Letters 02-16-2015

Feb. 15, 2015

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!

The TPP And My 401k

In response to Beverly Christensen’s letter in the February 9 edition, I have to say that YES I am alarmed about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal that is now being negotiated. This is business as usual. I benefit directly from that business. I have several 401K accounts from my jobs over the years. Have I taken the personal responsibility to examine those accounts and what they are invested in? No. Am I like thousands of similar individuals in this country in not demanding of my account managers that they divest me of any company that will benefit from this trade deal? Did I do that for NAFTA and other profit-at-all-expense trade deals over the past few decades? No, I did not. I am ashamed of that.

The further trashing of the middle class in this country continues unabated because I and others cannot fathom the complexities of trade deals like TPP and the implications they have on my partial ownership of them through my 401K holdings. I can write snail mail, send emails, participate in lists that excoriate these deals, and do whatever else I can, but I have not expunged my 401K accounts of the very companies that are ruining me, yet are keeping my accounts above and beyond the inexorable march of inflation eating away at my security. Does ANYONE have any solution to this?

David Whitehouse, Buckley

Fine Tune The Cherry Fest

As a kid who grew up on Michigan’s west shore, I love cherries. During WWII, kids in junior high were enlisted to pick cherries because of the labor shortage, and I’ve had a warm spot for cherries ever since. Now, however, we’re getting serious about the Cherry Festival. Your observer, Jack Lane, is right. The Cherry Festival isn’t about cherries; it’s tourism pure and simple. That’s free enterprise, but it needs some fine tuning, and some of us still like cherry pie.

As one of those taxpayers, I’ve wondered what the operating cost per hour is for the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds. Don’t think about it too much. Fact is, we all should take time to visit the Air Force Museum at Dayton, Ohio, and see for ourselves what a mighty country can do with airplanes when it’s motivated. That’s what the Blue Angels air show is all about. It goes clear back to the Wright brothers. There’s still room at our festival for the air shows.

But now let’s evaluate that Cherry Festival and make it even better – more bands, more clowns, more fun and, oh yes, more pies.

Dan Welburn, Traverse City

The Stupid Party?

In a January 2013 address to the Republican National Committee, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal issued the following warning to his fellow Republicans: "We’ve got to stop being the stupid party."

The GOP has obviously decided to ignore Jindal’s warning by continuing to alienate virtually all critical voting blocks, i.e. women, minorities, poor, the middle class, etc.

It has been amazing to watch the self-destruction of the Party over the last six years. In 2008, the GOP’s worst fear was realized with the election of a black president, a fear realized when he was re-elected. Their next fear is the strong possibility of a woman president.

The GOP continues its "war on women" and its war on the working poor with efforts to block unemployment benefits, minimum wage increases and do away with food stamps. They’ve also opposed health care reform, Wall Street reforms, campaign and tax code reform.

Don’t forget their efforts to suppress the votes of millions of minority, senior citizen, and college student voters. And now Limbaugh and other leaders are attacking the Pope.

Although the GOP has retaken the Senate, their radical agenda and historic inability to legislate -- as well as rapidly changing demographics -- will make it very difficult for the Party to retake the White House in 2016.

John Peterson, Empire

Respect The Cherry Fest

Regarding Jack Lane’s column critiquing the National Cherry Festival, clearly Mr. Lane’s business is not affected by tourism. As a downtown employee for many years, I understand the hard work put in by the downtown to accommodate all visitors all year long, especially during the Cherry Fest. The festival is a tradition that brings in business that we wouldn’t otherwise see. Our unique event is based on what TC does, who we are and what we want to share.

Success is leaving people thinking about our city. If tourists are so thrilled with that they return, we were successful. The Cherry Festival is the embodiment of sharing our pride and celebrating how amazing our city is with fun, entertainment, and cherries. Our concerts are full of fun, clean entertainment and ending early avoiding late night "noise pollution."

I love that you are all about fireworks! Those aren’t "extraordinarily unkind to animals" or the environment, for that matter? Yet the amazing crew of the Blue Angels who are the finest gentlemen you will ever meet are a nuisance? All of us are U.S. taxpayers whether or not we "take advantage" of viewing them. Knowing the festival’s history, the Navy has a significant connection and this tradition should be valued.

The term "something for nothing crowd" is infuriating. Those people are spending money on hotels, restaurants and local products. It’s a serious understatement to think anyone here for the festival is paying nothing to be here. To make a change, share new, positive ideas; don’t belittle what many take the time to volunteer for and many depend on for their livelihood.

Heather Halt, Traverse City

Anti-Vacc Not Conservative

Steve, reading your opinion piece in Feb. 9th Northern Express, I could not have been more shocked to see you pin the anti-vaccine speech to conservative thinking. Throughout the entire connection of vaccinations to autism, not one of my conservative friends believed in it. In fact, I did not see or hear of any conservative/ Republican every mention it. But my liberal friends, who have always found the pharmaceutical companies at best an evil business, constantly raised the notion that all those companies were attempting to do was to profit from the increase in the number of vaccines administered.

This is not coming from the conservative side of the aisle. Rand Paul is a Libertarian and would favor small, less intrusive government. Chris Christie is trying hard to hit the middle and hence finds himself tied in knots. The biggest stand against vaccinations came from the state of Calif"¦.can’t prove anything here but it wasn’t Texas holding back their children from the shots. Leave it at that.

Unfortunate: with your article you have once again painted the conservative thinker as dumb.

If you have conclusive evidence that this whole debacle with vaccines came straight from a conservative ideology, please send that to me. I would like to read it.

Budd Cicciarelli, Petoskey