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Letters to the Editor Policy

PROCLAMATION OLDER PENNSYLVANIANS MONTH

May, 2003

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's senior population, with approximately 2.4 million persons over the age of 60 and with one in five seniors living in or near poverty, is projected to increase to more than three million by the year 2020; and

WHEREAS, as Pennsylvania's Department of Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, and Department of Public Welfare remain committed to improving the quality of life for our growing population of seniors throughout the state through counseling, financial assistance, program administration and oversight, and advocacy; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's citizens support the provision of services by these agencies through participation in the Pennsylvania State Lottery, contributing as much as $701 million in a single year; and

WHEREAS, we recognize the unique needs of our diverse older population and must strive to advance and expand assistance and services to our valued seniors. The personal responsibility we take to stay involved in the care of our seniors will ensure that they are not forgotten and can enjoy their golden years as healthy, active, and happy citizens.

THEREFORE, I, Edward G. Rendell, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do hereby proclaim May, 2003 as OLDER PENNSYLVANIANS MONTH in Pennsylvania. I encourage all Pennsylvanians to recognize and appreciate the tremendous contributions of all our older Pennsylvanians and to do their part to help our seniors live healthier, more fulfilling lives.

GIVEN under my hand and the Seal of the Governor, at the City of Harrisburg, on this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord two thousand and three, and of the Commonwealth the two hundred and twenty-seventh.

EDWARD G. RENDELL

Governor

Do You Favor Theft?

When the US is in tough economic straits, war spending is increasing, what does congress do? Break all-time records for spending money in their districts in order to improve chances for re-election. So, would you vote for a politician that, let us say, went to a neighboring state and stole a fire engine from a town and gave it to your town? What if they gave it to a museum in your town, not the fire department? What will this other town do for fire coverage? Well maybe they have a congressional critter that could steal one from the town next to yours? What if your congressman went house to house in the next county and took a dozen cans of food from each house, sold them and gave the money to your town to build a library? Would you vote for them again? Will you think of the people in the other county getting by on less food as you enjoy a good read in your new library? Every federal dollar spent locally was taken from other citizens across the nation, every one of them. So what did these other people do to deserve the privilege of supporting your local projects? If locals pony up the money for their library, great, they are community minded, and heroes. If they raid neighboring towns and steal their wealth, to take back home and spend on the community, they are pirates. So if you allow your government representative to do it(steal) for you, you are a... good voter? If you support the terrorist are you a terrorist too? If you support the thief are you a thief too? Is making your life better at the expense of others the American Way? Is "me first" the American Way?

Do not ask the government to steal from your neighbor, take responsibility and do it yourself, in person. The result is the same, in the end; your neighbor has less than he started with, and you have more. Maybe he has more than he needs, so it's OK? Maybe someone else thinks you have more than you need. In the USSR they did not have that problem, the government decided what everyone needed, and gave it to them. In the USSR the government decided you didn't need free speech, job choice, choice of where to live, choice of how to live, or choice of what to eat. And, of course, those in charge decided that they needed better food, housing, etc. than the rabble; after all they had the terrible responsibility of dividing up the wealth "equally." I vote against any politician that brings money taken from the state or nation, and given to my locality. I will not participate in thievery. Federal and State grants, loans, etc. are composed of money taken from the citizens. If you don't think it is taken, just try not paying your taxes and see how long it takes for a government representative with a gun to show up. Sure some of that money goes for the national defense, about 6% in 2000, but what about the rest? The fact that the first request for your money is not accompanied with a brandished weapon, does not mean that the threat of violence is not implied. They don't carry guns to balance the weight of the change in their other pocket.

Maybe you think, well if we don't get that money, someone else will. You know, the "everybody is doing it, so that makes it OK" argument. Well only if you have the morals of a shark in a feeding frenzy. So if one person bashed another’s head in with a brick, that’s bad. But if a hundred people do it together, like a riot, then it's OK? Or does it take a thousand people? A million maybe? At what point does wrong become right? If a dozen people want to take Bob's money and use it to help themselves (communally of course), does that make it less like theft? Lets take a vote, 12 for, one against, motion passes. Now that's democracy! And I thought we lived in a Republic, you know "...and to the Republic for which it stands." A democracy is mob rule, a republic is where the government's actions are restricted by law. Now-a-days the laws, like the Constitution, don't seem to have much effect on the actions of politicians. All that is left is the actions of the voters. So stop rewarding, with your vote, thieves that steal for you. If not, at least admit, you are in favor of theft, as long as you get the most benefit, and your goal is to elect a better thief than the other citizens. Honesty used to be a virtue in America, but then again, so was self-sufficiency.

Sincerely,

Clay T. Martin

Susquehanna, PA

Keeping The Public Informed

It was an honor when The Garden Club of Montrose recently received a second place state award for its' Publicity Press Book at the annual convention of The Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania held in Harrisburg. The book contained newspaper articles detailing the many projects in which the club was involved during the past year. Since clubs all over Pennsylvania compete for this award, it shows the cooperation of the County Transcript in printing our news that we were able to achieve this success.

Many thanks to you and your staff for your continuing cooperation in helping us keep the public informed of our efforts in the community. It's great to get nice comments from those who read the articles and appreciate our endeavors.

Sincerely,

Gladys Bennett, Publicity Chairman

The Garden Club of Montrose

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Letters To The Editor MUST BE SIGNED. They MUST INCLUDE a phone number for "daytime" contact. Letters MUST BE CONFIRMED VERBALLY with the author, before printing. At that time you may request to withhold your name. Letters should be as concise as possible, to keep both Readerâs and Editor's interest alike. Your opinions are important to us, but you must follow these guidelines to help assure their publishing.

Thank you, Susquehanna County Transcript

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