Dear Editor,
During last spring’s budget process, Virg Bernero tried cutting $700,000 0f $1.3 million budget by City ordinance for agencies that help Lansing’s most vulnerable residents. He then attempted to reduce the department responsible for overseeing these funds, from nine to five employees. He even tried to contract with the United Way to award over $200,000 to fund agencies throughout the tri-county area.
His number two man, Jerry Ambrose, sits on the United Way board and the committee that would have distributed these funds.
Promising to "focus on youth" in his State of the City Address, Bernero proposed cutting $343,000 for youth agencies.
He’s still scheming to layoff city workers and privatize some services. He’s done nothing for the 25% of Lansing residents living below the poverty level.
He’s all for himself and the rich; not the poor, seniors, the homeless, families, workers and basic services.
BERNERO MUST BE RECALLED. Election Time is Near
Darnell Oldham Sr.
Dear Editor,
What are we looking at? We have the retreads who currently are seated in Congress working to hold their seats. They’ve accomplished very little unless you want to consider "the bridge that goes nowhere". There is one retread who lost his seat in the primary, so he recycled himself on another ticket. Then we have our new contenders, who would like their shot at running the country.
It’s been hard to keep up with the Elephant and Donkey Show to figure out where Congress was going to go prior to the election because they’ve changed direction so many times. It appears, that after the 9/11 Anniversary, the final battle for votes will be concentrated on terrorism and homeland security, taking our thoughts away from everything that hasn’t been taken care of. AARP reported that the US Department of Homeland Security has been successful in stopping Rx drugs from Canada leaving many without the medicine they need. Legislation has been passed in the Senate and House forbidding Customs agents from using Federal funds to seize drugs from Canada and their fate could be decided by a conference committee working out Homeland Security approriations.
I was raised in a country that was God, Country, Motherhood, and Apple Pie. Today God is taking a beating. As far as country, people can still burn the flag, and English is still not our official language. I guess we’ll have to keep dialing "1".
Congress has pillaged $1,750,000,000,000.00 from Social Security with no plans to repay it. Congress has no legal obligation to pay Social Security benefits and COLA. AARP, NAUS, the Senior Citizen Association of America, and the Seniors Coalition are working to save Social Security, Medicare, and have funds replaced. What makes it worse is that there is a movement to pay illegal immigrants Social Security.
With regards to illegal immigration, Congress is dragging it’s feet.
Their problem is that they have two issues to deal with.
1. What is our policy with regards to immigration?
2. What do we do with the illegals that are here? With their usual brilliance they have combined both issues and will accomplish little in this area. FAIR, The Judicial Watch, The Minutemen, and various parts of the country are taking steps realizing the incompetent inability of Congress to accomplish anything. There are laws on the books.
Congress showed their neanderthal thinking when it came to an alternate fuel source. They said we could drill in the Gulf of Mexico. Brazil has successfully converted to ethanol.
Minimum wage is an area where some states have taken the lead.
California recently raised theirs to $8.00/hour, which is $.50/hour higher than the bill that didn’t make it thru Congress.
Let’s take a look at why they fight so hard and spend so much money to get a seat in Congress.
1. They aren’t held accountable for what they do or don’t do for 6 years.
2. They give themselves their raises. A member of Congress indicated that they had given themselves $31,000 in raises. Does anyone know what they make?
3. Lobbyist fill their campaign buckets with money.
4. A very lucrative retirement that we pay for.
5. In some cases, they are above the law.
6. A three day work week because they need two days to take care of things on their personal agendas. Iv’e ask a question, "With their three day work week, breaks, holidays, etc., how many days a year do they work?". No one has answered.
I am left with a feeling that Congress works for themselves and the Lobbyist not "We, the people" or the United States of America. It’s obvious that their time off is more important than accomplishing their mission. Perhaps if we cleaned house and replaced everyone in Congress something might get accomplished before the Lobbyist got their hooks into them.
Bill Furlow Ocean Springs, MS bill@yahoo.com