The bailout, politics, uranium mining, changes, goodbye and CEOs

By Published by The Editorial Board

Published: October 2, 2008

America — don’t buy it!

To the editor:

In one issue of your newspaper, the front page stories were deeply concerned with respect to the financial failure of a half dozen of the country’s largest financial concerns. Inside that section, I found a half-page advertisement offering to sell me a new car with no down payment and no payments for 90 days. It did not say what the total price of the car was, or when the payments would ever end.

No, I did not buy the car, I put the newspaper in the recycling bin.

I am also not buying the $700 billion bailout, either with cash or loan warranties that put taxpayers at risk.

The government does not have a dime that it did not squeeze out of some hard-pressed taxpayer — and now all of the taxpayers are pretty thin.

In fact, most of them are in debt.

All of this political/financial circus that is being orchestrated in Washington reminds me of a poker game played through the night and into the wee hours of daybreak. None of the players had any money. Each of them assumed that the others were loaded with cash. They had agreed to use IOUs in the game and settle up at the end. Each of the losers settled his losses with an IOU. The “wealthy” winner was loaded with IOUs!

If you think this is ridiculous, it is. Now take from your billfold the best piece of money you can find. It says across the top “Federal Reserve Note.” Note? That is an IOU! But there is no place on it — front or back — where a promise to pay it is made! Also, the word “federal” on that bill is a misleading statement, since the Federal Reserve is not federal, but a private corporation. It so happens that one of the very large financial organizations which is being considered to be “bailed out” (Lehman Brothers) is one of the 10 largest holders of Federal Reserve stock. Possibly they can lift themselves by their own boot straps.

FRANK B. TURBERVILLE JR.

To the editor:

The constant movement of our leadership from the extreme left to the extreme right and back again does nothing good for our country.

It is divisive and does nothing but ensure that we have little to no say in how our country is run. After almost every election, half the country is left feeling disenfranchised. This cannot continue.

Both presidential candidates talk about the need for change. They won’t change anything. Even if they want to, they won’t be able to because only half of Congress will be on their side. Or if they do, it will swiftly be undone by our next Commander in Chief.

Regardless of who wins the election, this country must stand together — and this includes our leaders.

I feel that the only way to do this is to do away with appointed vice presidents and go back to having the presidential runner up serve as vice president. We may even need to add a little weight to the vice presidential position to ensure more moderate leadership. But who better to have as a back up president than the person who came in second in the last election? What’s more uniting than having the two most popular politicians in the White House at the same time? Ask yourself this: Who better represents the American people — Obama, McCain, or both, working together to do the one thing they both agree on — change?

NICK HALLMARK

To the editor:

As a geologist working with Virginia Uranium, I had heard about the “educational seminars” sponsored by a group dedicated to attacking the proposed study on whether mining can be done safely. To see for myself, I attended the “seminar” held last week in Danville, my hometown.

What I observed was pitifully light on science and education and woefully heavy on exaggerated and unfounded claims aimed at terrifying the few people who seemed to have come to learn.

The one really clear message from the two-hour harangue was the urgent need for a state-sanctioned scientific study that will cut through the clouds of nonsense and get to the issues that should concern us all.

In his virulent attacks on Virginia Uranium, the man in charge of the Danville meeting spent 30 minutes trying to show that the company is a Canadian company — as if that would reflect some sort of evil. The company is incorporated in both the United States and Canada. However, Virginia Uranium is about 90-percent Virginia owned and is absolutely 100-percent Virginia managed.

But what’s wrong with Canadian companies? Our region has been nourished by the presence of Canadian companies, as well as companies from Poland, Sweden, India and on and on. Intertape, a long-time mainstay of the local economy, is a Canadian company. The current issue of Images, a magazine published by the Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce, has an article highlighting the positive impact that many new international companies have recently made to the local economy.

Some of the meeting’s most reckless allegations came from a woman who took to the floor and, in keeping with what I’ve read she’s said in the past, told the group that she is not a communist. After clearing that up, she stated (among many similar allegations) that cancer rates among children living near nuclear facilities was skyrocketing, but she offered no documentation for this inflammatory claim.

This claim is in stark contrast to the National Cancer Institute report entitled “Cancer in Populations Living Near Nuclear Facilities,” which concluded that, “There was no evidence whatever of any excess cancers among populations living near nuclear facilities” (http://www.cancer.gov).

It is hard to imagine why anyone would make such a blatantly false statement except to inflame passionate fear in those who don’t know better.

The unsubstantiated spectacle went on and on, plucking any old subject from the sky and proclaiming authority over it and then using it to try to scare the daylights out of people. As I watched this, I kept wondering why this group is so opposed to the study that most reasonable people favor. I think the real reason is that a study would contain in it something beyond their reach: Documented, carefully studied, scientific facts.

PATRICK M. WALES

To the editor:

America has only 2.2 percent of the world’s known oil reserves, yet we use 25 percent of the world’s oil. Pump out all the oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and every possible offshore site, and we would have approximately a three and one-half year supply. Even President Bush’s own Energy Information Administration has said this amount of crude oil would have an “insignificant” effect on pump prices.

