is different. What you all fail to see is that we can make it whatever we want here. "
SO WHAT! It's luck no body else was killed, there were plenty of people to walk past those bombs when they were set. The intention was to kill, maim, terrorize, and drive home a far left message. It could've been anyone, including someone in your family, to walk next to those bombs when they ignited at police headquarters, the Pentagon, and the Capitol building. "
The last week or so of McCains campaign, really had people upset with the fear of Socialism. It's just a dirty campaign people and mostly false. And it goes both ways.
The Karl Rove style E-mails that are constantly forwarded around are very hateful and false. Most thinking adults should know that. I cannot understand why so many of my Republican friends are all upset because of this stuff. Is it a case of some anonymous source telling you what you want to hear?
Last but not least, the polarization of America can also be attributed to Republican talk radio. Listening to comedians like Limbaugh, and ignorant brats like Hannity........hmmm.... it does boil down to someone telling one what they want to hear.
Being called an Anti-American traitor, because you disagreed with the Bush war in Iraq, doesn't help either. "
Did they anticipate the types of weapons that have been developed over the years? Probably not...but it seems to me that they wanted the citizens to be able to defend themselves from all enemies, both foreign and domestic. In modern times, the only way to do that is to arm yourself as well as your assailant. Now, I realize that terrorists overseas are packing fully automatic AK-47's...but we have our military to fight them. The enemies that WE need to worry about, as citizens, are the criminals that roam our streets. We know that the criminals have semi-automatic handguns...so why shouldn't law-abiding citizens be able to arm themselves accordingly? Remember, the police aren't your bodyguards, and the response time for an officer to arrive at the scene of the crime is about 8 minutes. That means that, if you call the police at the very first sign of danger, you have an 8 minute wait before the cops arrive. If you're willing to gamble your life on an 8 minute wait...go ahead, but I'm not.
BTW, weapons with "burst" capability are considered machine guns. A 'machine gun' as defined in the National Firearms Act of 1934, is any firearm that "can fire more than 1 cartridge per trigger pull." Because it is regulated by that Act...further gun control legislation will not have any affect on 'burst'-fire weapons. "
1. If you in fact respect our conservative beliefs, please demonstrate it by finding out what at least some of our beliefs are. Feel free to call us unpatriotic if we vote to go to war and then hate Obama so much we hope our country will lose because a loss will make Obama look bad.
2. Glad to hear you will let me "marry whomever" I want; I've sort of had my eye on the Jones twins. I trust you will be be putting a stop to the irrational persecution based on your secular beliefs of polygamists and others with whom you do not agree.
3. At least you are honest, by implication if not directly - you admit you plan to spend my "grandchildren's money," just not "on personal whims or to enrich our friends.". May I ask what you do intend to spend my "grandchildren’s money" on? If you put me, a conservative, in power I will not spend "your grandchildren's money" at all.
4. When you bring our children and grandchildren home soon from Iraq, it will be in Victory and not in defeat, thanks to the steadfastness of your current President whom you hate. Please become literate enough know the definition of the word "lie." To lie requires an intent to deceive and does not include actions based on inaccurate or incorrect intelligence even if you hate the actor.
5. The questions are, after "we become the last Western democracy to have universal health coverage," will you allow me to continue to pay for my own health care by my own doctor if I want to? Will you allow me to continue to refuse to pay for stem cell research, as I have continuously allowed you to pay for stem cell research, or will you send IRS agents to my home to take my money by force or threat of force to pay for it?
6. I know the concept is technical so you probably missed it, but there is a difference between sane and insane environmental legislation and but I have only opposed the latter. How nice of you to be willing to continue to allow my family and I to continue to drink our own water and breathe our own air (i.e. to live).
7. The question is not will you protect me from criminals, which you cannot, but will you protect me (or even allow me to protect myself) from Muslim extremists who wish to cut off the heads of infidels (the worst of which in their view are liberals) and eliminate any form of government (e.g. The Great Satan) which protects such infidels from being brought to Sharia justice?
8. The question is not will you take away my hunting guns - I'm too old and frail to do much hunting. The question is will you allow me the weapons I need in my deteriorated condition to defend myself in my own home. I hope Farakhan is correct President Obama is the Messiah, as only the return of the Messiah and not gun control which will end, "The carnage at the mall in Omaha and other places..."
