Our readers' views Nov. 29

Ahem! Attention Mayor Pollard, city council members, county commissioners: Forgo action on the waterfront project and delay more studies on the Interstate 5 Bridge.

And how can you even talk about going to the governor asking for money when the state is in a deficit? Don’t even think about any sneaky process to raise taxes or even put something on a special election ballot to ask for taxes. I’m broke, too.

Haven’t you been reading the papers? Listening to the news? This country is taxed out. The banks are not lending. People are living way beyond their means in many instances.

And our officials are talking about rushing headlong into more spending. Yes, I know, it could mean jobs and increase the tax base. But hang on, there may be some federal changes in the next few months that would enable you to do some things before you raise taxes.

Kathy Kelly

Vancouver

The recent reports about Vancouver’s proposed utility tax increase brought to mind some related facts worth mentioning.

Compared to most cities, Vancouver residents are getting a good deal on their water and sewer bills. Furthermore, while low water and sewer rates are the result of many factors, in Vancouver’s case they are the result of a long history of doing an excellent job in expanding, upgrading, and managing their water and sewer utilities. I know many civil engineers whose job it is to engineer water and sewer systems, who are also familiar with Vancouver’s water and sewer utility. They all agree that it is an extremely well-run utility.

With the current attention being given to state and federal politics, it’s easy to forget how much local government influences our lives. They profoundly impact the affordability and livability of the place we call home, here in Vancouver.

Robert Wallis

Vancouver

Stephanie Liberman’s Nov. 25 letter, “All people share need for love,” was decrying Thomas Sowell’s column concerning the vote against gay marriage. She would do well to read Sowell’s Nov. 25 column, “Opinions don’t equal a ‘right’ to win.”

Liberman seems to feel that the vote of the people does not count because she looks at it as “discrimination.” Regardless of whether it is or not, the people have spoken out against gay marriage. But she apparently doesn’t consider the vote legitimate because she and the gay community didn’t like the outcome.

Using her logic, those of us who voted for John McCain should descend on Washington on Jan. 20 and protest the Barack Obama inauguration, because we don’t like the outcome. Or go to Olympia to protest the Gov. Chris Gregoire inauguration for the same reason.

Liberman’s side lost. She needs to put this election behind her and hope for a result to her liking the next time around.

Bill Fisher

Vancouver

I agree with many in Congress that the “Big Three” automakers have shown little regard for their companies and their employees. Yes, they continue to squander company money while cutting benefits to the work force. Yes, their leaders have continued to accept annual salaries that are far beyond their worth. Having said that, Congress, on both sides of the aisle, could also be compared with these CEOs. Take a look at the past eight years and the deficit that has been amassed.

If the Congress allows the Big Three to go into bankruptcy, the entire nation will go into a depression, so give them the bailout funds they need. However, not a blank check. Make them account for every dollar. Force CEOs to reduce their annual salaries. Make them produce a viable business plan that truly turns their products into fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly products, and put checks and balances in place to see that the business plan is followed.

William French

La Center

As executive director of StopPredatoryGambling.org, I think the Nov. 23 story, “The allure of gambling,” unintentionally missed the mark. The issue isn’t whether people can gamble. It’s not about people playing poker on Friday nights with the guys or buying a square in the Super Bowl office pool.

It’s about predatory gambling, a practice of preying on human weakness for profit, and it has become the preferred method for government to raise money for public services and transfer jobs.

The predatory gambling promoters call it entertainment and say people should be able to gamble if they want to. They describe it the same as drinking wine, going out to a restaurant or going to the movies. But gambling is the only product or service I can think of where most of the people who own it and promote it, including public officials, don’t use it and don’t want to live near it.

Les Bernal

Washington, D.C.

Sherman Pauly, in a Nov. 25 letter, “Cartoon irresponsible,” said the Nov. 16 cartoon depicted Sarah Palin saying “blah-blah-blah-blah” was done in an offensive way.

These cartoons are drawn by humans, humans in turn have self-values, and these values cause bias. These cartoons are not meant to be totally politically correct. These cartoons are essentially just a person speaking their mind through a cartoon.

Nearly everyone has made some jab at either our President-elect Barack Obama, or the defeated Republicans. So everyone really needs to stop taking everything personally and move on.

Dustin Powell

Vancouver

Once again, President Bush wants to bail out Wall Street instead of Main Street. Of the $20 billion for Citigroup, $400 million goes to naming Mets stadium “Citi Field.”

Granted, GM and the other two of the Big Three have made huge mistakes. But it’s not the average $57,000 per year that workers make — the CEOs are making multimillions. People are bashing unions while management, flying in private jets to Congress, won’t take less. Take a lesson from Lee Iacocca — $1 per year plus stock options. He did pretty well.

In regard to whom we bail out and whom we don’t, I have a couple of points. First, if you are “too big to fail,” then by definition you violate U.S. antitrust laws. Second, as one TV commentator put it so eloquently, if you shower before work, you get a bailout. If you have to shower after work, you’re out of luck.

Terri and Larry Dorr

Vancouver