Romney remains a credible candidate despite the clear efforts of Obama campaign
Dear Editor,
Credibility is important. It is clear that the Obama campaign is about making Romney not credible as a candidate. It is also clear people are getting to see Romney and many voters are seeing him as credible. Mr. Romney is apparently a decent, hard-working person. He has raised a family, been a successful businessman, and he has sacrificed time to help his church, people and causes.
He is a problem solver who can demonstrate a record of success. Now many may not agree with him on some or all issues, but clearly he has lived a life and done things that create credibility.
On the other hand it is clear to me that Obama is not credible. That makes Obama’s job exceedingly difficult. As a voter, I am sure he would like to change my mind so that I would vote for him. His campaign is a negotiation with me and other voters to convince us to close the deal with him. To negotiate that deal requires credibility he does not have.
When you look at any of the key issues there is empirical data that indicate that Obama’s campaign promises have no credibility for either his supporters or his detractors. This is true in the economy. The economy is not improved. The recent events indicate that his approach in foreign policy has not been successful.
Muslims radicals are not moving to a gentler/kinder approach that he promised at his election. Our enemies appear to be emboldened by the appearance of weakness. Our friends are not sure of where the United States is headed.
Guantanamo is not closed, there is no immigration reform, medical and insurance cost continue to rise, there is little transparency, lots of government corruption and wasteful spending, and the list can go on.
Credibility is everything in negotiations. If Romney agrees with what Obama is attempting to do he can argue that without credibility Obama will not be able to accomplish it. So when Obama says he needs four more years to fix the economy, protect the United States from enemies, etc., it is just not credible.
Does anyone really believe that Obama is a real oil man working to improve oil production? I do not think that is what anyone believes. Without credibility Obama cannot be successful with our enemies or our friends. It is time for a change.
MIKE BRUSA, MORGAN HILL
Outraged by anti-Obama display, happy to outline the president’s accomplishments
Dear Editor,
Shock, disgust, then OUTRAGE!
Those were the feelings generated by the picture of Blake Lebeck’s yard display that somehow warranted front-page press with an additional one-third page elsewhere in the Oct. 19 edition of the Morgan Hill Times.
The depiction of President Obama is an abomination. The hangman’s noose is a glimpse into this man’s sick mind. Apparently he gives sanction to assassination – reminding me of Palin’s crosshairs on her website, and Gaby’s fight for life after being shot in the head by some nut.
Lebeck’s Nazi-like, racist display is an endeavor to instigate mistrust and hatred between the right and the left. Yes, the Klan lives right here in Morgan Hill.
Here is my rebuttal to Lebeck’s warped imaginings. Keep in mind the dire circumstances and turmoil our country was in when President Obama took office. A few of the president’s many accomplishments:
• Health care – Prohibiting insurers from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Canceling coverage when someone is sick. Seniors paying less for prescription drugs. Health insurance plans required to cover mammograms and pay for contraception, enabling women to have more control over pregnancy meaning fewer abortions.
• Women’s issues –The president stood up to Republicans who were trying to roll back a woman’s right to choose and defended Planned Parenthood. He signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that insured that women get the same pay for the same work as men.
• Jobs – The financial rescue – the “bailout” of which $675 million has been repaid – saved the auto industry and prevented the loss of 1.4 million jobs. The many companies that supply and depend on the auto industry would have likely gone under as well, resulting in the loss of countless jobs. This was credited, even by some critics, for stabilizing the financial sector in the wake of the Wall Street meltdown in 2008.
Nearly 3 million jobs have been added in 21 straight months of private sector growth. As of Oct. 11 2012, the unemployment rate is the lowest since February 2008. The president protected unemployment benefits as well.
• Education – College education was made more accessible by ending billions of dollars in subsidies to banks, using the savings for double funding for Pell Grants.
• Foreign policy – Brought Osama bin Laden to justice along with at least 13 more top Al-Qaeda leaders killed by drone attacks. Brought the war in Iraq to a responsible end and brought home our troops.
• Veterans – New tax credits for businesses to encourage the hiring of unemployed and disabled vets.
• Energy – supports, fights for clean energy.
The vision of Mitt Romney and the Republicans is more tax cuts for the wealthy, more financial deregulation, privatizing Social Security, putting an end to Medicare as we know it and leaving more people without health insurance.
Romney, as a bishop of the Mormon Church, threatened an unmarried pregnant woman by telling her she must give her baby to the church, “or else!” So much for women’s rights issues. He closed 28 auto plants and moved them to China, etc., etc. And the billionaire Koch brothers have donated to Paul Ryan. What does that tell you?
Lastly, the 1% have most of the money, but the 99% have most of the votes. Don’t go back to the Bush years, please vote Obama.
CAROL JONES, MORGAN HILL
When you’re thinking about who should be president, consider the Supreme Court
Dear Editor,
The Supreme Court is an important reason to vote Nov. 6. America needs new justices who believe that women’s rights must be protected by the legal system. A woman and her doctor make decisions about her medical care, not congressmen. The best chance to get such justices is to re-elect President Obama.
America needs new justices who believe and vote that a corporation is not a person, and certainly not an American citizen with privileges given by our Bill of Rights. The only chance to get these justices is to return Obama to the White House.
Frank Crosby, Morgan Hill
Just label GMO food with the truth – it’s that simple to make the change
Dear Editor,
I am the granddaughter of farmers and I care deeply about what is in my food. If genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are used in a product, I want that labeled. Nov. 6 we will all have a chance to vote YES on Proposition 37 which will require the labeling of GMOs. Around the world, over 50 countries, including France, Germany and Italy have banned or restricted GMOs, while the U.S. doesn’t even require labeling.
It is important to know that this proposition is opposed by the world’s largest pesticide and junk food companies, led by Monsanto, DuPont and Dow Chemical and that they have committed over $40 million to defeat the measure. Last week I received a full-color, semi-glossy, four-page spread filled with misleading and scary information about Proposition 37. They asserted that food costs would rise. This is the last thing that anyone wants to hear and it is not true. In the many countries that already require labeling of GMOs, their food costs have not risen appreciably. If GMO food is as safe as the corporations claim, why are they spending so much money to hide their use?
All our food products already have labels; even my chip bag has a full panel titled: “Nutrition Facts.” It includes everything from ingredients (including exactly what type of oil) to calories to the amount of fat and salt per serving. Instead of simply “corn” listed as an ingredient, it could read “GM corn,” if GMOS were used to make the chips. That’s simple; that’s clear labeling and that’s what customers deserve so they can make an informed choice about what to feed themselves, their families and their friends.
We are Californians, we have fear when the earth shakes beneath us, but when the giant corporations shake their big stick of fear at us, it is our responsibility as citizens not to quake, but to stand strong and demand our right to know what is in our food. Please join me in voting YES on Proposition 37. Thank you for your consideration.
Randi Larson, Hollister
