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Letters, 12/5: Fight for Lincoln’s interests

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Friday, Dec 05, 2008 - 12:18:45 am CST

I think Will and Robert Scott are awesome and have done a lot of great projects for Lincoln, but that doesn’t mean I would like to see jobs leave Lincoln!

We have to remember that we elect members of the City Council to fight for Lincoln, and that is exactly what Robin Eschliman is doing. We want our elected officials to support the best interests of Lincoln no matter if it means standing up to local developers or anyone else.

In these times, we need more people like Robin Eschliman who will fight for Lincoln, so I hope those criticizing her (editorial, Nov. 28) will use their energy to instead go out and do something good for Lincoln — that will be much more productive!

Melissa Beecher, Lincoln

Another heinous act

As I count the days until the Bush/Cheney quasi-cabal are consigned to history, as long as history is written (as one historian put it), I’ve started to become more optimistic that the America I grew up in soon will be restored.   

But in the blink of an eye, with only days left until we’re free of men who know less about the Constitution than my dog, they commit another anti-American act: They station active-duty combat troops inside the borders of the United States.

The big picture: If the brain-trust hadn’t lied to the public about Iraq having WMDs with intent to use (and to do so before the U.N. weapons experts had finished their second search for WMDs) to scare the nation (I was part of the minority who wanted to verify), the Republican Congress wouldn’t have had solid cover to give the green light.

Further, had then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld listened to the military commanders without cherry-picking just a few who said we didn’t need to send many troops, we wouldn’t have had to send our National Guard and Reserves overseas. So, they’d be here, equipped and ready.

And since they’ve shown time and again the ability to successfully confront an enemy on his own ground, I am completely confident they could take care of us at home in the unlikely event they were called to do so.

Steve Poots, Seward

Here’s an idea

Instead of the government throwing more money at Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Big Three of the auto industry to the tune of billions of dollars, why not try the following: give everyone of voting age in the United States $1 million.

It would give the economy an instant push. What would people do? Why, they’d pay bills, buy houses, cars, groceries, etc. All parts of the economy would be stimulated, and can you imagine the boost to national morale?

I’m no Alan Greenspan, but his deregulation ideas didn’t seem to work too well.

Why not give it a try? It makes more sense than pouring cash into a senseless war.

Bob Pinkerton, Weeping Water


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Give it a rest wrote on December 5, 2008 1:47 am:
" Steve you are too busy chasing black helicopters, need to do a reality check. The plan is to station small section units of active duty NBC (Nuclear,Biological,Chemical) troops throughout the country in order to ensure a quick response to any NBC attack. Until the civilian sector can manage and train up to the standards required a very wise decesion. Now if something were to happen, lets say some radical takes a babyfood jar of Sarin down into Penn Station in NYC and threw it down releasing the agent, the first ones to blame Bush for not being prepared would be people like yourself Steve. We have in the last half century deployed active duty combat forces on US soil, US Army active duty combat troops patroled the Eastern Seaboard in 1940,41 before we were at war, the 82nd Airborne deployed under arms to Arkansas during the school intergration period of the 50's, active duty elements from Ft Hood deployed and actually took arms against the group in WACO, after 9/11 combat troops were deployed at many important transportation, communication and infastruture facilities. I stood guard on a resovior in upstate NY as an active duty Infantryman from the 10th Mountian Division, fully armed. In a time of war prudence and preparation require that the civilian authorities have the ability to ask assistance from the active componants. The difference is that active duty personnel cannot act as a "law enforcement" body outside of a military instalation, but under law may be deployed within the borders to protect the critical strategic and logistical assets as required for National Defence or National Emergency.
Oh and by the way, your statement of "They station active-duty combat troops inside the borders of the United States.", reality check, Ft Benning, Ft Bragg, Ft Lewis, Camp Lajune, Quantico as well as many more, are all the home of active duty armed forces to include combat troops, just an FYI. "

 DB wrote on December 5, 2008 7:16 am:
" Melissa, Robin needs to quit telling someone how to run their business. Let the Scotts run their company the way they know best.

Government needs to stay out of private business. Isn't that what free enterprise is all about? Less government interference and isn't that what the republicans preach all the time? Less government intervention in the private sector?

How would Robin like it if someone on the city council would tell her how she should run her company?

