Letters to the editor: Sept. 21

Presidential Election

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Economy in trouble

In 1929, Herbert Hoover said, “The fundamental business of the country … is on a sound and prosperous basis,” In 2008, John McCain said, “The fundamentals of our economy are strong.”

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Enough said. Vote for Barack Obama so we can put our country back on course.

FRED BARLAM

PHOENIX

Why hate Sarah Palin?

On Aug. 29, I was fishing for halibut in southeast Alaska as news broke that John McCain had chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. There has been a lot of supportive and hateful press. Notice the following verses in Psalm 119.

• In verse 73, the psalmist asked for discernment understanding to learn the scripture.

• In verse 125, the psalmist asked for discernment to know experientially (intimately) scripture (values/feelings).

• In verse 144, the psalmist asked for discernment to choose the best life experiences (conduct).

• In verse 169, the psalmist asked for discernment to make all his choices so they would be in line with scripture.

The sequence of these requests is significant. First, the psalmist was concerned he learn scripture. Second, the psalmist was concerned he love scripture. Third, the psalmist was concerned that he choose (live) right conduct.

What we put in our minds helps to form our values. Our values become our guide to conduct.

Why hate Sarah Palin? What she puts into her mind helps to form her values and her values guide her conduct. It is the same with us. Consider I Kings 3:9.

Jerry Tetreau

Mesa

Palin only has ‘right’ religion

I’m still trying to connect the dots that explain how the mayor of a village in Alaska and the governor of a state slightly more populated than Mesa is qualified to be a breath away from the most powerful job in the country. Sadly, the answer I keep returning to is that she passes the religious test that is prohibited in the Constitution, a document the right says was inspired by God. The slash-and-burn tactics used against candidates who fail the test damages reputations and attacks families.

Sen. John McCain was a victim of this in 2000. The only candidate left standing will be the one with the least qualifications for the job he seeks. What a way to choose a leader. I doubt McCain is comfortable with the religious right, but he wants to be president and the only chance he has at fulfilling his dream is to become one of them.

He managed to win the nomination, but still the right didn’t believe his recent conversion. So enter Sarah Palin!

I feel sorry for McCain, who is a decent man. He should not have been backed into this corner. He deserves better and so does the country.

LINDA MANN

McCain hurt by deployments

I read the Kirk Muse letter of Sept. 2 and the G. Smorowski letter of Sept. 9, contrasting liberal and conservative positions on the military support for Sen. John McCain. An independent voice here with a background as a regular Air Force advisor for four years with both regular and National Guard units.

Since the Afghan and later the Iraq debacle, and the numerous off-and-on deployments of Guard and Reserve units to those locales, I guarantee that this does not sit well with those military personnel, their dependents and extended families. Thus the Obama vote will be a “no brainer.”

You do not take a citizen soldier away from his or her job, separate them three or four times from family for extended periods, force them to take a cut in pay and expect to get the McCain vote. I also question the position that the active forces will support McCain.

RICK RIVARD

CHANDLER

Palin part of sexist campaign

I notice that Republicans point out a lot of sexist comments and misogynistic behavior regarding Gov. Sarah Palin. My issue is that Palin is being exploited as political arm candy and she’s standing there with that plastic smile and no one has bothered to point out that she’s being made a fool of.

I heard Sen. John McCain say that until the media and the world give this woman the respect she deserves, she’s not “allowed” to speak. Don’t you think that is appalling?

Especially after they have complained that the media has been sexist? How sexist is it that we are putting a woman in the driver’s seat of power but then coddling her and hiding her as if she isn’t strong enough to handle media because they are not being “fair.” You wouldn’t say that to a man, would you? No!

And why can’t she speak for herself? It’s probably because she hasn’t been given that script yet. As soon as she rehearses the speech that a man has prepared for her, we’ll see her on the news. How is that empowering for her or other women?

If she cannot handle the press attention of a high-profile occupation or a TV interview, then she cannot handle the leaders of the Koreas, the Middle East or Russia. One must conclude she is not prepared to handle running the country, either.

MYRYKA NUNYA

SCOTTSDALE

Obama is not different

Barack Obama promised us a new era in politics with change from the past. He ran in the primary from the left and is now running from the center.

This is an old-time political trick. He criticized John McCain for being in Washington too long then picked a running mate who has been a Washington insider longer than McCain.

He promised clean politics then runs ads saying that McCain is out of touch because he cannot send e-mails. Obama knows very well that the reason McCain cannot use a key board because the communists twisted and broke his arms while they were torturing him, limiting the motion of his arms and hands.

Where is the change?

HENRY RICHARDS

CHANDLER

McCain strikes out

On Oct. 11, 2002, while debating legislation that would grant President Bush the power to use military force “as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq,” Sen. John McCain argued Saddam Hussein “has developed stocks of germs and toxins in sufficient quantities to kill the entire population of the Earth multiple times. He has placed weapons laden with these poisons on alert to fire at his neighbors within minutes.” That motion passed.

On Nov. 17, 2005, McCain voted “no” on a bill titled Additional Funding for Veterans Amendment — S.2020, a motion to wave the budget act in order to adopt an amendment that appropriated $500 million annually from 2006 through 2010 for counseling, mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, or substance abuse. Sen. Barack Obama voted “yes.” That motion was rejected by the Senate 43-55.

This year, McCain did not vote on the bill introduced by Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., and Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., the new GI Bill. Obama voted in favor. In addition, McCain spoke out against this bill and encouraged his fellow legislators to vote “no.”

As a citizen who loves his country and as a nine-year veteran of the Air Force, I say, “Strike three, Sen. McCain. You are out!”

ROBERT STELLING

CHANDLER

Obama lacks understanding

Is anyone really listening to what Sen. Barack Obama says and, more importantly, what he doesn’t say? Every time he speaks he offers criticism, quips and sarcasm but no real solution or plan of action.

He said he would fund his health care program with money saved by pulling out of Iraq. This ignores two facts. Once such a program is started it becomes an entitlement like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. And once the funds are diverted to this new entitlement, where do we get funds to support future military action?

During his interview with Bill O’Reilly on Fox News, Obama described his energy plan as a major investment in energy research and development. From his answer, Obama shows that he doesn’t know history, understand the energy problem or realize that new programs can take decades to bring to market. Alternative energy programs have been pursued ever since President Carter created the Department of Energy, which has been exploring and investing in alternative energy concepts for more than 30 years.

The problem has been that the alternatives are not cost-effective compared to fossil fuels. If off-shore oil drilling and nuclear power had been aggressively pursued a decade ago, the current crisis would be far less. Further delay to do more research as Obama suggests is not the answer.

Obama has not shown that he understands the issues or that he has the leadership skills to make this happen.

Terry Tampa

Gilbert

Lost all respect for McCain

When the presidential election had narrowed to Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain, I felt that for the first time in eight years that I would be able to respect the president of the United States regardless of who was elected. While I haven’t always agreed with McCain’s politics, I felt that he was doing what he truly thought was best for this country.

However, in the weeks since the Republican convention, that respect is gone.

Beginning with the selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate and continuing with his distortions of the truth and false outrage at innocent remarks, McCain is showing that he is willing to do anything to win this election. His campaign is based entirely on nebulous accusations and sound bites without giving any information on the issues people care about. Integrity and honor were two words I previously would have used in conjunction with John McCain, but not anymore.

LARA POLLITT

MESA