Dear Editor:
I was shocked months ago when President Obama, who seemed determined to stuff expensive ‘green energy’ down our throats, stated that he would open more areas to oil drilling. Then BP’s deep-water rig exploded and he had the perfect ‘out,’ as well as a way to shut down producing wells -- costing 20,000 jobs so far -- and promote his green-energy agenda.
BP is certainly to blame for the explosion (although construction was permitted, inspected, and okayed by government regulators!). However, three days after the explosion, the Dutch offered to bring oil-recovery ships to help with the spill. This Administration refused offers from them and from other countries, citing the Jones Act, which President Bush waived so that foreign ships could help after Katrina. Why didn’t Obama?
Many companies have tried to get EPA approval to use their products to mitigate the damage. (Watch hay soak up oil at www.wimp.com/oilsolution.) Governor Jindal asked the EPA for permission to build barriers to keep oil from Louisiana’s shores. EPA refused all requests, then dithered, then studied. It finally permitted barriers -- far too late.
The Administration made this problem much worse than it should have been. Can you guess why?
Bruce Many
Cedaredge, CO
Dear Editor:
I am a grandparent who volunteered one day per week in my grandchildren’s classrooms at Cedaredge Elementary last year. It was a real pleasure. At the end of the year I got some letters from some of the kids that made me feel very good. I’d like to thank Mrs. Laurita, Mrs. Shriver, other teachers, and other staff members for the privilege of being in your classrooms.
I am very tired of teachers being blamed for the faults of the public education system. I found the teachers and the other staff with whom I volunteered to be hard-working, dedicated professionals who had a very tough job. Teachers are very limited as to what discipline they can impose on students. When I was growing up if you got in trouble at school you got in trouble at home, no questions asked. Instead, I saw children coming to school tired and hungry. It was apparent no one at home cared to help them with their homework, made sure they were clean and well-fed, or had a good night’s rest. Of course, they fell further behind academically each day and became disruptive and uncooperative. Each of the classrooms in which I volunteered had at least a couple of these kids. They took a lot of each teacher’s time.
I believe all parents should be required to volunteer at least ten days per year in the classrooms of their children. I believe they would see how hard teachers work to make sure every child has the opportunity to learn, and how difficult it is when the home situation impedes that progress.
I’d also encourage grandparents to volunteer. It’s a blast! You’ll re-learn things you’ve long since forgotten as well as be amazed at what our public education system today can actually do for children.
Thanks again, Cedaredge Elementary teachers and staff, for the great job you are doing for our children.
Bob Page
Cedaredge, CO
Dear Editor:
Political campaigning has always been a case of candidates promising things that they can't possibly deliver. They speak about correcting problems or situations about which they have no background or experience and aren't sufficiently informed. Most experienced voters understand this and know the candidates are trying to win us over by convincing us they will do a better job than their opponents. In recent years our choices have often been the lesser of two evils. This is a time when we need leadership-not wishful thinking. Either our Navy or Army Corps of Engineers could have capped the Gulf Well by now, if given the chance. They know how to make decisions. I question whether White House personnel can.
The gulf oil disaster raises a great many questions. We supposedly have a rapidly diminishing oil supply and yet this damaged well is gushing out millions of barrels of oil. We supposedly have a great discovery of oil in the Dakota area that is greater than what is in the Saudi Arabian area. We have developed techniques that have made natural gas available in abundance. The gulf disaster seemed to be just what the environmental groups were hoping for. Time to stop mining coal !!! Time to stop drilling for oil !!! Time to go solar and renewable forms of energy !!! I won't argue this point but with one exception, and that is continue using oil and coal "until these other kinds of energy are fully available and operational at a reasonable cost." Let's not shoot ourselves in the foot by phasing out coal and oil production at this time. We will see prices sky rocket and energy rationed because there isn't presently enough of this kind available for the Nation's needs.
Neal A. Ward
Delta, CO
