Communism, capitalism
A recent letter to the editor reminded me of a quip by John Kenneth Galbraith that describes the capitalism-communism kinship with his usual dry wit: “In capitalism, man exploits man. In communism, it’s just the opposite.”
William McConnell
Presque Isle
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No tax dollars for abortion
FactCheck.org stated that President Obama has said in the past that reproductive services (abortion) would be covered by his public health insurance plan. Researchers at FactCheck.org went on to say that “Despite what Obama said, the House bill would allow abortions to be covered by a federal plan and by federally subsidized private plans.
Therefore, it is essential that citizens who oppose the use of federal tax dollars to fund abortion write, call and-or e-mail their representatives and senators immediately to express our strong opposition to federal funding of abortion.
Since 1973 well over 50 million unborn children have been aborted.
According to Rod Parsley, author of Silent No More, “more African American babies have been killed by abortion during the last quarter century than the total number of African American deaths from all other causes combined.” Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” the Declaration of Independence states. God bless and protect the unborn.
Peter Alexander
Etna
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Whelk solution
In December 2008, the rule regarding harvesting whelks (aka wrinkles) during red tide was changed. As of July 9, our bay was closed to harvesting due to red tide. In the past, whelks could be harvested during red tide as long as they were processed and not sold in the shell. The processing (removing the visceral mass-digestive system after cooking) has always removed the PSP toxin if present. The Department of Marine Resources put this rule into place to ensure the new levels of toxins are monitored in all shellfish now, including whelks.
Sen. Kevin Raye and Rep. Dianne Tilton are working with us and DMR to start the Biotoxin Monitoring Program in our area. In 2004, our whelks were tested during a red tide and were found safe to eat and approved to sell.
Our whelks were tested again on Aug. 26 and once again the whelks were found safe to eat and the closure was lifted.
I would like to thank all of the businesses that sell our whelks and their customers for their support. Our business is seasonal from May through October, with local stores selling our product. To ensure safety, all of our product is marked with “DownEast Whelks,” our names, address and phone numbers. Please contact us with any questions.
Wanda and Terrie Pinkham
Steuben
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Tort reform needed
In his Sept. 1 BDN OpEd column, “U.S. mired in tyranny of minority,” John Buell bemoaned the fact that rural states like Maine and Wyoming have the same power in the Senate as New York and California. To that I say, “Thank God we are a republic and not a democracy!”
Since 60 votes are needed to get a bill through the Senate, the minority at least gets a voice. Contrast that with the House where Speaker Pelosi has no interest in even hearing the ideas of the minority.
Mr. Buell is of course alluding to the health care reform debate where he does not yet comprehend that the angry voices at recent town halls represent the views of the majority of Americans.
If Congress really wanted to reduce health care costs it would first pass a tort reform bill that would limit awards for pain and suffering and require complainants to reimburse defendants of frivolous lawsuits for their legal defense expenses; i.e., loser pays. Then health care reform would be a lot easier and cheaper. Our represen-tatives are too afraid of the trial lawyers lobby to address the problem and that is a better example of the tyranny of a minority. Americans need to stand up for tort reform.
Truman Parker
Forest City TWP
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Wrong priorities
Isn’t it strange how there was money for the bailout of Wall Street, banks and car manufacturers, but they can’t find any for Social Security cost of living increase this year?
Also, concerning the bailout, how about the farmers of this country? No help there! Is it true our government would rather have us eating food and drinking milk from foreign countries? If they got the notion, they could wipe us out without ever firing a shot or missile. Who’s to say that would never happen? Who would ever have believed planes from our country would be flown into the Twin Towers?
How about lead in children’s toys and poison in pet food? Fruits and vegetables are imported from all over the world. Can we trust they are safe?
Dairy farms are forced out of business every day. Most of them don’t expect to get rich and work hard for a living.
I’d rather have our leaders more concerned with our sustenance than what we drive and where we invest. This big hoopla over all things money makes me feel I can’t trust our government’s ability to come up with any kind of a health care policy. If anyone truly cared, why did we end up in such a mess with health insurance many can’t afford and health care that so many have to go without?
Please write your representatives and senators. We must do more than sit around on our hands and complain.
Charlene Peavey
Charleston
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Repeal ‘tax reform’
I don’t think that most people are aware of what “tax reform” LD 1495 will do.
First, the bill will increase the sales tax rate from 7 percent to 8.5 percent on prepared foods, served liquor, candy, and living quarters, and increase the tax on auto rentals from 10 percent to 12.5 percent.
These will become taxable: anything rented or leased, long-distance service for residents (but not businesses), photo rights and guide services.
Also, admission to circuses, concerts, theaters, festivals, amusement parks and rides, some fairs, race tracks, some sports activities, some museums, planetariums, zoos, auto, home, garden, camping, gun and antiques shows, miniature golf, billiards, go-carts, paintball, sight-seeing rides by aircraft, watercraft, bus, wagon rides, some white-water rafting.
Also taxed will be entertainment including bands, deejays, comedians and clowns; installation and repair services for just about anything including automobiles, snowmobiles, and ATV’s but not on aircraft, commercial trucks, watercraft or mobile equipment.
And also: dry cleaning, laundry and diaper service; car washing and pressure cleaning; pet sitting, exercising, training, grooming and boarding; picture framing; residential furniture, house and rug cleaning (but not business cleaning); interior decorators, meal preparation, butchering, art restoring, warehousing and storage (except for businesses); moving services, towing, mooring, limo and some taxicab services.
Exempt organizations will now pay tax on prepared foods, lodging and auto rentals.
For income tax, the two lowest rates are actually increased to 6 percent. This whole law is to help those poor people that pay the two highest income tax rates.
Please sign a petition to repeal!
Richard Washburn
Skowhegan
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Tasteful editing
I was struck by the selfish tone of a reader who claimed that in the future he would doubt the “veracity” of anything printed in the BDN because negative comments about the late Sen. Kennedy appeared to have been removed.
I can only say, good — they should have been.
There is a proper time and place to all things. Whether you agreed with Sen. Kennedy or not, surely his family deserves time to grieve. I can only urge this reader to examine how he would feel if he were to have to read such negative comments about his own loved ones.
Jennifer Hubler
Orrington