No-tolls message is ringing clearly
Thanks to The Columbian for the Oct. 3 front-page story “The man behind the no-bridge tolls money” on David Madore and his support of “like-minded candidates.”
I have been a resident of Clark County for eight years and have always voted Democrat. As I reviewed the list of those candidates Madore is supporting with his NoTolls.com, most of those individuals are Republicans. I strongly oppose the proposed tolls on the I-205 and I-5 bridges and will vote Republican this fall for the first time in at least a decade.
I hope the politicians in Clark County and Olympia realize that the citizens of Clark County oppose the tolls and any politician who is not listening to their constituents will be voted out of office this fall.
Peter Eliason
Vancouver
Madore is a special interest
Kudos to The Columbian for the courageous cover story Oct. 3 “The man behind the no-bridge tolls money” on David Madore.
Jeff Sharlet, the author of “The Family,” the story of the shadowy evangelical movement that has been a core influence on American and world governments for 60 years, would laugh at Madore’s assertion that he has no special interest to pursue. Madore is the embodiment of special interests. He is a man who individually can move the political direction and function of government to his own interests with the power of his money. He is the poster ad for the need for campaign finance reform.
Kudos also to Vancouver City Council member Jeanne Harris for standing up to this guy at the recent council meeting, and to our Mayor Tim Leavitt for his resistance to Madore’s arguments and his bullying tactics.
Donald F. Baiar
Vancouver
Stalling and blocking are GOP tactics
Recently, the Republicans stopped Congress from getting subpoena power to investigate the BP oil spill. Next the Republicans stopped a vote to end tax breaks for corporations that outsource jobs overseas. Now people will be laid off because of that vote.
The Republicans have voted against every jobs bill proposed by the Democrats. They want to continue the tax breaks for the top 2 percent of the people and pay for it by cutting education and Pell grants.
Last year, the Republicans said that they would do everything they could to slow the economy in order to get back into power. Looks like they are doing their best to do that and fooling the people while they do.
And people blame the bad economy on the Democrats?
Shelby Kenoyer
Vancouver
Clean out socialistic governing ideas
Michael McNatt’s Oct. 2 letter regarding the November election attempts to use “the nightmare decade of McCarthyism” to promote the re-election of Sen. Patty Murray.
It shows his ignorance of the real “nightmare” that McCarthy caused. He caused a lot of Communists and their fellow travelers to crawl back under the rocks from which they crawled or to leave the country to avoid prosecution. It was a nightmare but for the right people, people such as some of the ones who now surround President Obama today.
As for the Republicans’ reaction to Sen. Joe McCarthy? As usual, they came down on the side of law and order and had the desire to clean the subversive Marxists out of Hollywood and our government. If we are lucky, we can again clean out the Marxists and socialists and return our country to Constitutional government. In God we trust.
Gary S. Smith
Vancouver
Research and compare
As U.S. Rep. Brian Baird retires from 12 years of “public service” (quotes are very intentional), I thought it would be good to reflect on how things went under his “leadership.”
How were you doing in 1998? How did you view the foreseeable future? Were you optimistic? Did you have opportunity? Were you excited about owning a home and raising a family? Were you happily pursuing the American dream?
Let’s fast forward to 2010. How optimistic are you now? Still think the American dream is attainable? Are you making more money than in 1998 in today’s dollars? Do you have a secure retirement? Do you get automatic pay increases every year? Legislators do. They don’t even need to vote on their own pay raises anymore.
Do your own research. What did legislators make in 1998? What do they make today? Did your pay increase like that? What benefits did they get in 1998 vs. today? Did your benefits go up like that? What was the unemployment rate in 1998 vs. today? What was the foreclosure rate in 1998 vs. today?
Here’s an interesting article to help you get started in your research: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/09/29/benefits-members-congress-shabby/. I’m sure they deserve all the benefits they get. Happy researching.
Steve Bang
Camas
Tax political ‘infomercials’
For the past decade the national debt has grown at an astounding rate under the leadership of both Democrats and Republicans. The jobless rate has steadily grown as the standard of living for many Americans has dropped to the poverty level. Government spending has dropped across the board and tax bases have shrunk, causing more cutbacks.
Only the chosen few such as politicians and political groups seem to have money to spend. Turn on the television or radio and you’ll be inundated with hateful political commercials, take a drive and you’ll see streets littered with political signs, answer the phone and you’ll be surveyed/badgered to death.
What’s worse is these ads offer no solutions. Instead they mostly blame those in the opposing party for our woes.
Well here’s a solution — tax all political advertisements at a 50 percent rate. Yes, the commercials, the signs, the calls, everything. The government will raise money, donated by those who claim to care for our nation. As a result political advertising will hopefully be cut in half, and commercials suitable for family viewing will take their place.
“I’m Ed Castellani and I approve of this tax …”
Ed Castellani
Vancouver
Cartoons’ messages favor one side
I have polled a number of readers of The Columbian, and we all agree on one thing. It is time to seek another “czar of political cartoons.”
The cartoons are all horrible, with a clear message as to which political side The Columbian supports.
Grant C. Johnson
Washougal
