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Hernando Today

Election No-Brainer

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Hernando Today

Published: October 11, 2008

Election No-Brainer

There are two questions that I wish to elaborate on about this upcoming presidential election.

First of all, I want to express an opinion on a statement made by a young college student that was published by the Times a few weeks ago. She stated that she was so happy to be able to vote in this upcoming election and be able to vote for someone who has the same color skin as her. In this country, where we are so guided and inclined to be fair, why does this person's vote count for as much as those who have given so much to their country in military service with sacrifice of blood and limb plus the Peace Corps volunteers who sacrificed years of their lives?

Has this student ever given anything to the U.S. or only been on the receiving end? Is it fair for her bigoted vote to count for as much as the thousands of disabled vets who are crippled for life so she can vote for someone because he has the same color skin?

My second point is this. Let us assume that you own this company called the U.S.A. and the person running it is retiring at the end of the year. You advertise the job opening and get two applicants. The one applicant has served his country both in the military and many years in the federal government. The other has very few years with the federal government. Who are you going to hire?

Anyone who has ever looked for a job knows the No. 1 qualification is experience. On that fact alone, the upcoming election is a no-brainer.

Philip Strmensky

Brooksville

In The Same Boat Again

I can remember since I was 2 years old. I remember when the stock market went kaput. I remember the banks failing. Now we are in the same boat again.

What to do? What to do? The fall of the stock market and banks having no cash to loan out is partially due to deregulation. Enron went bust because of their illegal measures. The result was the government jailed a couple of men. Bully! But that did not cure the sinking boat that we are in.

Many of us feel that deregulation is the initial culprit. Since the airlines were deregulated, many have gone bankrupt. They fired mechanics that were repairing ancient planes.

The banks didn't require the 20 percent needed to buy a home. Real estate resembled a giveaway program.

The government deregulated the goings on with Wall Street. Did anyone complain? No! As long as the big boys were rolling in the money, they turned their back.

What about that outfit that made the Hummer for the Army. What about that it wasn't bulletproof and so many of our servicemen lost their life. Who did anything?

There should be a law against the lobbyists. I know people who have benefited nicely from their donations. Pharmaceutical firms have many. Isn't our medication high enough?

We had no voice going to war with Iraq; say something about this mess Washington got us in this time.

Helga Curtis

Brooksville

Wanted: A Truman Or FDR

I am sick and tired of Democratic senators on CNN stating the current financial mess was created by Republicans. Here are some truths regarding Democrats.

Under President Bill Clinton and former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, controls were reduced or eliminated, allowing the free use of monies by the organizations that abused the privilege. Clinton and Greenspan wanted to assist lower-income people to better obtain loans.

That's one.

Here are two: President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, took away household expenses and energy figuring the cost of living for Social Security recipients. Household expenses and energy make up the large portion of Social Security retirees.

Three: I believe it was under President Lyndon Johnson that the Social Security monies were diverted to the general fund to help pay for the Great Society expenses and the Vietnam War; and the Republicans under President George Bush, the House and Senate spent us under oblivion with pork and a $900 billion war.

Where do we turn to find a Truman or FDR?

Arthur R. Croci

Spring Hill

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