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PrintDemocrats, be more than just the 'Anti-Bush' party
Congratulations to the Democrats after being shut out of power for the last six years. Speaking as one of the voters who helped you capture your congressional majority, I've got a word of warning: Remember 1946.
In '46, voters were disenchanted with Harry Truman and the Democratic Party, and swept the Republicans into control of Congress. What did they do? They decided that after being trivialized by Franklin Roosevelt for so long, it was time for payback. Their agenda consisted of a) using their newfound legislative powers to "reward" all their "friends" who supported them, and b) dedicating themselves to making the last two years of Truman's presidency miserable. They were combative, unwilling to work with the White House on anything, and were intent on sending the president any bill that he would find unacceptable.
Then they sat back and salivated, looking forward to capturing the White House in 1948. The result? The voters weren't pleased, elected Truman and returned the Democrats to power with a bigger majority than they had lost in '46.
So here's the deal, Democrats. I'm glad you're back, but I expect you to be more than just the "Anti-Bush" party. I want ideas, willingness to work with the White House and (assuming that the Bush Leaguers can learn to play well with others) some results. If you decide to spend two years being nothing more than a thorn in the president's side, we will know, and I will have no misgivings about voting you back out. Good luck, congratulations, but be warned.
RUSSELL SCHMIDT
New Kensington
Privacy, please
What happened to my privacy while voting? I have voted for many years by stepping into a booth with a closed curtain. At that moment it is just me and my conscience. This year that changed. After I signed in, I was escorted to an available machine. The poll worker and I walked a couple of feet behind a woman who was voting. I had to turn away in order to avoid her screen.
While I was voting, a man walked directly behind the first woman and then myself at our respective machines. I lost that feeling of privacy while voting.
Why do we no longer have curtains to ensure our secret ballot? I often support candidates openly and financially, but my vote should always be private. Please return curtains to the voting booth.
ANN R. MOSS
McCandless
Reluctant to vote
I was appalled -- let me repeat, appalled --that people were able to walk close behind me while I was voting. What's wrong with a little privacy? Why can't they put the machines on a shelf inside a curtained area?
Or do the poll workers have to observe us -- so that we do not commit voter fraud? It makes one very reluctant to vote again.
NANCY HIRKO
Hidden Valley
Watch North Korea
A few weeks ago, a leading U.S. weekly news magazine quoted North Korean leader Kim Jong Il as saying he will not make his "move" until George W. Bush is out of office. Kim Jong Il is dangerous and has no grasp on reality and this quote indicates that Kim Jong Il is fearful of the actions the Bush administration would take if North Korea makes an aggressive military move.
The United States and the rest of the world cannot afford to accept a growing North Korean nuclear weapons program. Not taking immediate actions to deal with North Korea would be disastrous. We need government officials to be proactive in ensuring a second Korean War is avoided.
BRIAN O'GARA
South Side
Getting together
It may seem small consolation in the midst of world turmoil, but if we could take a long overview of Iraq, Afghanistan and other awful conflicts, would we find what's happening to be the inevitable meeting of East and West?
After World War II, we stayed on in Japan to stabilize their government. Today there are no more kamikaze suicide bombers over there, and there are a lot of Japanese gardens over here.
NANCY COBETTO
Edgewood
Israel's denial
As a Pittsburgher directly affected by Israel's denial of entry to foreign nationals to the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, I was pleased to read "Deporting Hope" by Ziv Ragowsky in the Oct. 22 Forum section
Israel's policy is a direct violation of its agreements of reciprocity with the U.S. government as well as its obligations under international and humanitarian law. Since late 2000, Israel has refused to process family unification requests for some 120,000 foreign nationals seeking residence in West Bank and Gaza Strip. Many of these U.S. citizens, all are now at risk of being arbitrarily separated from their spouses and children. Also affected are foreign nationals -- teachers, businesspersons, physicians and relief workers; international relief and developmental efforts are being seriously disrupted at a time of unprecedented economic and humanitarian crisis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
As an American development professional, I have spent the last decade traveling to dozens of countries around the world. I have never -- until now -- been denied entry into another country.
While Israel gleans the benefits of being America's chief ally in the region, including billions in U.S. taxpayers' dollars, thousands of U.S. citizens are threatened with separation from families, homes and work by this very same ally.
I am appalled by Israel's blatant disregard for its bilateral and international obligations. However, I am more dismayed by the inability -- or unwillingness -- of our own government to challenge a policy that not only reflects such utter disrespect for the welfare and rights of its own citizens but so clearly flies in the face of U.S. interests in the region.
SHARON LAPP
McCandless
Over there
My good friend Jack was a Marine in combat. He told me that when he served, as soon as they got the locals trained as police, they deserted and went to ground, telling the local enemy what they learned and where the GIs were. He said background checks were useless.
Just the other day, a man and his son, a Marine, stopped by Starbucks for a coffee where my wife works. The son was going back to serve another tour. He said that as soon as they got the locals trained as police, they deserted and went to ground telling the local enemy what they learned and where the GIs were. He said background checks were useless.
My good friend Jack was in Vietnam. He was killed in 1968.
I hope the Marine I met over coffee returns to his dad in 2007 after his second tour in Iraq.
ROB TRAPPEN
Arnold
Big deal
Cost of living increase for Social Security? ("Social Security Benefits up 3.3 Percent," Oct. 19). I'm going to get $30. Medicare is taking $5 a month, secondary insurance is taking $18 a month, that's $23 gone.
I'm sure before January someone will take the other the $7 that's left. We seniors don't stand a chance.
VIRGINIA DeMARCO
Brookline
Take a good hard look at the HOV lanes
Although I was not living in the Pittsburgh area when the HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes were constructed on I-279, I can only surmise that the reason for them was to relieve congestion during rush hour, as well as to encourage carpooling.
However, after having driven from Cranberry to Downtown Pittsburgh these last five or so years, I finally feel compelled to speak up about what I see each and every day as I sit idly by in my car, watching cars pass me to my left. I say "speak up" I recently took the time to interview the 18 cars that used the HOV lanes during a recent rush hour. I discovered that nine of them had mannequins in the passenger seat, three were people from out of the state traveling with their family members and two had no one in the passenger seat at all. Four were using the HOV lanes as they were intended.
As congestion gets greater each and every day as more and more people move north and commute in, it seems that it would make sense to open up the HOV lanes to all traffic so that the more than 52,000 cars that come in every day can take advantage of these beautifully constructed empty two lanes just as the 18 cars are able to.
Driving behavior has obviously not been modified. Trying to promote carpooling by squeezing everyone else into two lanes seems ludicrous, if not dangerous.
So, in conclusion, I say to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation: Tear down that wall.
KENT DAVIDSON
Cranberry
