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Issue Home May 11, 2011 Site Home

Letters to the Editor Policy

Finally!

Hooray to President Obama for finally putting an end to his birth certificate issue on April 27. Now all Americans know the truth, and Obama can devote his time to solving the serious problems this country has, and start governing our nation in a serious manner for the remaining time he has left in office, if he doesn't opt to take a few more vacations in the meantime.

However, did you notice he didn't apologize to his donors for spending a lot of their money to have his lawyers defend him in courts to not release the certificate and other information about him, nor did he allow any reporters to ask any questions when he was finished speaking? Is that arrogance, or what else could it be called?

Sincerely,
John Hollenback
Greenfield Twp., PA

Security Or Insecurity

Security is a “state of being free from danger or threat.” From my personal observation, “the danger or threat” comes only from the common people. I say that because I have watched the professional people walk around the screening equipment without breaking their stride or being asked where they are going or what they are doing. It seems only the common people have to be screened and then our privacy invaded by being asked where they are going and what they are doing. How many people remember why security was established in the courthouse? It was not done to abuse the rights of the people. Perhaps I could ask the original intended recipient of that security to review the security practices and determine if it would withstand a constitutional challenge?

And when we get to our destination, if we ask anyone the questions, “What, Why or When,” we are told, “because we can,” “I can have you arrested,” or “You’re harassing me” (Assessment office answers). Remember that security is being free from danger or threat, not questions! If they are afraid of questions, I can only wonder what they are doing. There is no reason why the people of this county should not know about all the county affairs. The free communications of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man and every citizen may freely speak, write or pint on any subject and no law shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. And the people may freely examine any branch of government - Pennsylvania Constitution. The people should be able to enter the courthouse and ask questions of the elected officers and county employees alike, without recourse. The people should have input at the Commissioner’s meetings during the meetings, when it means something, not after the meetings when it means nothing! Not one of the minutes of the Commissioner’s meetings contains a record of public comment - good, bad or indifferent. The brown shirt culture called security in the courthouse and county offices has already cost our county considerable money and much embarrassment! I still can’t believe our county was put in the position where it had to answer to allegations of violating First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, Freedom of Speech, and Due Process of Law - U.S. Constitution; Wrongful Use of Civil Proceedings, Abuse of Process and Civil Conspiracy - Commonwealth Law. The county paid big bucks to settle out of court over nothing more than a territorial marking dispute. Perhaps District Attorney Legg, who is so keen on keeping the people up on the finer points of law, might write an article on the pros and cons of the subject. After all, it is the duty of the law to protect as well as to prosecute. As a matter of fact, I invite the DA to look into the incident. I hope that I’m not putting the DA into a leaking boat in the middle of the ocean, but if so, I suggest he throw everything overboard that does not float.

The administration has taken a cold shoulder policy toward the people. Perhaps it has forgotten that this government was founded by the people and instituted for the safety, peace and happiness of the people. If your paycheck is drawn from county funds, and until Pennsylvania redefines the word employee, you are servants of the people for now.

Sincerely,
David L. Walters
Hop Bottom, PA

Maybe It Is Time

A recent Letter to the Editor opened with the phrase “$40,000 Reasons.” The writer made a case for not re-electing the incumbent slate of County Commissioners. I have $71,475.48 reasons to not re-elect the incumbents. Commissioners meet every other week, or approximately 26 times a year. The current new candidates for commissioner have stated that it is a part-time job. The pay for this part-time job in one of the poorest counties in Pennsylvania is $71,475.48 ($53,514.84 in salary and $17,960.64 in benefits). Some commissioners have another job. Many meetings (according to the minutes) last 10 minutes or less; some have lasted no longer than 90 seconds (See The Susquehanna County Transcript, March 2, 2011). To find the duties, salaries and benefits paid to a commissioner, one needs to file a Freedom of Information Act request.

It takes longer to read the minutes of most meetings than the actual meetings themselves. Does this mean that all deliberation and discussion of actions taken by the commissioners occurs before they come before the public? Is it possible to "motion" on all of the important business of the county, including the review and rewarding of contracts, hiring and firing employees, appointing people to agencies, boards, etc., appropriating and expending money-all in a few minutes, sometimes in only 90 seconds-with no discussion or deliberation by the commissioners or hearing from the public?

Quoting Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Law, “At each meeting of an agency subject to the Sunshine Law, a public comment period must be provided before any official action is taken.” According to meeting minutes, (at least those from January, 2008 to the present) that is not the case. And, 65 Pa.C.S.A. § 702 provides the following: 1. (a) Findings. - The General Assembly finds that the right of the public to be present at all meetings of agencies and to witness the deliberation, policy formulation and decision making of agencies.

In addition, at § 706, it states:

Written minutes shall be kept of all open meetings of agencies. The minutes shall include:... (4) The names of all citizens who appeared officially and the subject of their testimony.

