Where was letter writer when ….

Re: "Time for real change," Letters, Feb. 23: Where has C. Hugh Mays been the last eight years, demanding that we now become a nation of people abiding immigration laws, while so many good Americans made huge profits hiring illegals?

Did Hugh demand to know if any illegals were involved before he purchased any food in a store or restaurant? Did Hugh beat on the doors of his legislators when the likes of Brian Bilbray helped sic the border patrol on a friend's employees because they were illegals and demanding fair wages? Shouldn't Bilbray have gone to jail for that?

Where was Hugh over the last eight years while the Republican Congress wrote Draconian laws that enabled presidential orders signed by Bush that gave the president the power to kill the Constitution at will? What happened to habeas corpus and Posse Comitatus under Bush and Co., Hugh? And where was Hugh when we killed 100,000 Iraqi civilians for no good reason, creating 400,000 refugees and 750,000 widows? Don't those lives count also, Hugh? Or maybe Hugh is just mad because his so-called law-abiding Republicans aren't in power?

Where have you been, Hugh? How disappointing that now you care.

Dave Patterson

Ramona

Common sense is uncommon

Regarding the editorial on the state deficit of Feb. 15 ("State deficit deal means it's time to pay up"): The writer missed it in the last two paragraphs. Proposition 13 is not the problem. … The basic problem is common sense, or the lack of it. …

When you think about it, only about 10 percent of the world#,s population has it. Those people with common sense are able to control money and are good compromisers, because they listen to others and think the issues out.

Take Prop. 13: In 1978, I was paying over 9 percent property taxes on my home. Can you imagine what my taxes would be today? Back then, people who scrimped and saved to pay off their homes found themselves in a fix. They were unable to come up with the exorbitant taxes and lost their homes. Self-serving politicians, bureaucrats and the unions were raiding the treasury. So what's new?

Look at Carlsbad: Its common-sense council cut spending by 5 percent, including its own salaries. …

I believe every person who runs for public office should have common sense. We would not be in the trouble we are in now if all our elected officials could manage money.

Walt Meier

Carlsbad

Dems think they can best spend your money

Well, here it goes, folks. The difference between Republicans and Democrats is about to be on display once again.

In a Democratic House and Senate, it's easier to pass a $700 billion-$800 billion bill that we shouldn't because Democrats think they can spend your money better than you can. Republicans would rather do it with tax cuts and let you decide what you need; Democrats want your money and then decide what you need for you.

And it doesn't matter who's the top dog. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a Republican, but can only sign or veto bills put onto his desk.

So it's ironic that the last man standing against this bill in California was a Republican. Sadly, even he had to bow to the tax hikes eventually.

So, California, get ready to pay more for less services. In the greatest state in the union, with the most people in the union, we can't make enough money to take care of ourselves.

I guess giving away all of that free stuff to the illegals wasn't enough. It's time to cough up some more.

Don Snyder

Oceanside

Americans are tired of political games

The American people voted for change. The Republican party drones have interpreted change as switching from voting "yes" on everything the president wants to voting "no."

The way our government is supposed to work is for people of differing views to get together and compromise. No piece of legislation is perfect. Each party gives up something they want in order to get something they want.

Three Republican senators were willing to compromise with Democrats to get a stimulus package passed for the good of America. All economists agreed that something needed to be done quickly. All other Republicans "just said no."

Republican "leadership" is now flooding the media with rhetoric that bad-mouths these patriotic Republican Americans who were willing to do the right thing and work on a compromise.

When will the Republican "leadership" learn that the American way is to work together and compromise? The days of "my way or the highway" are over. Get the message.

Americans don't care about political power games; we care about our country and communities. Politicians need to stop playing, get over themselves and get to work for America.

Sharlene Hamilton

Oceanside

Flag represents country, not president

Writer Joe Martin from Oceanside noted he has not put up a flag until his choice of politicians has entered office (Letters, Feb. 20). How sad that the writer is ignorant that the flag does not represent his choice of president, but rather it symbolizes the country, what we stand for and all those who have made sacrifices to this country.

My father received the Purple Heart at the Battle of the Bulge, which I now have, and on his behalf, I'm embarrassed the writer has chosen to trivialize all that has come before.

He has been ashamed to fly the flag; I'm ashamed he can see no further than his narrow, biased view of the world.

Larry Iverson

Encinitas

Diversity brings many gifts

As parents of a daughter with developmental disabilities, we are deeply saddened and disturbed by the neighborhood response to the TERI Inc. group home in Bressi Ranch. Our daughter was a student at one of TERI's schools (The Country School) for 10 years. We have the utmost respect for TERI Inc. and what it has provided to the special needs of our daughter and others in North County.

The teachers and staff at TERI Inc. are some of the most dedicated people we have encountered. One of the greatest worries of being parents of a child with disabilities is the knowledge that one day our daughter will move on to a supported living environment, possibly a group home. Our hope is that our daughter's home will be in a neighborhood that welcomes, accepts and embraces her and her roommates.

If these people in Bressi Ranch are willing to open their hearts to these disabled men, they may find that their fears are replaced with compassion and the gift that diversity brings.

John and Claudia Wright

Leucadia

Dog beach fun, healthy for dogs, owners

I would like to respond to the letter by Patricia Tabor stating that people are "misinformed" about having a dog park in Oceanside (Letters, Feb. 20). I don't think that anybody is misinformed about having a dog park. A dog park and a dog beach are two totally different venues, used for different reasons.

A dog beach is used by people for human recreation, just like any other beach (swim, surf, jog, have picnic, play frisbee, suntan, read a book), only you can bring your dog with you. A dog park is a place where you go specifically to exercise or socialize your dog.

