I would simply like to thank Larry Gary for his recent letter to the Editor.  On another note - it might be easy to believe that the County Transcript agrees with Stephen Van Eck because he is in the paper so often, but their explanation of not censoring any one is what our country has always stood for.  Mr. Gary is totally correct with his problems with Hilary Clinton but I would like to add a bit more.  Hilary not only accepts abortion as "a woman's right" - she accepts partial birth abortion (abortion  a week, a day or an hour before birth).  This means tearing a child who is fully able to survive from the womb and killing it.  She also is a strong defender of Planned Parenthood who continues to sell baby parts, although more carefully covered up.

If Hilary is elected president she will appoint 1-3 Supreme Court Justices who agree with her radical thinking, which includes believing she has the right to ignore vital censoring of our nations’ classified information.  She will follow Obama's promise to fundamentally change America.

Personally, I believe this election is a test for all God fearing people.  Too many are totally ignoring reality and convincing themselves it is not their business to call abortion murder and to not tell a woman she does not have the right from God to kill a baby.   Abortion is not a political issue.  It is a Human's Right issue.

Donald Trump may be crude but he is successful in making great things happen and is believable.  The time you know for sure Hilary Clinton is lying is when her lips are moving.

Sincerely,

Annette Corrigan

Jackson Township

We've all seen the Access Hollywood tape, of Trump boasting of trying to seduce a married woman (when he was recently married to Melania) and expressing an entitlement attitude to sexually assault women that derives from his celebrity status.

Just because this outrageous utterance, out of a very long string of such utterances, is the one that has finally damaged him, Trump apologists both here and elsewhere seem to think-- or merely pretend-- that it's all that's culpable with him, and desperately try to downplay it.  But there's so much more.

So, for those with the memory capacity of goldfish, let's see the entire picture.  First, Trump is an utterly unscrupulous demagogue who has run an ugly, sick-making campaign designed to appeal to the worst in people.  One centered on racial bigotry (to the approval of the Klan and other white nationalists).  He spews insults constantly, stirs up hate, and even unprecedentedly uses profanity.  Politifact says he lies 72% of the time.  (He hyperbolizes 1000%!)

Also disqualifying is his record of business failure:  six bankruptcies, and a loss of $915 million in a single year.  It takes a special incompetence to lose so much money, especially running a casino, which is a license to print money.

Then there's his refusal to pay contractors and workers.  The Trump University flim-flam.  The total scam of the Trump Foundation (detailed in these pages previously).  All the while the campaign pretends the BBB approved, 4-star (from Charity Navigator) Clinton Foundation is the corrupt entity.

Fifty National Security professionals say Trump is a menace.  Two even say he's been cultivated by Putin as what Lenin called a "useful idiot". Trump shows little interest in maintaining NATO, something Putin would dearly love to undermine.  And there's Trump's well-known thin skin, recklessness, and belligerent attitude-- exactly what we do not need in charge of the nuclear button.  Or anything at all!

Finally, we should all have the gravest concern about Trump's Scorched Earth strategy to destroy everything if we do not make him Fuehrer.  By falsely claiming that the voting is rigged (if so, why bother voting?) to a paranoid conspiratorial fringe that's eager to hear such nonsense, he's thrown a rhetorical bomb into the American system of government.  This will not only render it non-functional (exactly as the Russians intend), but will directly result in violent insurrection when Hillary wins.  We've already heard voices from underneath various rocks calling for this to happen.  And let's not forget his thinly-veiled suggestions of assassination.

Compared to that offense, and all the preceding, the fact that he feels entitled to grab women in a private area seems almost trivial.  So no more whining about how unfair it is that this is what's ruining Trump.  He deserves to be ruined for so much more.  And no whining when Trump loses, fair and square.  He deserves that as well.  "Bigly."

Sincerely,

Stephen Van Eck

Rushville, PA

I wanted to send out a letter of thanks to the Hallstead-Great Bend Lions Club.  They have been in existence in our area over 60 years.  Our community will be at a great loss without all of those civic minded men and women.   In the years past, they have helped our local Hallstead-Great Bend Branch Library with many projects that we would not have accomplished without them.  I know many people with eye and hearing issues will be at a great disadvantage without them. And, our seniors in our area will certainly miss their Christmas dinner that was provided by their members. But, I think the biggest loss of all will be the Annual Easter Egg hunt for all of the children in our area.  I’m sure there are many, many other projects and generous acts of kindness they performed for our community over the years that I don’t even know about. Many of our local organizations are going through the same situation without members of the community getting involved and volunteering.  I am sad to see this organization disappear without a note of thanks.

Thank you to all the past and present members of the Hallstead- Great Bend Lions Club. You will all be sorely missed in our community.

Sincerely,

Angie Hall, Hallstead- Great Bend Branch Library Director

Hallstead PA