Could she be upset because she didn't get sale or lease on that land? Smells like a conflict of interest on her part. "

 to Steve wrote on December 5, 2008 7:51 am:
" I have had the pleasure of working with several Kurds. I have found them to be hard working, industrious people. But please ask them why they are here. Please tell them that there was no WMD. Maybe the weapons were not there when we went in, but they existed at one time. It is sad for me to see these people with their second families, knowing that their first family was killed by Sadaam. "

 Stevey wrote on December 5, 2008 8:12 am:
" Stevie, Stevie, Stevie and to Zoomie some where out there:
FYI we won in Iraq, Iraq's dually elected government by free people of Iraq voted to accept complete withdrawal of troops by 2011. All this done under George Bush's watch. It will go down as Bush's won the war not Obama. I will admit there were mistakes made as in all wars but corrections were made and victory is once again shined on our brave men and women of the military. Bush got the troops out not Obama. But I am sure through your pure hatred for another human being that you will twist this around.
Also our rights were far more infringed during WW 11 then now. Look it up. "

 Record wrote on December 5, 2008 9:13 am:
" The good ole USA gave Saddam those weapons used against the kurds. Gassing them was wrong of course but under Bush 1 nobody seemed to be losing much sleep over it. Worse yet, our radio messages encouraged the kurds to take action against Saddam suggesting we'd come to the rescue. Which, as you know, we didn't. And now you know the rest of the story. Sad, isn't it? "

 Chris wrote on December 5, 2008 9:52 am:
" I question how firm a grasp anyone who charactizes the current administration as a "cabal", has on our Constitution. I have to also anyone who is an ardent partisan from either of the two major parties probably has some serious misunderstandings about our Constitution and the nature of of our government, which in theory is suppose to govern by the consent of the people. "

 Hey Record wrote on December 5, 2008 10:06 am:
" I'd like to know your source that states the USA sold Saddam MUSTARD GAS, A WMD!!! Be prepared to state your sources when you make such a claim! "

 Actually Record wrote on December 5, 2008 11:01 am:
" The gassing was in 1988, where both Ronald Reagan and his VP, George HW Bush looked away, ignored the gassing, by their ally, Saddam Hussein. "

 MarkyMark wrote on December 5, 2008 11:20 am:
" I don't know why any of this would surprise people. Our leaders have a history of getting into bed with the wrong "allies". Aside from their full support of Sadaam Hussein, who were the US leaders who financed and funneled weapons to the Taliban, and helped make a big wheel freedom fighter out of Osama bin Laden?

If you said Reagan-Bush, you are right. "

 book reccomendation wrote on December 5, 2008 12:23 pm:
" If you really want to know the truth read "terrorism: Theirs and Ours" "

 What about what wrote on December 5, 2008 12:53 pm:
" Thanks for the quotes from the Limbaugh Letter "what about". "

 Looking Back wrote on December 5, 2008 12:57 pm:
" It is very easy to look in hindsight and pick out the errors. But to have to make world decesions based on infirmation and events unfolding right then and there is not as easy. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in order to expand it into a puppet state and threatened to further destabilize the area, a decesion was made. No direct American involvement, but we will assist the forces that were fighting the Soviets and give them a "fighting chance". Looking back the Mujahadin were the "freedom fighters" and recieved the help needed. After the Soviets left the resulting power void led to the more radical Taliban and other more radical elements to emerge in powerfull positions. We assisted the Soviets in 1941-1945 and look how well that worked out for the "Cold War" period, maybe if the Nazi's took Soviet Russia there would have never been a "Cold War" costing trillions. Again hindsight is always 20/20.
50 years from now when non partisan historians review this period in our history the mistakes will be pointed out, the outcome reviewed and a more "fair" decesion on history will be made. Right now there are just to many agenda's and political bias to clearly see what all this means to the history of man. "

 Wow reading wrote on December 5, 2008 1:52 pm:
" I suspect our lack of study and reading causes us to immediately brand
or blame our Presidents and/or country. However, there is a book recently
out, right close to home, that is very interesting and informative, both
on a personal note and history that even shows how history repeats itself.
The book called, "DOORWAY TO FREEDOM", by William P Ramsey & Betty Shrier
right here in Nebraska, is a story about a man with a great gift and
a bit of luck, who was highly responsible for bringing Grand Island to the
fore. The book is The Story of David Kaufmann. Not only G.I. but as a
little child I barely remember this man and his kindness also in his Kearney dime store. Then those he associated with for business purposes
with stores in Lexington & elsewhere, and even a later generation
operating one in Omaha. This was a very kind and giving man and a book
you'll never forget. Only if today, there were more people like him,
for instance in Lincoln, this would be a giving and growing happy city.
He missed the holacost and came here and even though I was little, he
became a giant in my eyes, and little did I know of all his life's
kindness and giving. Having lived in another state later, I knew of
many such giving people that are still giving of their lives and fortunes
to this day. "

