According to the last census, the median family of four yearly income in Susquehanna County is $41, 514. Compare that to the $71,475 in salary and benefits paid yearly to each county commissioner-for a part-time job! That does not include what they will receive in benefits when they retire from ‘community service.’

Some citizens in the county are beginning to take interest in what is happening at the courthouse on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month. This is a good thing. We understand why concerned citizens can’t make it to the commissioners’ meetings: Why get up early in the morning to make a commissioners’ meeting that begins at 9:00 a.m. and is over at 9:01? Or 9:07? What’s the point of attending meetings that merely show how efficient our commissioners are at reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, motioning to approve cash transfers that have already been made, recognizing county employees’ length of service, approving seminar requests, terminating and hiring county employees, issuing proclamations and resolutions and finally, motioning to adjourn-all in the time it takes to butter a piece of toast and add cream to your coffee? In other words, we have three highly overpaid, part-time Human Resources administrators who individually are paid more than a family of four living in Susquehanna County.

At the organizational meeting on January 3, 2012, the three commissioners were appointed to various committees. Their alleged ‘oversight’ on these committees is ostensibly necessary to keep all facets of the county’s business running smoothly. Of course, no report or discussion in public by the commissioners about any of these committees is forthcoming to the taxpayers who pay their inflated salaries. Except one.

At the February 8, 2012 Commissioners’ meeting, during the “Public Comment” section, the new chairman made the following statement:

“Uh, under Public Comment I would like to also briefly mention that the Commissioners appointed me to the Barnes Kasson Board... I met with the Board of Barnes Kasson and informed them...because of the structure of the board and the amount of nepotism...for those who don’t understand what nepotism is... the family members that...are employed by the hospital are..family members are the board members...because of the nepotism I felt there’s too much conflict of interest and because of the....search that was done with family members employed there I thought there was too much ethical issues there so I refused to sit on Barnes Kasson’s board. So, with that being said, any additional public comment?”

Really? If the county commissioners are appointed to committees that affect the county, are supported by the county or have contracts with the county, and they refuse to sit on those committees, then who’s watching the store? If he believes that something may be amiss, why isn’t he fulfilling his duty to serve on that board?

Since January, 2008, public comment from anyone in attendance, including comments made by commissioners, has been excluded from the commissioners’ meeting minutes, so you’re reading this for the first time.

To be continued.

Sincerely,

Edna K. Paskoff

Montrose, PA

 “GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM,” so declaimed currently fading celebrity Robin Williams. In that movie, that’s how Williams would begin his stint in his role of an Army grunt with the informal but accurate rating of disc jockey. Those vinyl elpeas dated the movie. In that role, Williams delighted in irritating the “brass” by playing music the grunts out in the boonies liked. In his character’s mind, that type of delight justified Robin’s being full of himself.

In the course of the movie, he “fraternizes” with both an attractive Vietnamese young woman and her kid brother. The youngster is amicable enough, and gets tipped for running errands for American service personnel. Not quite old enough to shave, he cruises around Saigon on a scooter. A bomb explodes in a bar, frequented by American service personnel. Several are killed or wounded.

Learning that bomb was planted by that kid, Williams keeps silent about his feelings. Still, it’s possible to conjecture that the man realizes he could’ve died in that explosion. What’s more, Robin conveys by facial expression and demeanor he’s been taken down a peg or two. What a way to get his eyes opened! Truth be told, I found GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM strangely satisfying. It revealed the utter fatuousity of this country’s military incursion.

By the way, last week I purchased two tee shirts that were imported from Vietnam. The quality acceptable, the price was reasonable enough.

Also strangely, the looming recall election of that Wisconsin governor is, in certain aspects, mirrored by that movie. Declaiming “Let’s get to work”, Ed Schultz dives into his hour-long broadcast of pinko left-wing commentary. Lately, he’s been pouring scorn on that thirty-nine percent of union households that are allegedly in league with that governor.

The way the situation is right now, only about ten percent of those households Ed so indignantly scorns are being honest. The rest are, in the opinion of right-thinking and red-blooded Americans, lying in their “filthy teeth”. Ensconced in the voting booth, those liars will put the screws to that governor.

Just as that Vietnamese kid brother in Robin’s movie feigned loyalty to American service personnel, so are those liars feigning loyalty to their employers.

I’m basing that assertion on my own personal experience. Now that I’m recalling, a picture of a vandalized van along with a story appeared in a newspaper. That automobile belonged to a guy, who protested a deduction from his union dues. The money was for various sorts of political activity, undertaken by the International Association of Machinists. That failed to sit all that well with our Local 923. Please note the adjective “our”.

Again now that I’m recalling, I had a conversation with the Local’s Business Representative “Gene” Woodruff. He and I agreed that our union brothers and sisters regard our Local as “mommy”. Given that, it is reasonable to infer that giving mommy one across the lips is bound to prove quite imprudent.

Truth be told, I harbored barely a jot of sympathy for that unfortunate and imprudent sapsucker.

Sincerely,

A Alexander Stella,

Susquehanna Depot

Recently I had the opportunity to play in the pit band for the Broadway show “Jesus Christ Superstar” presented by the Blue Ridge Drama Club. Granted, the high school actors, singers, and musicians have the talent and support of their parents, but the leadership of the Play Director, Mr. Tim Hutchins and Musical Director/accompanist, Ms. Amy Zakarauskas brought out the very best of these performers. The pit band had less than 8 hours of practice to prepare for the shows. There was no waiting for the members of the cast to learn their parts and where they were supposed to be; they were well coached and prepared by their directors. The short rehearsal time was run very efficiently.