And let's not ignore the obvious �"�" on hot summer days, neither the dogs nor humans will likely do too much exercise unless it's near water.

Bottom line, the reason to have a dog beach is because it's fun and healthy for the dogs and the dog owners!

Jana Leitner

Oceanside

Ronald Reagan quote was misconstrued

The letter writer who believes that "Government knows best" quotes Ronald Reagan and then accuses him of advocating anarchy (Letters, Feb. 20). This is patently absurd.

President Reagan, the founding fathers and conservatives firmly believe in the legitimacy and the need for government. But the letter writer cannot see the difference between "a government is best that governs least" and the total absence of government. Even the early cavemen had a form of government in that they had leaders and followers.

What Reagan fervently believed, and so do I, is that when government attempts to provide services and perform functions that it cannot or should not be involved in, the result is always disaster. One example is the mortgage crisis, which had its roots in President Carter's administration, which tried to promote homeownership for all, whether they could or could not afford it.

The result has been the meltdown of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, record numbers of foreclosures, a government bailout to those responsible for this mess (which promises more of the same) and a worldwide recession. Had government stayed out of the housing business, this would in all likelihood not have happened, or at the very least been far less severe.

Josef Horowitz

Escondido

High school's Holocaust film was exemplary

I had the pleasure of attending the debut of the Carlsbad High movie on the Holocaust, titled "We Must Remember" ("High school students to show documentary at local theater," Feb. 17). It indeed took place, I thought the students and advisers did an amazing job, certainly far more advanced in scope and content than I ever did in high school. Kudos to them and the participants, and the brave men and women who fought to make the world a safer place.

We need to wake up. "Mein Kampf" is a popular book in the Middle East. This cannot be allowed to happen again.

Tom Payne

Vista

Palestinian situation is getting old

Mr. Brandon Webb used the experiences suffered by Native Americans to relate to what is going on in Palestine (Letters, Feb. 12).

Not too many years ago, an organization called the American Indian Movement did try to recover a sliver of some things stolen from them. After we declared them terrorists, we crushed them and imprisoned those we didn't kill. We used a propaganda blitz that was just as effective as the one Goebbels used and the Israelis are using to numb our citizens to the truth. Does that sound familiar to what's going on in Palestine? Unlike the Jewish people, the Native Americans did not abandon this country, as the Jews did Israel over 2,000 years ago.

Mr. Webb, it has been indisputably acknowledged that what happened to the Native Americans is called genocide. I express my opposition to the ongoing genocide in Palestine in an effort to make our citizens aware of what be the U.S.A. is being complicit in.

What's getting old, Mr. Webb, is the methodical and murderous grinding down of the Palestinian people by Israel. It's time to stop it.

Phil Acosta

Vista

Political leanings often arise from view of world

Clay Northcote (Letters, Jan. 31) is not the first (or the last) to struggle with the apparent conflict between the existence of an all-powerful Creator and an imperfect humanity. The classic biblical answer is that we are made in God's image, which, among other things, means that we are made to love God. But true love can't be coerced or manipulated. So God makes us with the ability not only to love Him, but to go our own way. And voila: Selfishness and evil can arise from our own hearts! Evil stems from our choices.

Other systems of thought offer different answers. For example, Karl Marx and other sources of socialism and communism argue that evil comes from factors outside the human heart. These sources say, "Use government to control society the right way and you produce well-behaving people."

Today, most Americans who want a greater role for government in society are Democrats, while most who emphasize individual choice and responsibility are Republicans. And not surprisingly, most Americans who disagree with the classic biblical view of human evil are Democrats, and most who agree are Republicans.

Our political perspectives usually emerge from our world views, secular or religious.

Howard Killion

Oceanside

Dog parks, beaches not the same critter

I would like to respond to the letter that stated that Oceanside already has a dog park (Feb. 20): Yes, there is a dog park in Oceanside. There are also many dog parks in Del Mar, Coronado, Ocean Beach, Long Beach and Huntington Beach, as well as dog beaches. Those cities get it!

Dog parks are not the same as a dog beach. First, as a person with disabilities, there is no way I can use the dog park. The hill is too steep for me, even with my service dog helping me. The area gets so muddy that wheelchair access is very limited. They make sand wheelchairs, but not mud wheelchairs.

I will help Friends of Oceanside Dog Beach to provide a sand wheelchair so that those with disabilities can enjoy the dog beach. I have not seen any such help from the city at the dog park. Please don't get me wrong �"�" thank you, Oceanside for providing a dog park that many people use and enjoy �"�" but let's work together to make Oceanside a better place for all who want to enjoy it.

Jennifer Blanchard

Vista

'Republican Talibans' close to revolution

I hope that someone will tell Robert Tormey, (Letters, Feb. 21), Feb. 21 that the Senate is controlled by the Democrats, which explains how they were able to steamroll the stimulus bill into law, with the help of three misguided Republican members.

As it happens, not one senator read the bill before it was signed. Over 1,000 pages long, it was delivered to them a few hours before they all signed it! As for his snide remark regarding Darrell Issa and his indifference to "the most serious security peril facing the United States," I believe that the vast majority of citizens who pay their taxes and mortgage commitments on time were against this bill.

Mr. Tormey, we "Republican Talibans" are close to revolution against this reckless pork-filled giveaway and future payments to those who, thanks to Bill Clinton et al., demanded that banks make mortgage loans to obviously undeserving applicants.

Also, that you have no objection to the $20,000 to $30,000 commission that was "earned" by the Realtors who were in on each moderately priced sale/scam.

Finally, don't you agree that name-calling is rather childish? I realize that it is a typical thing for liberals to do. Hopefully you will mature in time.

John Schueler

Oceanside