 To Hey Record wrote on December 5, 2008 2:05 pm:
" Glad to oblige your request on behalf of Record:

"Throughout 1989 and 1990, U.S. companies, with the permission of the administration of the first President Bush, sent the government of Saddam
Hussein tons of mustard gas precursors, live cultures for bacteriological
research, helped to build a chemical weapons factory, supplied West Nile
virus, supplied fuel air explosive technology and computers for weapons
technology, and hydrogen cyanide precursors, and computers for weapons research and development, and vacuum pumps and bellows for nuclear weapons plants."

Source: Congressional Record - House, September 18, 2002, H6361 "

 Outside the Box wrote on December 5, 2008 2:47 pm:
" Melissa - In the time you have lived in Lincoln, have you ever shopped for, or purchased a good or service outside the city limits? If so, Robin will probably be upset with you too.

Ms. Eschilman may have Lincoln's best interest at heart, but by using her council seat as a bully pulpit to publicly shame the Scotts, she did not help the impression that Lincoln is anti-business.

If she has concerns with how the Scotts run their business, she should discuss outside of the media. "

 Scott Eldred wrote on December 5, 2008 2:47 pm:
" While I agree with Mr. Pinkertons assessment about throwing money and lives at a senseless war, making millionaires of all american adults would be disastrous!!Think of the percentage of slackers that would up and quit their jobs! You would have the money to go to the finest restaurants but there would be no one to wait on you or cook your food because they all quit!
I'm not singling out the food industry by any means.It is just one example.
Department stores,mechanics,carpenters,clerical workers....POOF! They all quit because of the cash.
It seems like a good idea, but the outcome would be disastrous. "

 To record wrote on December 5, 2008 3:00 pm:
" You forgot to write that the statement about Bush giving Saddam supplies to gas the kurds was according to Dennis Kucinich, also stated by Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. I don't believe anything that comes from Moore's mouth as complete truth. But did you know the non-profit American Type Culture Collection and the Centers for Disease Control sold or sent biological samples to Iraq under Saddam Hussein up until 1989, which Iraq claimed it needed for MEDICAL RESEARCH. These materials included anthrax, West Nile virus and botulism, as well as Brucella melitensis. At the time, it would appear it was an innocent need. But somehow this should be also blamed on Bush. "

 re To Hey Record wrote on December 5, 2008 3:09 pm:
" Those were comments from far left liberal Dennis Kucinich D-OH. http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/77531&id=8217594

All of the sudden his opinions are the record? "

 Zoomie wrote on December 5, 2008 3:56 pm:
" Since I was invited to comment by Stevey...We've "won" in Iraq? Given more than 1,000 Iraqis per year are still being killed, given the Kurds are still running a virtually autonomous nation, given the nation is only held together by the "glue" of the US Army and Marines, I'd say declaring victory now is, well, as silly as Bush's peacock walk on the deck of that aircraft carrier five years ago! Complete withdrawal by 2011! Good news! But wasn't that just a few months ago "retreat", "surrender" and "giving in to the terrorists" by giving the bad guys a timeline for withdrawal? Yet more evidence this is only true when a Democrat does it, but its "victory" when a Republican does it! But Stevey gives the game away when he proclaims by declaring NOW that we'll be out by 2011 (under Obama's watch) and this means Bush really won, he makes clear the declaration of victory is only so the GOP can claim they won the war (no matter how it actually turns out when it really ends, and without any responsibility for the total mismanagement of the war for more than 5 years!). And why do I care that there were more violations of Constitutional rights occurred in WW2? I wasn't taught repeating the mistakes of the past was good policy! Quite the opposite! But apparently the GOP see repeating the mistakes of the past as some right or obligation!
Oh, and US firms (as has been documented) provided Saddam with everything he needed for a chemical and biological WMD program, which he used in 1986 against his own people. Liberal groups documented and complained and called for action to stop him. For almost 2yrs the Reagan Admin claimed it was really done by the Iranians (remember, this was during the 10yr Iran/Iraq war, started by Iraq), before being forced to admit it was Saddam. Reagan publically admonished Saddam, but took no real action against him and send his special envoy, Rumsfeld, to pose with his good buddy, Saddam, and assure him what Reagan said could be ignored. So if you seriously believe we should have stopped Saddam, it was in the late '80s, when the GOP controlled the military. It didn't happen! By 2003, guess what? NO WMD!!! UN Inspectors in country, finding exactly nothing; State Department's intell agency, INR, reporting the evidence was NO WMD! Ignored by Bush/Cheney! And no, there was ZERO evidence of any relationship between al-Quada and Saddam (they distrusted, even hated, each other!). And making Iraq a free and happy democracy was never presented as an excuse for war until after it was obvious there was no WMD and no al-Quada! "

