Today's Opinions
News-Gazette Editorials
Kent's disgrace sends message
Friday, July 3, 2009
A federal judge learned the hard way that the law applies to him, too.
Texas federal judge Samuel Kent, who was faced with certain removal from office after an impeachment trial, wisely gave up the fight to keep his paycheck a little bit longer. More …
Good news: Economy could have been worse
Friday, July 3, 2009
Our slow economy can't pick up speed if it's hobbled by paralyzing government policies.
Various experts, some political and some not, keep predicting that economic recovery is just around the corner. More …
Letters to the Editor
Wild animal problem a city responsibility
Friday, July 3, 2009
Responding to Chelsea Angelo's June 25 letter, looking at a Web site doesn't remove the public safety issue of wild animals. Humans and wild animals cannot live in the same location without something bad happening.
To say animal control is overburdened is a joke. Call them with any animal problem and you are told to "call someone else they can't do anything." Why the city has not taken action is laziness according to state Department of Natural Resources law enforcement. I followed up on Tim Wyse's June 11 letter, and he is correct. This is a city problem and the city is liable 100 per cent if any incident occurs. Unfortunately this is what has to happen to get anything done. We have an animal control department that is worthless, a police department that thinks speeding is the only crime in town and city officials who do nothing. We don't need change, we need results and new city management. More …
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Contact legislators about budget cuts
Friday, July 3, 2009
Our state legislators are really mucking up the system right now, debating where to put what little funds we have. It is frustrating to watch, and even more frustrating to know how much they are playing with people's lives, especially the children of our state. Hundreds of agencies across Illinois recently received notice that the Department of Children and Family Services will not renew their contracts to provide critical services to foster children and intact families who are at risk for foster care.
What does this mean? It means that kids all over the state will not receive critical therapy following domestic violence, physical abuse, emotional abuse or sexual abuse. If the proposed 50 percent cut in social service funds becomes reality, other critical services such as senior home health care, services for the mentally ill, services to those with developmental disabilities and crisis childcare, along with foster care programs, will end or be drastically reduced. Even though the cuts proposed may "help" the budget, other funding streams, such as the criminal justice system, emergency room care and nursing homes, will be used instead, often at a much greater cost. Further, thousands of people across the state will lose their jobs and so many powerless victims will be hurt. More …
Legislators need to do the right thing
Friday, July 3, 2009
As a parent of a young adult with disabilities I am worried and scared about what the state of Illinois' proposed budget cuts will mean for my daughter and her ability to live an independent life without the support of those trained to help her succeed. As a community member, I am angry that such vital community services are being "negotiated" over a desk in Springfield, thus negatively impacting the lives of many people. As a taxpaying citizen I am outraged at the lack of fiscal responsibility that exists in our state and the willingness of the elected leaders to attempt to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable citizens in our communities.
Today, vital community services are being considered for significant reductions to Developmental Services Center and other community organizations resulting in hundreds of people losing services that are lifelines for them, their families and the stability of our community as a whole. Statistics show that when the safety net of services provided by community organizations is gone the state still pays in more costly settings. More …
Woman's weight loss journey inspiring
Friday, July 3, 2009
I just read the article in your paper about Charlyn Hester (June 29). Charlyn's blog and humorous anecdotes on Facebook are truly an inspiration for all of us who need to shed those extra pounds.
Charlyn's infectious sense of humor and genuine caring spirit are evident in her life and in her writing. I encourage you to take your readers along on Charlyn Hester's weight loss journey by asking her to write regular articles and updates for The News-Gazette. Please give her the opportunity to turn even more of us into weight loss winners, or is that losers? More …
Disabled, mentally ill not political pawns
Friday, July 3, 2009
In the state of Illinois, there are many children and adults who live with physical disabilities as well as mental illness who depend on state subsidized services. These residents with unusual needs have little voice and little power.
I deplore the actions of our elected leaders which treat these people, our brothers and sisters, as if they are disposable political pawns in the battle over the state budget. I am enraged over the injustices done to these, our sisters and brothers, when our elected state officials pull the plug on the very services which enable people to move forward in life. More …
O'Reilly not to blame for doctor's murder
Friday, July 3, 2009
Fedja Buric's June 23 letter implicated Fox Network and Bill O'Reilly in the murder of abortionist Dr. George Tiller because of O'Reilly's strong condemnation of Tiller's practice. Although the murderer justified himself as a supporter of life, "pro-life" people believe that all life is sacred – including Dr. Tiller's life.
Dr. Tiller specialized in late term abortions in which babies who, if born in a different setting and desired by the mother, would be thriving in a neonatal unit instead of being dismembered and killed. Although I do not listen to O'Reilly, it is a function of op-ed reporters to convey their positions as well as define issues in the news. Americans need facts to form their own opinions. We witness the same reporting styles in relation to war, terrorism, and torture. More …
From tax and spend to spend and tax
Friday, July 3, 2009
The administration has suddenly realized they might have to actually pay for all their spending. The typical slam on the Democrats is they are "tax and spend." This administration promised us change. What we got is spend and tax. Very sneaky on their part. Once the money has been spent of course there can be no debate about raising revenue (read: your taxes) to fund the spending. Why balancing the budget is as American as apple pie! It's easy to see why the administration is in such a rush to implement all their spending plans with no debate or consideration of how to fund it. The more people find out about it the less they like it.
This is like lending the most irresponsible member of the family a credit card to use for the night and it comes back maxed to the limit. I see why the Senate never let Mr. Obama have the credit card when he was a mere senator. Now that he's the president and they hold the majority, for now, the sky is the limit. I'm sure the Democrats standing for election in the next cycle are really happy about their future role as apologists for the Obama deficits, the Obama tax increases and the Obama inflation. More …