9. I congratulate you on a fairly clear statement of your Marxist philosophy. You state I as a business owner will have my income reduced to the minimum wage as will the income of my secretary who is now paid well above minimum. This will of course provide conservative as well as liberal women with the same miserable pay you envision for men. Do me a favor and leave Wal Mart and McDonalds out of your minimum wage plan so my secretary and I can get on with them and do a little better.
10. I'm glad to hear you "will not tolerate corrupt politicians who are bought and paid for;" hopefully you can start by prosecuting Senators Obama, Clinton and Dodd as well as Representative Frank and other Democrats who got big bucks from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and triggered this recession.
My concern is not that the end of the world is coming with the election of Barak Obama; we survived and prospered under Bill Clinton after all. My only real fear is that President Obama, like Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt before him, will with no opposition in Congress take steps to "help" an economy in recession and create another Depression so severe it takes a World War to come out of it. As you say, "We sink or swim together." Let’s see if we can pull together to keep the government from economic actions which will harm our 300 million fellow American — and the rest of the world. "
Is'nt it interesting that liberals are all about unity and coming together now that Obama has been elected, where were you the last 8 years? "
Get over it? Do you even know Georgie's middle name?
What a bunch of racists! "
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2006-11-14 "
Give me a break. Half the things you mentioned are no more related to the democratic party than they are the republican party!
Furthermore, I voted for Obama, but don't act like YOU'LL do anything! That letter was cheap and childish. If you truly want to be a uniter and not a divider it means you have to stop the childish antics too! Give me a break! "
It wasn't the conservative party that ran up 10 trillion in debt it was the Republican party and I didn't agree to it then or now. There is a fiscal part to conservatism that wasn't even in place when Regan was in office and that is a big part of the problem. And BTW watch as Obama takes that 10 trillion up to 20 or 30 trillion.
To the other Brent
By socialism I mean the actual definition of socialism which is a stage of society transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done. None of the countries you site are true socialist countries (France is close) and none of those countries has contributed even a fraction of the humanitarian, technological, or financial assistance to the world as the US has. I state again that no other country has achieved in their centuries of existence the success this country has achieved in a little over 200 years. It is capitalism that has allowed us to achieve this success.
To RE Brent,
I do not expect to receive SS or medicare even though I have been paying into it for 20 years because your liberal govt has bankrupted these programs. That is why I set aside a portion of my weekly pay for retirement.
As for "cutting the list of handouts" that you speak of, do you really think that is what Obama is going to do? Of course not, he is going to need to increase the number of people dependant on the govt for everything they need in order to justify the unfair confiscation of the hard earned money the middle class makes. "
And capatalism does work..as long as there are oversites, and enforced regulations, to keep corporate America in check. It's when big business is allowed to do what ever it wants, or effect legislation to it's benefit ( like now!) that there are major problems, ( like now!).
And you are wrong, there are countrys who have socialist systems, democratic socialism, and they work just fine.
To those who say they dread universal health care, remember, we are the last western democracy who does NOT have universal health care, even though we pay way more than any other country, and we also have the worst citizen's health outcomes, and our infant mortality rates are up with third world countrys, so maybe we are doing something wrong, and those others are doing something right? "
The US gives nearly 20 billion dollars a year in aid to foreign countries and US citizens contributed nearly 300 billion dollars a year to charitable organizations. I attribute all of this to capitalism, the free market, and people free to be generous with their earnings in a capitalist society.
I agree with you when you say that big business needs a certain amount of oversight. But I would also argue that big government needs an even greater amount of oversight. Big business accepts risk with their decisions big govt does not. Our current economic crises is a direct result of big govt pressuring govt regulated financial institutions (Fannie and Freddie) to make loans to high risk individuals.
Please name those countries with socialists governments that are doing better than the US.
As for healthcare name one country with govt run healthcare that has a truly successful health care system. Does our system need improvement...yes. Is gov't control of our healthcare system the solution...no. Getting control of the cost of healthcare is the solution and that will not happen until the healthcare providers have to compete for the services they provide with other health care providers in an open market. Because when they have to compete with each other they will no longer be able to charge $300 for a single Tylenol. This will bring the cost of healthcare down to an affordable level for anyone who wants healthcare.
And just so you do not think evil of me, yes I do believe there should be a programs for those who truly can not afford health care but this does not include those who are so lazy that they want to sit around and watch Jerry Springer all day while the rest of us work to pay their healthcare. "