Published: October 12, 2009 05:18 pm      

In Your View — 10/13/09

GOP continues its ‘union busting’

Certainly no one, not even Democrats, is waiting in line to defend ACORN after the recent video scandal. It is, however, important to understand the true role ACORN as well as SEIU and other labor unions play in voter registration and why Republicans are so intent on attacking them.

First, there’s a vast difference between vote fraud and voter registration fraud.

Any time ordinary people are doing political work, there will be shenanigans and things certainly got out of hand at ACORN.

However, just because Mickey Mouse was registered to vote doesn’t mean he voted. In fact, there were only about 14 cases of actual vote fraud in the U.S. last year; an insignificant number regardless of what you may have heard on the three-letter Republican “propaganda” channel or on AM radio.

The real reason Republicans stay on the attack is to mask their own very successful voter suppression and union busting efforts.

The GOP never gets caught red handed because they use highly paid independent operatives to remove voters from the roles and to jam phone banks and to take the fall when caught.

In Florida prior to the 2000 presidential election, Republican Secretary of State Katherine Harris had 40,000 names removed from voter roles because they were similar to those of convicted felons.

In an election decided by 600 already tainted votes, it was more than significant, making it more than fair to blame the Iraq war and our trillion dollar deficit on Republican voter suppression efforts.

The “union busting” GOP is now beginning its attack on SEIU. Anyone who has ever worked at AK Steel or at Marathon or been a member of any other local union who votes Republican ever again is certainly cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Ed Edwards, Ashland



Choosing Obama tarnishes prize

Even the most ardent admirers of President Obama, if they are honest, would have to admit to being a bit stunned at his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

When it’s awarded to people like Yasser Arafat, Al Gore and President Obama, the high esteem with which this award was held becomes unjustified. Arafat both supported and promoted terrorism. Based on the testimony of a considerable number of top scientists, Gore was and is viewed by many as a con man and has invested a great deal of money in schemes to sell carbon credits while he burns carbon at a rate that far exceeds the amount of carbon created by the average American. To date, President Obama has accomplished absolutely nothing except to spend American taxpayer dollars at a rate never before seen in our country.

The United States has been mired in an economic morass for more than a year now and President Obama has spent his time promoting projects that demand even more spending without helping create the jobs the United States needs so badly. One wonders what the Nobel committee was thinking.

This award has become little more than a political lever of sorts that most reasonable individuals have come to view as an insult to past award winners who really deserved it!

Someone really should explain to the Nobel committee what the Peacee Prize is supposed to represent. With so many deserving past winners, it would be a real shame to see this award and what it stands for continue down its current path toward becoming a meaningless pawn in the hands of world-wide power-brokers.

Robert M. Collinsworth, Harrisville, N.H.



Dressing Room collecting blankets

Help us wrap our neighbors in love.

The Dressing Room, operated by Federated Charities, is seeking donations of new and clean gently used blankets.

As the weather turns cold and we get out our “snuggies,” I hope you will remember your neighbors who may not have adequate heat for their homes. Blankets are collected and distributed for free to families in need through The Dressing Room.

The Dressing Room is a community clothing closet that helps struggling families with free clothing. Because of increased energy costs, many of these families are facing the possibility of not having heat in their homes this winter and blankets may be all the warmth they have.

If you wish to make a donation please deliver to The Dressing Room at 328 19th Street, Ashland, Ky. If you wish to donate money, please send your check to The Dressing Room, P. O. Box 611, Ashland, 41105-0611 and we will purchase blankets for the program.

Since the inception of the “Blanket Blitz,” we have distributed more than 1,000 blankets to people in the Ashland area.

We are also accepting coats, socks, hats, gloves and scarves for distribution. Please call (606) 324-5400 if you have any questions.

Lucy D. Davis, Executive director, Federated Charities