Letters to the editor

Republican spending puts drunken sailors to shame

James Smith [Letters, Sept. 15] implies I got my facts wrong regarding the $100 billion federal budget surplus left by Bill Clinton versus the $400 billion budget deficit in George W. Bush's final year. I stand by those figures. Smith tries to muddy the waters by citing figures for the national debt, another thing entirely.

The federal budget numbers are the yearly balance sheet, what we spent that year versus income from taxes. The national debt is the aggregate figure for all that the U.S. owes -- like your mortgage and the amount you owe on a car -- and it increases from running yearly budget deficits.

I am delighted to see Smith bring the national debt into the debate, because Republicans are truly awful stewards of the economy by any measure.

By the end of his second term, Bill Clinton had stopped the growth in the national debt, which had exploded under Reagan and Bush I. Deficit spending under Bush II quickly gave rise to another explosion in the national debt, now estimated at $9.7 trillion, a whopping increase of 70 percent.

Smith attributes the fiscal success of Clinton to the Republican Congress, which is patent nonsense. The recent record, when Republicans controlled all three branches of government, provides a much better example of unfettered GOP fiscal policy.

From fiscal year 2000 to fiscal year 2006, they increased spending by 48 percent. Even a drunken sailor would shake his head in disbelief.

STEVE BOCCKINO

Durham

Media misquote Palin

You may have heard that Sarah Palin said, "Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God." Charlie Gibson pulled that out on her in her interview on on ABC, asking her, "Are we fighting a holy war?" They edited out her objection that she didn't believe that was her exact quote. Gibson assured her, "It's exact words."

In reality, she had been speaking in her church to her congregation, and was not asserting that our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God; she was asking her congregation to pray that that be the case. Her exact words were:

"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

A promo posted on Yahoo! News continued to misrepresent the exchange. It displays Palin's image next to the words, "Iraq war a 'holy war?'" implying that Palin -- not Gibson -- had called the war on terror a holy war.

No wonder so many people have lost faith in the reliability of news media.

HAROLD 'MAC' MCFARLAND

Chapel Hill

September 17, 2008

Don't try to tell us Palin is a perfect fit for V.P.

I think it makes sense for all of us to cut to the chase in regards to the choice of Sarah Palin.

To say that a third-generation military man who graduated from West Point, and who fought in a war and who was a POW, and who has served in the U.S. Senate for over 30 years believes that a person with very little experience and no international education is the best choice as his back-up is silly. John McCain knows better. So do we.

So let us stop mentioning Alaska's proximity to Russia as relevant to anything; and being the mother of five as a qualification for an important (yes) and powerful position in this rich and influential country.

I find it embarrassing when her attendance at the PTA incites extreme adulation; when her leadership skills are exalted.

I am suggesting honesty: like it or not she was chosen so that John McCain has a shot at winning the election. Very simple. Do with it what you want but please do not try to convince anyone that she is the most capable person available, nor try to explain away her lack of so much. Nor why she and McCain are just now learning that they have several disagreements on certain issues.

That is John McCain's responsibility.

CLAIRE F. JENTSCH
Durham
September 16, 2008

Dole ran ads on 9/11

I note that while John McCain and Barack Obama had the decency to suspend political advertisements on Sept. 11, apparently, Elizabeth Dole did not. She approved the anti-Big Oil Kay Hagan advertisement I saw. Perhaps she has forgotten what happened on that day seven years ago. I don't think the rest of us have.

ROBERT G. HARRISON
Durham
September 16, 2008

Review Peterson case

I believe the Michael Peterson murder trial should be reviewed, given evidence of an owl feather found in Kathleen Peterson's hand. If she was attacked by an owl it would clear up a lot of loose ,and unexplained things, like why no weapon was found, and why Michael Peterson was not covered with blood splatter if he did stand over Kathleen Peterson and beat her as the state contended.

The talons of the owl are very sharp, inch and a half long, and the owl is very powerful. This would explain the deep gashes on Kathleen Peterson's head. In a panic, she could have fallen down the stairs, causing other injuries.

I think the case should be reviewed. Nothing is worse than to be in prison for something you did not do.

J. ALBRIGHT
Hillsborough
September 16, 2008

Obama our best hope

With the national debt in the trillions and the federal budget deficit at $407 billion, the Bush administration has spent more than any administration since Vietnam.

And yet we hear from some Americans: "I don't want my taxes raised, so I will vote for a short-tempered, 72-year-old, two-time cancer survivor and 90 percent Bush supporter who has chosen as his running mate someone with no foreign policy or national political experience, little familiarity with the truth, and apparently no understanding of the separation of church and state."

McCain's campaign is run by two corporate lobbyists, Charles Black and Rick Davis. They believe the election is about personalities, not issues.

I'm reminded of President Truman's saying: "How many times must we be hit in the head before we figure out who is doing the hitting?"

Let's hope most voters accept the reality that continuing the status quo will benefit no one.

Senator Obama has a brilliant mind, displays Christianity in his actions, and has amazing abilities to inspire, lead, make responsible judgements and unite contentious factions. He has vowed to end honorably the Iraq debacle and devote part of those freed-up billions to bolstering a stagnant economy, reducing taxes on the beleaguered middle class, cleaning up the federal government, finding alternatives to foreign oil, addressing the often deplorable state of public education and slowing the effects of climate change.

Barack Obama is our best hope for restoring this country to its best self.

