March 19, 2024

Letters 10-20-2014

Oct. 19, 2014

Our simple rules: Keep your letter to 300 words or less, send no more than one per month, include your name/address/phone number, and agree to allow us to edit. That’s it. Email info@northernexpress.com and hit send!

Doctor Dan?

After several email conversations with Rep. Benishek, he has confirmed that he doesn’t have a clue of what he does. Here’s why:

Dan claims he is a member of the Congressional Doctors Caucus. Sounds impressive, but there is no Congressional Doctors Caucus.

The real name is the GOP Doctors Caucus. That’s the name of the web site and his picture is there. Seems Dan wants to hide his party affiliation. Here are some of the statements made by the esteemed members of the caucus Dan can’t remember the name of: "rape victims rarely get pregnant because their bodies have ways of shutting that whole thing down," or "legitimate rape."

Statements like this from a "medical group? Dan also stated that Michigan residents have few choices for healthcare with the Affordable Care Act. Really? There are 32 plan choices in my area alone.

Then Dan started the rhetoric about problems about the past healthcare systems and the issues with the Affordable Care Act, and his fixes, yet he and the Republicans haven’t participated in fixing issues, other than "repeal or defund" the system.

And what about that 700 billion dollar "cut from Medicare" he keeps ranting about? That cut was from the Medicare Advantage Program payments to private insurers. The cut, with ObamaCare over time, will be a $716 billion savings. The cut was also in the Paul Ryan Budget Plan.

Tom LaMont, Kaleva

In Favor Of Our Parks

[Traverse] City Proposal 1 is a creative way to improve our city parks without using our tax dollars. By using a small portion of our oil and gas royalties from the Brown Bridge Trust Fund, our parks can be improved for our children and grandchildren. The Brown Bridge Trust Fund will remain solid and intact while our parks will see the improvements they need. The proposal requires matching funds which will get many community organizations invested in our parks. Vote yes to put the Brown Bridge Trust Fund to work.

Mary Ann Moore, Traverse City

From January 1970 Popular Mechanics:

"Drastic climate changes will occur within the next 50 years if the use of fossil fuels keeps rising at current rates." That warning comes from Eugene K. Peterson of the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management. Increased levels of carbon dioxide would raise the worldwide temperatures 9 degrees through a "˜greenhouse’ effect: CO2 traps heat reflected from the earth’s surface, warming the atmosphere. The temperature rise, says Peterson, is likely to cause a virtual disappearance of snow from the U.S. mainland; an increase in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the latter adding to the CO2 problem; a four-foot rise in ocean levels, and an absence of ice in the Arctic Ocean for six months of every year.

44 years later this is an interesting prediction.

Coleman Cole, Traverse City

Newcomers Might Leave

Recently we had guests from India who came over as students with the plan to stay in America. He has a master’s degree in engineering and she is doing her residency in Chicago and plans to specialize in oncology. They talked very candidly about American politics and said that after observing the Republicans during the Obama administration and watching the Republicans do everything they could to thwart him, they are disillusioned about remaining in the United States. They said if the Republicans win control, they will move back to India. They said the Republican Party is disgusting and contrary and is ruining America. It’s pretty sad when young, bright professionals would choose any other country over ours!

David Petty, Charlevoix

Someone Is You

On Sept 21, I joined the 400,000 who took to the streets of New York in the People’s Climate March, followed by a UN Climate Summit and many speeches. On October 13, the Pentagon issued a report calling climate change a significant threat to national security requiring immediate action. How do we move from marches, speeches and reports to meaningful work on this problem? In NYC I read a sign with a simple answer:

"I used to say "˜SOMEONE should do something about this.’ Then I realized I am SOMEONE."

For all the "someones" out there, a few ideas: Join any group working on solutions to pollution. There are dozens. Pick one. Vote. Know your candidates; who has rhetoric and who has a plan? Exercise your citizenship. After November we need to work with whomever wins. Keep the pressure on those we elect to make laws and policy that will move us quickly to clean energy. Look at your own energy consumption and make changes where you can. Talk, listen, share knowledge and keep the conversation going. And because "someone’s" children’s future depends on it, NEVER GIVE UP.

Cathye Williams, Thompsonville

Necessary To Pay

Last fall, Grand Traverse voters authorized a new tax to fix roads. It is good, it is necessary.

Yesterday, the Green Lake Township Board authorized additional funds to replace old EMS uniforms. It is good, it is necessary, even though voters approved a big tax increase for EMS last year.

This November, we are being asked to double the 911 telephone surcharge. It is good, it is necessary.

Why are all these increases coming to us? Simple: to pay for the Republican tax cuts given to businesses and the wealthy.

Somebody has to pay - it is necessary.

David Petrove, Interlochen

The Real Reasons for Wolf Hunt

I have really been surprised that no one has been commenting on the true reason for the wolf hunt. All this effort has not been expended so 23 wolves can be killed each year. Instead this manufactured controversy about the wolf hunt has been very carefully crafted to get Proposal 14-2 passed.

Proposal 14-2 does two things. First, it enables the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to set hunting regulations. This proposal clearly states that this seven member Natural Resources Commission, who are not required to have any qualifications other than being appointed by the governor, can establish hunting seasons for wolves "and certain other animals."

Second, the most dastardly part of Proposal 14-2 will "grant the legislature sole authority to remove a species from the list of designated game animals." I am sure that if this ruse passes in November, one of the NRC’s first activities will be to allow target shooting of mourning doves and probably sandhill cranes, both of which would cause a public outcry. Knowing that, they put the clause in Proposal 14-2 that prohibits a public referendum to stop it. Voting NO on Proposals 14-1 and 14-2 is your chance to prevent the legislature from having these dictatorial "sole authority" powers.

Jim Rudolph, Petoskey

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