Mindless cuts, vandalism
Two components of the Aug. 17 editorial pages prompt me to comment. The first is George Danby’s poignant cartoon depicting the inhumanity of the administration’s proposed cut in LIHEAP funds by 50 percent.
It’s clear the present government is willing to take away anything they can from senior citizens and low-income families in the ongoing charade of reducing the deficit. I hope our Congressional delegation will scream bloody murder against this reduction in home heating funds.
The Labor Department has already cut the budget of a worthwhile program called SCSEP (Senior’s Community Service Employment Program) which provides part-time work for senior citizens who haven’t a chance of work in the private sector because of age or lack of modern office skills. The department reduced the program’s budget by 45 percent for 2011-12, which reduced participant income by 30 percent.
The second item that caught my eye was Fritz Spencer’s article about the scourge of graffiti in Bangor. This struck home because I have long been concerned about the defacing of public buildings and monuments.
During my first term as city councilor (1983-86) I introduced an order establishing a $250 fine for anyone apprehended and convicted of such moronic behavior. I assume that law is still on the books. It’s difficult to catch these vandals in the act but an increased effort would be worthwhile. And I would include the vandalism of street signs under the same effort. It may not be 100 percent preventable but we should do more to diminish such mindless acts.
Hal Wheeler
Bangor
Worthwhile exercise
I read with great interest the BDN’s Aug. 13 article, “Satellite crash drill sends dozens into Waldo County woods.” Unfortunately, the article overlooked some valuable aspects of this exercise.
Several agencies mostly made up of volunteer members planned and prepared for nearly six months. The Civil Air Patrol participated as part of our monthly training exercise. A Cessna 182 with air crew of three was deployed to search for one of the search teams in Thorndike. They were successfully located with the use of signal mirrors.
In addition to tactical support to Waldo County EMA, the Civil Air Patrol exercised its working relationship and communication systems for future support in the event of actual needs for support.
Waldo County EMA benefits from exercises of this nature, and this makes for a more efficient and effective agency.
Mary Story
Maine Wing Public Affairs Officer
Profiling advice
As an amateur forensic profiler and Heineken drinker, perhaps I can be of some help in finding the villains who threw the Bud Lite can at the ghost walkers in Belfast.
As Budweiser is the beverage of choice of rednecks, you can be on the lookout for several things: sleeveless T-shirt two sizes too small showing at least 6-inches of hairy “muffin top,” low-rise jeans showing plenty of “carpenter’s crack,” and ball cap with sweat-stained hat band and logo about either firearms or trucks.
You can save a lot of valuable time by not staking out: libraries, museums, college campuses or Marriotts. Or sushi bars.
The image of a bunch of slobs heaving full Bud Lite cans out of a pickup is indeed iconic. When was the last time you saw a motorist pelting folks with a Dos Equis from a moving Beemer or hurling Coronas at you from the moon roof of his Volvo?” Milwaukee’s Best drinkers behave better and so do Rolling Rock guys!
If you think that profiling is unfair, tell it to the airport security people who are always hassling me because I look like Omar Sharif.
Nathan White
Ashland
Economics 101
I don’t profess to be an economist, but after two semesters of economics taken over 55 years ago, I can remember at least one important principle: In order to create jobs, there must be a demand for the goods and services that workers produce. In all of the discussions by politicians, the media, etc., I have yet to hear that mentioned.
In the present economic situation, the first step should be to make the wealthy and corporations pay their fair portion of taxes, and give tax breaks to everyone else to allow those who purchase the majority of goods and services in this country to do so.
In my judgement, it makes absolutely no sense to give money to businesses and corporations to hire workers when there is decreased or limited demand for their products.
Joe Bertolaccini
Orrington
Wrong priority
I offer the following comment on the placement of the Sister Norberta and gay marriage petition stories in the Thursday, Aug. 18 edition: It is indeed a very sad sign of the times when an issue that has been soundly defeated by voters more than once takes top billing over a story about Maine’s own Mother Theresa.
Debra Z. Walsh
Clifton
Off the table
It is a common theme among fiscal conservatives to blame social services for the financial woes in Maine and Washington. One program in particular is constantly berated despite evidence of significant success — Social Security. In fact this program has lifted 121,000 Maine citizens out of poverty since its enactment. All of this while, it added nothing to the budget, since it is funded at a 50-50 rate by employer and employee.
It is all too easy too blame budget and deficit problems on programs like these while more important issues go undiscussed. What about cutting exploding military budgets? Or even depending on the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share of taxes? As Warren Buffet said, we need to “stop coddling the super rich.”
These issues are of course off the table for these “fiscal conservatives.” Social Security is not the issue, and it must be protected both for Maine citizens and citizens of the United States.
Max Rush
Orono
Dylan’s impact
The Aug. 19 column by Emily Burnham is a great prelude to tonight’s Dylan concert. It’s good to know that others are affected by this great artist in much the same ways as I am.
Their favorite lyrics are among mine too. And I know that at tonight’s show if I hear him sing from “Silvio”: “One of these days and it won’t be long/ I’m going down to the valley I’m gonna sing my song/ I’m gonna sing it loud I’m gonna sing it strong/ and let the echo decide if I was right or wrong,” that I’ll be a 60-year-old man grinning from ear to ear.
Terry Leavitt
Orrington