PEGGY RAY
Durham
September 16, 2008

Rethinking comparisons between Bush, Clinton

Regarding the letters from Steve Bocckino and James Hawking of Sept. 11. The total gross national debt grew eavery year during the Clinton presidency (1993-2000) from $4.0 trillion to $5.6 trillion. Using OMB data for yearly gross national debt does not support the notion of a Clinton $100-billion surplus. Perhaps that number results from ignoring intra-governmental debt.

The average unemployment rates during the Clinton and Bush administrations, not including 2008, were both 5.2 percent. Interestingly, the national debt as compared to the gross domestic product was slightly greater during the Clinton administration than during Bush's: 65.3 percent vs. 63.7 percent.

The Dow Jones Industrial Index did triple during the Clinton administration and has stagnated during Bush's. Clinton deserves some credit, as do Gingrich's Contract with America and Clinton's support of much of it. The massive technological boom during the '90s boosted the economy much more than Clinton and Gingrich combined.

I agree with Hawking on the bipartisan corruption in the justice system in and out of government. When did Hillary Clinton become a member of the Rose Law Firm? After Bill became the Arkansas attorney general. When did Hillary become an officer of the firm? After Bill became governor. When did Michelle Obama become a $300,000-a-year employee at a hospital? After Barack Obama requested a $1-million earmark for the hospital.

Coincidences? I doubt it. I am sure many Republican lawyers and politicians carry similar baggage.

JAMES B. SMITH
Durham
September 15, 2008

Stop threat of Iran

On the anniversary of 9/11, we must honor the memory of those innocent victims by protecting others from terror.

The Iranian president has called for Israel to be wiped off the map. He calls Israel a stinking corpse that is on its way to annihilation.

As the world remembers those we lost on 9/ll, we must focus on stopping the threat of Iran to preserve stability and peace.

MARV AXELROD
Durham
September 15, 2008

Don't compare affairs

Lois Henry [Letter, Sept. 10] totally missed the point of my last letter, and that is partially my fault, because I failed to make my point concerning Clinton's abuse of power clear.

Let me try to make my case again. Henry attempts to shift Clinton's blame to Monica Lewinsky, who "knew he was a married man," but William Jefferson Clinton was the chief law enforcement officer in the land. When he was sworn in, he placed his hand on the Bible and pledged to uphold the law.

During the course of a separate investigation into his unwanted advances towards another woman, Paula Jones, it was discovered he had an affair with Lewinsky in the Oval Office. He went into a courtroom and swore to tell the truth but instead committed perjury and obstructed justice. John McCain never did any of that, so while his affair was wrong, it was not an abuse of power.

There is no comparison between the two men. Clinton was a cowardly draft dodger. McCain not only served his country honorably but endured unspeakable torture. McCain is a bona fide hero. Clinton is a disgraced womanizer and his idea of the proper role of women is crystal clear.

With regards to Henry's opinion regarding Sarah Palin, only a liberal Democrat could think that the possibility of the first female vice president would be a setback for women. As a pro-life, pro-gun, God-fearing conservative, Palin couldn't possibly be a "real" woman, could she?

JAMIE HUFF
Oxford
September 15, 2008

Does homework burden set kids up for failure?

As a retired educator and grandmother, the dropout rate and current educational crisis is of utmost concern to me. One of my granddaughters recently called me about her homework. She wanted me to listen to her 15 vocabulary sentences. She is a fifth-grade student in a fifth/sixth grade classroom (not in Durham). The first sentence used the word "autocrat." (Her parents say she works on her homework from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. most days. ) The second word she spelled was "imminent," meaning foreboding. While definitions weren't too difficult for her, using the words in sentences without proper instruction was setting her up for failure. The words continued in increasing difficulty, but that is not my concern -- the method is.

Since retiring, I've wanted to give back to the educational system some of my expertise. I hope this anecdote might point to at least a rationalization toward reducing the dropout rate. The fact that my granddaughter has her parents and a retired reading specialist/writing consultant/music graduate grandmother to help her with a mountain of work done in isolation, labeled as homework, is far from the norm.

Do you think this might defeat a vulnerable segment of our young students and set them up for failure or becoming future dropouts?

My teacher training was very different, yet successful. We were taught to never give homework that had not been introduced in class. Homework should be given as a review, reteach or to teach different learning styles. Never as graded work.

HELEN H. BURGESS
Durham
September 14, 2008

Where's the fairness?

Wouldn't it be nice if the liberal left-wingers would end their extreme bias? They're already complaining that Gov. Sarah Palin couldn't possibly be an effective vice president as she has five children to manage. I do not remember ever hearing anything like that when Nancy Pelosi, who has five children, was selected as Speaker of the House.

BOB TOMLINSON
Durham
September 14, 2008

Visit the Senior Center

I want to thank John McCann for his recent column in which he advocated for the Durham County Center for Senior Life.

John wants his taxes raised if the money goes to the Senior Center. Wow!

He is one of the few people who wants higher taxes. Don't worry John, we won't raise taxes for that purpose, but the county will keep supporting the center. The county can't do it all, so fundraising from all sources is needed.

I encourage all seniors or about to be seniors to go to the Senior Center and see the facilities and what is offered. You will be surprised at what is available. It is for you, and it will help to make you healthy.

BECKY HERON
Durham
September 14, 2008
The writer is a Durham County commissioner.