 Sorry Record wrote on December 5, 2008 4:12 pm:
" To all you revisionists.
By 1987 the evidence that Iraq was using Bacillus Anthracis, Brucella Melitensis & the like for chemical weapons used on Iran and the Kurds was so overwhelming that even Congress voted to discontinue funding Sadaam's regime. President Reagan vetoed the legislation citing his belief that the threat of an Iranian victory was far greater. The point is not whether Reagan was right or wrong, or even if he knew about it from the start. What IS undeniable is that he knowingly continued to support Sadaam even after the program was exposed. "Innocent medical research" indeed. "

 More on mustard gas wrote on December 5, 2008 4:13 pm:
" On February 9th, 1994, Donald W. Riegle, Jr. delivered a report, commonly referred to as The Riegle Report to the U.S. Senate regarding the health of Gulf War veterans. In the report, Senator Riegle cites evidence that biological and chemical weapons were used against American and Czechoslovakian troops, and that some of the bacteriological agents developed and used by Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War in Iraq originated from within the United States. Senator Riegle implicates the U.S. Department of Commerce as well as the American Type Culture Collection in the shipment of these agents.

Although Riegle started his political career as a moderate Republican, he switched parties in 1973, so that probably invalidates his report. "

 Truth Hurts wrote on December 5, 2008 4:24 pm:
" What hindsight? The sad truth is, George W. Bush and his gang from the "New American Century", tricked a gullible congress into going to war in Iraq, which was completely against our Constitution.

Weapons of mass destruction? The reason for the Iraq war was to drive up the price of oil for his constituents, make his new world order buddies happy, and last but not least, to make his daddy proud.

The incredible truth hurts. Bring on the trial. "

 Been There wrote on December 5, 2008 5:00 pm:
" Yes, lets bring on the trial, and include all the members of congress who viewed the intelligence also and voted for the war as co-conspirators. Please, the left calls Bush an idiot one minute and then smart enough to "fool" all of the nation into a war the next. I have been deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, and until you have been there and dealt with the average citizen who are, yes, glad we are there, you really have no room to comment on the conditions. We get the media reporting the standard "if it bleeds it leads" stories of negativity, yet seldom if ever a story on all the outstanding civil projects we have completed in both countries. The ville I was at in northern Iraq never saw clean water or a consistant and reliable electrical power supply until we along with the help of the locals built the power grid, drilled the well, and installed the purifacation system. And guess what not one reporter showed or saw that as a viable story for the American people. Yet the celebration and admiration of the people of that ville on the completion of the project will forever for me justify why I was there. "

 Truth Hurts wrote on December 5, 2008 9:31 pm:
" The fact that Congress saw only the intelligence that Bush/Cheney wanted them to, doesn't mean anything to you?

It is a major felony of the highest magnitude. "

 Lincoln Taxpayer wrote on December 6, 2008 11:35 am:
" To Been There
(clap clap clap clap) Thanks for your insight and for your service to your country.
How about running for office, I would vote for you. "

 Forgot wrote on December 8, 2008 1:17 pm:
" Been there forgot one thing. You probably don't need to build or rebuild infastructure if you hadn't bombed it to begin with. Did it take an invasion to generate clean water? Where are the other organizations (UN/peace corps, etc) having those objectives? We support the troops - but not the war in Iraq. It was totally unnecessary. Millions dead and displaced will never equal greeting us with open arms. Total cost one billion now reaching 2.5 trillion. Worst president ever. "

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