The minutes do not record the names of any persons present from the public, nor do they reflect any public comment before votes are taken by the commissioners. The only mention of “public comment” appears at the end of meetings and appears with the words “Public Comment.” Nothing else follows except the motion and time of adjournment.

Yes, from the minutes of the meetings, the job of commissioner seems to be part-time. Perhaps we are paying too much for too little? Maybe it is time for a change?

Sincerely,
Edna K. Paskoff
Montrose, PA

How To Lose Friends And Make Enemies: Part II

U.S. foreign policy in the Mideast has had great success in failure. For more than 50 years it has doggedly schemed, intervened, and used military force, achieving only the very opposite of what was intended.

Cases in point: Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Part I detailed the dismal failures in Iran and Iraq, two nations 7,000 miles from our shore that never have nor ever could have harmed us.

Having learned nothing from blundering in the Mideast, the U.S. continues to achieve the same sad results in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

To begin: Ask the most basic question: Why did the U.S. invade Afghanistan? The answers are many, all equally murky.

Here's one. Pres. Bush said we invaded “to capture al-Qaeda leaders and to eliminate terrorist activities in Afghanistan.” The recent killing of Osama bin Laden is hailed as a victory against terrorism much like the elimination of Pablo Escobar was hyped as a victory against the drug cartels. In truth, “it is much sound and fury signifying nothing.” Killing one leader only makes room for the next except in bin Laden's case it may elevate him to martyrdom.

As for al-Qaeda, it merely slipped across the border into Pakistan. And terrorist activities have increased every year of the Afghan occupation.

Judging by the president's stated goals, we have added Afghanistan to the U.S. failure list.

Many believe the U.S. invaded because of the attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon in September 2001. But of the 19 hijackers, 15 were from Saudi Arabia, none were from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, or Iraq.

Should we, then, have invaded Saudi Arabia? Hardly. Does it really make sense to invade an entire nation to pursue 15 members of an extreme Islamic organization?

There is a third reason: oil. According to an official report from a meeting of the U.S. Government's Foreign Policy Committee in 1998, the U.S. wanted a new government in Afghanistan to allow the construction of an oil pipeline.

“CentGas [Central Asia Gas] cannot begin construction until an internationally recognized Afghanistan government is in place,” quoted from U.S. Interests in the Central Asian Republics, 1998.

The Afghanistan oil pipeline was finally able to proceed one year after the invasion. Curiously, the prime minister of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, was employed by CentGas as a go-between for it and the Taliban.

But for whatever reason or by any measure, the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan is a towering failure. The Pentagon commissioned Col. Hy Rothstein to evaluate the war. His conclusion, we have given “warlordism, banditry, and opium production a new lease on life.”

The cost of invading and occupying Afghanistan is staggering. From 2001 to the present, 1,562 U.S. servicemen have been killed, 170,000 have suffered traumatic brain injuries, and 1,138 have had one or more limbs amputated. In dollars, it cost $381 billion that increases by $6 billion every month.

Yet we slog on for what purpose we know not.

The last fiasco, and by far the most ominous, is the nuclear armed nation of Pakistan.

Since 2004, drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) have been used to track down and kill members of al-Qaeda who have sought a safe haven by fleeing to Pakistan. Drones are equipped with a TV monitor which relays images to a pilot who controls the aircraft.

If the pilot spots and confirms a “target,” he can fire a Hellfire missile and destroy it. But there are difficulties. How are al-Qaeda members distinguished from ordinary Pakistan civilians? Not by dress. And not by being armed since carrying an AK-47 is almost an article of dress. Mistakes are made.

From 2004 to the present there were 224 drone strikes killing an estimated 1800 people. The Brooking Institution suggests that “10 or so civilians” are killed for every militant. According to Pakistani authorities, from 2006 to 2009 there were 60 strikes that killed 701 people, of which only 14 were members of al- Qaeda.

At best, these statistics are only rough estimates, but what does seem clear is that many innocent civilians were killed. Pakistan has repeatedly protested these attacks as violations of its sovereignty. Nevertheless, despite numerous requests by Pakistani president, Ali Zardari, the attacks continue.

Zardari walks a thin line. On one side is the U.S. military's mission of eliminating al-Qaeda backed by oodles of foreign “aid” (read bribes) money. On the other side are the increasing number of Pakistanis who take exception to having their family members and friends blowup. If the government is eventually forced to yield to the will of the people, that means trouble - big trouble. Pakistan has 100 nuclear weapons.

Lastly, two failures in the making. Both presidents Gaddafi of Libyan and Assad of Syria have received annual stipends from the CIA given by the right hand while funding opposition factions with the left hand. So far the double-dealing spooks have proved to be equally maladroit with both hands.

“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” Howard Zinn

Sincerely,
Bob Scroggins
New Milford, PA

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