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OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK
Yes, Rod Helle’s “Caging the beast” commentary, published July 6, and the responses managed to stir the pot. Calm down, people — his commentary succeeded! Every commentary or column should spur our thought processes! That’s why we read Illinois Times. The article has advocates and proponents responding. I consider this is good and our right.
It appears that Helle, advocates, and proponents have missed a vital and key point. Congress is merely doing what is mandated by our Constitution! What — members of Congress actually doing their jobs? Will miracles ever cease? It’s so rare to see Congress doing something they are supposed to, most people have forgotten.
Funding for our defense is mandated in the Constitution. For those who have forgotten, I am speaking about the Preamble. That’s right, folks; the Preamble clearly states in simple English to “provide for the common defense.” Helle and like-minded people are probably using the next portion of the Preamble, “promote general welfare,” to promote their position. However, that clause is interpreted in many ways.
A person could say having a stable government, economic system, and capitalistic business model actually is “general welfare.” As an educator, Helle prefers to think that the clause means Congress should provide a lot more funds for education.
How many reports have we all read or heard about that high-school graduates lack basic reading skills or basic math abilities? How many of us watch as a good portion of students seems to be completely lost without a calculator or computer to give the correct answer or simple change back? How can you ask for more money when it seems, after 12 or 13 years of education spending on a student, that many can’t read, write, or count? Something very basic seems wrong.
Our military is perhaps the best in world, and we do spend a lot of tax dollars for it. At least when I see an F-16 from the 183rd Fighter Wing flying overhead, I can visually see results of my tax dollar. What a marvelous sight it is!
Jeff Davis
Dawson
PUTTING A STOP TO THE ROBBERY
When is enough enough? How long are consumers going to let the gas companies keep on robbing them at the pump? I was appalled to see the gasoline price go up to more than $3 a gallon — and the reason is, the gas companies are out to make as much money as they can. How long are the local station owners going to expect us to take it and smile? The station owners keep saying that the price is reflecting the cost per barrel; however, the gasoline in the underground tanks is at a price that is much lower than what they are charging. If you ask them what the problem is, they point to the high taxes the state has imposed. If they would go to the Legislature and demand that the tax be turned back, it might wake up some of the politicians and make them start to see that we all work for a living and we are not rich like they are.
We, as consumers, are paying for the war in Iraq in many different ways, including with our children. It is high time we started to make the gas companies account for the high prices and outrageous price gouging that is going on.
How long is it going to take for everyone to put a stop to the robbery of the American people?
John Rector
Springfield
NEW LAW PRESERVES SENIOR HOUSING
Access to affordable housing is one of most critical elements to Illinois seniors’ maintaining their independence. Often the most affordable housing option is for a senior to remain in their own home. For many seniors this means the retrofitting of their homes to address their changing needs.
This spring the Comprehensive Housing Planning Act was introduced by Illinois state Sen. Iris Martinez and state Rep. Julie Hamos to make permanent Illinois’ State Comprehensive Housing Plan, which was created in 2003 by Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s executive order.
The act will create and preserve affordable housing, including the retrofitting of homes for seniors and persons with disabilities, by coordinating the efforts of state agencies providing housing programs. AARP supported this legislation and worked with Martinez to ensure that advocates for seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income persons would be included in the development of affordable housing plans.
This legislation becoming law will help ensure the continued independence of countless Illinois seniors.
AARP commends the governor and the General Assembly for their commitment to addressing the critical housing needs of all low-income residents.
Ralph Yaniz
Regional Director
AARP Midwest Region
Chicago
PARK HAS LEFT ITS MARK
I don’t believe Steve McGrew is accurate when he discounts Park as not being a “real” band when he stated he had no prior knowledge of the band [“Letters,” July 27].
While the label “Springfield’s favorite indie band” is open to both interpretation and debate, Park has, without question, left an indelible mark on Springfield’s youth-music scene and, by extension, its culture. Having offered up that information to McGrew, it makes perfect sense why he would not see the band featured in Pub Crawl. The band has been around for about a decade, so how he could not have ever heard of them is anybody’s guess. As well, Park has a multialbum discography that has seen all of their music released nationally. The “small makeshift rock club” might be Breadstretchers downtown or a hotel ballroom. I have seen Park play to capacity-overflowing crowds at both places.
Be mindful that “indie” is one of those elastic catch-all labels journalists and music fans alike tend to toss about because we Americans have this compelling need to index, label, and categorize every single thing in our lives to ostensibly make life easier. The term really means nothing at this point, as it has been diluted to the consistency of tap water. I believe [writer] Marissa Monson probably meant “indie” as a cultural and lifestyle reference as much as she meant it to mean “not signed to one of the three major entertainment conglomerates” [see “Building a better Park,” July 20]. As far as I know, the latter meaning does indeed fit all Springfield bands. Sadly, the former does not apply to all locally based bands and applies even less to bands that play in town every single week without seeing what lies beyond the city limits. In that context, there is little that is “indie” and “real” about bands that “play here very single week.”