So what about John McCain? As late as June 2008, McCain was saying he was “angry” at the oil industry and their “obscene profits.” However, within days of making that comment, he flew to Texas for a series of fundraisers with oil executives. Making nice with the oil boys triggered a gusher of contributions to the McCain campaign. Make no mistake, McCain can be counted on for the same slavish service to big oil that Bush provided.

Barack Obama, on the other hand, will tell the coal and oil industries to clean up their act. He will press for clean energy alternatives and reward innovative individuals and companies who work to repower America.

So this year, the choice is ours: Continue borrowing money from China to buy oil to destroy the environment, or follow the leadership of Barack Obama toward a cleaner, more efficient and more prosperous future.

ARTIE L. CLAY

To the editor:

What a breath of fresh air it was when Sarah Palin was added to this boring two years of non-stop talking, calling each other names and saying the same things. What is so distressing is it will start again in two short years — rich men running for the White House.

Do you feel we can stand that — and keep our sanity? I think back to when Margaret Thatcher of England turned that country around.

She ended welfare as they knew it and corrupt unions. She and President Ronald Reagan were very popular all over the world — and now are hated almost everywhere.

When Colin Powell left office because he objected to the illegal invasion of Iraq, we lost a great public servant. Now we have 5,000 dead young Americans (the cream of our country) and thousands of mangled young soldiers who will never know a day without pain. What a legacy Bush and this do-nothing Congress will leave us. The country is on a slippery slope down. Heaven help us.

MARION CRAWFORD SMITH

To the editor:

I wholeheartedly agree with the letter, “We’re on a bad path, folks,” (Sept. 25, page A8).

I hope it’s not too late for us as free, average Americans to start speaking out on who really carries the burden of the debt our elected officials have managed to build for our nation. I’m not a “political expert,” but I do know enough to know that as the greatest nation, we’re headed downward fast.

What happened to the values our country was founded on? Our children and grandchildren have a very big debt to pay because of some big spending by our “concerned” officials.

Concerned people like the author of that letter are above average in my book. We need a lot more.

JIMMIE STOUT

To the editor:

I have been an employee of the Danville Boscov’s store for three years. I was among a group of 12 people that were relocated to build our lives here — and the company. It doesn’t seem to matter to the CEOs that the dedicated employees would like to see the company succeed, but all that they want to do is to bail out with their big bonus packages in hand when they get into trouble.

They have taken everything away from us. What’s next, our dignity? You should all be aware that this could happen to you, unless if you are a CEO — and you know you will be rich in the end.

LINDA M. COLBY

To the editor:

I have had the pleasure of practicing medicine in Danville for 14 years, and during those years, I have come to know and care for many wonderful citizens of the community and the region. I was shocked and saddened this week when my contract with Family Healthcare Center was terminated as part of Danville Regional Medical Center’s downsizing effort.

The relationship of a patient to his or her doctor is often very personal, and this letter certainly is not the way I would prefer to notify my patients of my departure.

I hope that all of them will understand my deep regret in leaving them so precipitously and not saying goodbye more properly and personally, but this will not be possible since my work was terminated without any lead time.

I would like all my patients to know how much I appreciate the enormous trust they have placed in me. Being involved in their lives has enriched mine, and I will miss them greatly. I will be seeking another position in the Danville area and hope that I will have the opportunity to serve them. It would be a real honor.

PHILLIP D. HALE M.D.

To the editor:

Ronald Reagan, a Democrat turned Republican when he became famous, once said that as a nation, we always thrive on competition — and always will.

What is happening? Has America lost its way?

This $700 billion bailout to the banks and big businesses comes as thousands of working Americans are losing their homes and their jobs. Are the times changing? Has America lost its way?

Is this condition the aftermath of selling away so many jobs to foreign companies, such as the cotton trade to India and China? In the last count, more than 600,000 jobs were lost. All these American workers have faced hard times.

A good example is Dan River Inc. closing its doors with many thousands laid off. Dan River was the lifeblood of so many of the people of Danville.

A friend of mine said things will get better. Here in Danville, we are now building kitchen cabinets. It will help, but not much. Who will lead this great country back to prosperity?

Folks, this country needs to get back to work. No work, no pay. More people work, more businesses reap more profits.

Alas, very few workers make any real money, but they need jobs just to make ends meet. The only way to make a country happy is to keep workers on the job. Sending jobs overseas is not the answer, it’s just plain dumb.

HARRY WARD

To the editor:

What happened to, “We, the People?” Our country has been hijacked by lobbyists and corrupt politicians. Congress is supposed to be a controlling part of the government — spending, the budget, oversight and investigations.

Congress has allowed President Bush to get the country into a war that we are not winning. To tell the taxpayers they will have to bail out a $700 billion financial crisis that was allowed to happen is a disgrace.

Every person responsible should be sentenced to hard labor. Anyone with a half brain should know this was a rip-off of the financial system.

Why do we need members of Congress if they are not doing their jobs? Members of Congress are supposed to keep their constituents informed with town hall meetings. No elected official should accept political action committee money or favors from lobbyists. All citizens are supposed to get equal representation.

All elected officials should be required to submit to a thorough background check. Any candidate running for president should be required to pass a security clearance and a thorough background check.

Local, state and federal taxpayers’ money is supposed to be used for services that citizens can’t provide for themselves. That is the only thing taxpayer money is supposed to be used for.

JOSEPH SPENCE

Ringgold