Obama supporter responds (10/22/2008)

To the editor:

With just two weeks to go before the elections of 2008, the political "silly season" is in full swing, and citizens and pundits alike are weighing in big time. As partisans and activists at Republican rallies have taken to shouting "traitor," "terrorist," "kill him," or "off with his head" when Obama's name is mentioned by McCain or Palin, it must be clear to most Americans that things are getting out of hand. While sane persons would neither participate in nor support an assassination attempt on the life of Barack Obama, it is also true that these people are not joking around.

In the Saturday, Oct. 11 issue of The Commercial Review there was a letter from Stephen Erwin entitled, "Obama on wrong side of issues." In this letter Mr. Erwin took issue with a letter which appeared earlier in the week.

Most Americans believe that Sen. McCain would, if elected president, support and continue the policies of the Bush years, much as he has supported them for the past eight years in spite of his very public "maverick" status. It seems clear a McCain administration would continue the same policies.

An Obama administration clearly would take a very different direction, and if "change" is the subject, and Mr. Erwin mentions it several times, then surely Obama would bring it.

One of the most troubling statements in the Erwin letter is the following: "When Obama was in the Illinois Senate, he voted to kill babies that survived a botched abortion." That statement is a total fabrication, and no such law was ever advanced or voted on in Illinois or any other state. American voters deserve better than such unsubstantiated and misleading statements on this most wrenching issue.

The following should shed light on this issue. It is often referred to as the "Born Alive Provision." According to the Chicago Tribune (Aug. 17, 2004), "For more than 20 years Illinois law has required that where there is reasonable liklihood of sustained survival of the fetus outside the womb, with or without artificial support, an abortion may only be performed if a physician believes it is necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother.

This provision was in place since the 1980s, some 15 years before Barack Obama had a seat in the legislature.

In 2001 and again in 2003, Obama, along with 25 percent of the Illinois Senate (including some Republicans) voted against legislation intended to weaken Roe v. Wade.

So was there ever an Illinois law that would allow a viable newborn to die for want of medical care, and did Obama ever see such a bill, let alone vote yes? Both answers are a resounding no.

Mr. Erwin's statement regarding Obama and this issue is simply false.

We can, within reasonable limits, say what we think, but for Mr. Erwin to characterize Obama as "only a fool" for talking about tax cuts as a recession approaches seems over the top to me. I tend to agree that Congress and their wild spending practices are partly responsible for the mess we're in. But that said, we went from a $230 billion budget surplus when the Bush administration took over to a huge deficit eight years later.

The Republican majority and president were in control for the first six years, and even after the 2006 election the Senate had a 49-49 split (two independents), so you could hardly say the Democrats were in charge. Even with a 232-202 majority in the House the Democrats were blocked at every turn. Bush constantly referred to his veto intentions and the Democrats could not over-ride the veto.

Mr. Erwin says he is impressed that "over the years (McCain) has a record of keeping his word and bucking the establishment." Well perhaps, but it seems to me that Sen. McCain has been on both sides of most issues important to Americans. He presumably favored the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill which bore his name, and now he has almost completely backed away from it.

In the financial crisis which grips our markets and banks, Sen. McCain wants to go after Wall Street greed and Washington corruption. It was only a few short months ago he was telling us we need less regulation, not more.

Sen. McCain, who more than anyone would know the agony and wickedness of torture, spoke eloquently against that practice, but shortly afterward reversed himself to say it was OK if done by the CIA.

I believe Sen. McCain is an honorable man, and it is to his credit that he said Sen. Obama is a fine family man (for which he was booed by a Republican audience).

I believe that due to Sen. McCain's age, health and hair-trigger temper that he is not the best man to serve as our president.

Glen Priest

Portland

(Editor's note: This letter was edited for length by the writer and by the CR editorial staff)

Vote life

To the editor:

After reading the short letter to the editor in Saturday's paper titled, "Please vote," I was inspired to write a letter myself. I am a person that votes that same way over and over. It's not for a certain party, it's for a certain cause and that cause is life. I vote pro-life.

In church last Sunday there was a reading from Matthew 22:21 where Jesus says "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." God is the creator of life. It belongs to him.

All these tax "plans" created by the politicians; none of them are guaranteed. No matter the outcome of the election we will still be paying taxes (giving to Caesar what is Caesar's). But a vote for life is a guarantee that you are giving to God what belongs to Him. A vote to preserve and protect life is a much more important vote than that of any that is for a material cause.

Please vote Nov. 4 in a way that gives to God what belongs to God. Vote pro- life.

Laurie J. Hein

Portland

To the editor:

On Oct. 10 the Jay County Humane Society held a bake sale at True Value Hardware. We have a list of people we would like to thank.

Thank you to the members, volunteers and family and friends who worked to supply us with candy and baked goods that were sold. Without you there would not have been a sale.

Thank you to all those who showed their support of the humane society by stopping by to purchase and/or make a donation.

Thank you to P.J. Corwin and the students who went door to door to pass out fliers promoting our sale.

Thank you to the businesses that allowed a flier to be posted.

Thank you to Cheryl Miller for designing and printing the fliers and for the signs that she placed along the road in front of True Value.

Thank you to Kendra Fennig and her kids for helping to man the booth.

Thank you to my husband, Van, for his donation allowing us to promote the sale in Thursday's edition of The Commercial Review.

He also was a life saver in helping to set up and tear down the booth.

And a huge thank you to Ken Schwieterman for supporting the humane society and allowing us to hold the bake sale.

I also want to thank Wal-Mart and The Movie Gallery for letting us set up a booth outside their businesses for a meet and greet. It allows us access to the public to inform them about the humane society and to accept donations.

Sharon Van Steenis, member, Jay County Humane Society[[In-content Ad]]