And, really, highlighting a band — cover band or original — that plays in town every single week is a waste of time and ink, as they have already built up their fanbase that sort of has a life of its own. That’s why they can ably draw a crowd that warrants them playing, presumably, the same setlist with minor changes every single week.
Jason Perry
Springfield
DID CWLP AGREE TO LIMITS?
I was interested in the piece on CWLP and the Sierra Club and found it very informative [Fletcher Farrar, “How to swing a Sierra club,” July 20], enough so that I’m nearly convinced it’s a good environmental and ratepayer-friendly idea.
The only thing that worries me is the cost of the wind power we will contract to provide, say, about 10 years down the line. Is there going to be a limit set on what it can cost us, both to buy and to sell? If not, given the rampant greed of just about everyone in the power business, I am very worried we will run into an Enron-type situation where no matter what is charged, we are forced by law to pay it. I hope it is written in the contract that the wind power can never be more than an agreed-on percentage of our costs.
Sharon L. Turpin
Springfield
WE USED TO BE SO MUCH BETTER
You may well consider me a nutcase. So be it. I am a 70-year-old retiree, and I absolutely loathe and despise what this country has become. I understand about change and that nothing stays the same, but, aside from the technical end, everything is so much worse.
Americans today have no pride in themselves. They appear to be slovenly in their dress. They are not neat and clean and shaved as I remember people in 1953. People today run errands around town in pajamas.
Everyone wants to be No. 1. Nothing else matters. Drive down any of our major streets, and you’ll see what I mean.
I wear a Star of David, not because I am Jewish. I’m not. Christ was a Jew, not a Christian. Christ taught love, forgiveness, and mercy in his teachings. Pastors don’t seem to carry that message. Everything is money and guilt trips. Christ never had a tent, but pastors must have churches worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
People today are so greedy. It’s almost unbelievable the lengths that people will go for a few dollars.
The U.S. has more people in prison than any other country in the world. We seem to be a nation of criminals, and it’s getting worse: Parents killing their children. Children killing parents — and each other. Students taking guns to school. Police officers in the schools and sometimes in the classroom, I’m told.
Christians speak of the sanctity of life but don’t bat an eye at the death penalty.
The government is corrupt at every level. Police beat and torture people to obtain confessions; some could be innocent. Convictions are all-important.
The U.S. has finally stooped to inventing reasons to invade another country.
President Eisenhower warned the people to never allow the nation to become a military-industrial complex — and that is exactly what we have become.
Corporations have lobbyists in Washington, D.C. Who lobbies for the people?
Our military slogan is “Kill ’em all and let God sort ’em out.” I have heard this, over and over. Can you believe it?
Americans worship death, blood, and crime. Look at TV and the newspapers.
The Book of Revelation speaks of the great whore who seduced the world. I’m certain it is the U.S.
I sincerely hope to die soon, as I think that is the only way I’ll ever get out of the country. I hate every damn day here.
I enjoy your commentaries and almost always agree with you. I look forward to Thursdays.
Lee Archer
Springfield
TOO MANY OBNOXIOUS CARD FANS
When I moved here 23 years ago I was a Cubs fan. I did not care about the Cardinals at all, either way. I found that the capital city of the state of Illinois was two-thirds Cardinal fans — did not bother me. Then the aggressive in-your-face attitude of the Card fans started working on me. I cared a little more and started hanging Cubs stuff. I respected Mark McGwire and like Jim Edmonds. A couple years ago the Cubs went further than the Cards. There was a very Christian lady I worked with. You know the type: very pleasant, actually very kind, generous, forgiving — what a Christian strives to be. I heard her say that she hoped the Cubs lost and rooted for whoever was playing against them. In the years I knew her she had never before uttered a non-Christian word before. I was stunned. This has gone too far. The state of Missouri has a capital city. It is Jefferson City. If it matters so much to you that you have to be obnoxious, rude, and rambunctious then perhaps you could move there. I joke, of course — but, really, think about your behavior.
Patrick Johnopolos
Springfield
IS?CONVENIENCE?WORTH?A?FEW?CANCER?CELLS?
In response to the small column on poisons in our ecosystem causing cancer, I looked up every single thing I could find on possible causes of cancer [“Stolen future,”?July 27]. What makes sense is the comment that it is probably a combination of poisons out there, as we have so many. As a survivor, I now cook without Teflon, do not eat beef, eat organic as much as possible, and stay away from heated plastic. I’m troubld by the lack of scrutiny regarding plastic and heat. Have you ever melted a TV dinner in the oven or left an empty pan on the stove? How can combining plastic and heat be good for you? And is convenience worth a few cancer cells?
Anne Logue
Springfield
This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 2, 2006.