I have played in many “pits” and nowhere have I seen more respect shown by the directors toward their students and students toward their leaders. The performers listened and tried to accomplish what was asked of them; sometimes successfully-sometimes unsuccessfully. Nowhere did I hear any insults uttered by either side. The experience was very pleasant for me.

With the recent negative news reports concerning a few of our educators, it is, indeed, refreshing to observe talented teachers doing their jobs, and I hope the Blue Ridge School District tax payers and Administration appreciate the “extra” little/big things Mr. Hutchins and Ms. Zakarauskas do.

Thank you, Tim and Amy for bringing Broadway to Susquehanna County.

Sincerely,

C. Robert Orner

Montrose, PA

The primary defeat of Sen. Richard Lugar in Indiana is bad news for America. He was one of the few adults in Congress, and now a man with a Conservative rating of 77 isn't good enough anymore for his party? Indiana instead is running an uncompromising Tea Party extremist.

This is of particular relevance to Pennsylvania, since one of our candidates for Senate is a similar type. He has promised not to vote to raise the debt ceiling, which is a confession of political derangement. This would cause America to default on its debt, and would send the world economy into a Depression. To avoid that, either we raise the debt ceiling (a formality) or we pay off the deficit, immediately. The latter would be very difficult to do, and all the more impossible if you (like the Tea Party) reject the necessity of raising taxes.

We have to be adults and pay our bills. Unfortunately, the adults are being kicked out of the room by Tea Party infants. The self-styled "real Patriots" are actually the worst thing for America.

Sincerely,

Stephen Van Eck

Rushville, PA

The War on Drugs was to be a two-front assault on illicit drugs. In 1972, President Nixon opened up the first front on the U.S.-Mexican border. Interdicting smuggled substances was made a top priority. At the same time enforcement of drug laws became more vigorous.

In 2006, Mexico's president, Felipe Calderon, opened up the second front in his nation. Calderon would use an iron fist on traffickers. The cartels were caught in a Nixon-Calderon pincer that would squeeze them out of existence.

A brilliant strategy whose failure was equally brilliant.

Now, after 42,000 Mexicans have died in drug related deaths, Calderon is calling for a “rethinking” of drug policy. His voice is echoed by other Central American leaders whose nations have also been racked by Nixon's war.

Look as the drug related deaths per 100,000 in these narco nations: Honduras, 86; El Salvador, 70; and Guatemala, 39. Compare that with the total homicide in the U.S. at less than 5 per 100,000. Homicides rates have also soared in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Growing and selling marijuana is big business here and in Central America. It is 80 percent of the illegal drug trade in the U.S. In Central America profits from “mary jane” have given the cartels enormous power to corrupt officials at all levels. Police, judges, majors, are given a choice by gun-totting pushers: Which would you like, gold or lead?

Stateside, since the drug war began 12 million have been arrested for marijuana violations, 41,000 are presently incarcerated on marijuana charges, the total cost of the forty-year war to U.S. taxpayers is $1 trillion plus an additional $15 billion for the 2011 drug budget. And the result . . .

Marijuana has blossomed into the largest cash crop in the U.S. estimated at $36 billion a year. When the war began a Gallup poll found that 81 percent of Americans said no to decriminalizing marijuana. Today, 50 percent believe it should be legalized.

According to a Zogby poll, 75 percent of Americans believe the drug war has failed. The Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, composed of the former presidents of Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil, called for its legalization.

And last year, the Global Commission on Drug Policy declared, “The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world.”

President Obama differs. He is convinced we're winning the war. We just need more money, about $11 billion more, bringing the cost of the 2012 drug budget to $26 billion.

But more money won't turn the corner. The War on Drugs as conducted on marijuana is unwinnable. With a markup from a Mexican field to the U.S. market of roughly1:8, no tax, and an insatiable demand for the product in the U.S., the incentive to grow and sell weed is too great to quell.

Nevertheless, there is a way to win the drug war, at least for marijuana. Hit 'em where it hurts: profits.

U.S. drug policy has been the drug racketeers greatest ally. Without this unwitting alliance the price of marijuana would collapse along with profits. Decriminalizing marijuana would cost the Mexican cartels $9 billion or 60 percent of their profits, drug-related crime and homicides would plummet, as would the corrupting power of cartel dollars.

And that's what the U.S. is inching toward—-decriminalization.

Sixteen states plus the District of Columbia recognize the use of marijuana for a medicinal purposes. And it does have proven therapeutic value for controlling pain, relieving nausea, stimulating appetite, and decreasing ocular pressure. But California has taken this exemption to the next level. The “weed state” has roughly 1,000 storefront and mobile medical dispensaries for the plant.

But isn't marijuana too dangerous to be made legal?

In the U.S., cigarettes are responsible for 440,000 deaths, alcohol 80,000 deaths, prescription drugs 40,000 deaths, and marijuana 0 deaths. Of course it is harmful. Habitually inhaling any smoke is bound to have serious health consequences. But it hasn't shown up yet to any marked degree.

Then isn't marijuana a gateway drug leading to heroin, cocaine, and meth amphetamine addiction?

The Netherlands has the most permissive marijuana laws of any nation; it's the cannabis capital of the world. The Netherlands concluded from their studies that “clearly challenge any claim that the Dutch have strengthened the gateway to hard drug use.”

But the federal government is ever the patron saint of lost causes. To wit: the War on Poverty, the War on Cancer, and, of course, the War on Drugs. Lost causes all. But, say the White House, it's nothing that cannot be fixed with just a little more time and a few more billions.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA