Al Gore is a political opportunist

6/27/2006

Some inconvenient truths about Al Gore: While vice president, his administration presided over an era of cheap energy, export of jobs to regulatory-free zones, and the importation of economically cleansed victims of trade policies.

Clinton-Gore failed to improve CAFE standards that increase miles per gallon (the average MPG per vehicle peaked in 1985) and refused to apply CAFE standards to light trucks and SUVs. Credit their pro-Saudi policies for the cheap-energy 1990s of less than $1 per gallon gas, torpedoing the market viability of alternative energy and conservation.

Even after 9/11, Mr. Gore criticized American policies in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom that supplied 15 of the 19 hijackers, funded terrorism, and institutionalized an imperialistic intolerant Islam.

Mr. Gore's legacy includes NAFTA and WTO, policies that export manufacturing industries to nations with negligible environmental and worker protections while displacing peoples, many of whom immigrate to the U.S., where their per capita carbon foot print will increase dramatically, thereby worsening global warming.

Sacrificing the environment for the Democratic donor class' appetite for cheap labor, Mr. Gore's populationist whacko policy will increase U.S. population to half a billion by mid-century, increasing demand on resources, adding stress on the environment, and guaranteeing more urban sprawl.

His chief contribution to fighting global warming was signing the Kyoto Treaty, a plan so flawed that the U.S. Senate defeated it 96-0.

Al Gore is just another opportunistic politician who hopes we hear what he says and not see what he does. How convenient?

James Alan Winter

Waterville

As a long time patron of Arnie's Eating and Drinking Saloon, as well as a family friend, I wish to set things straight for those people ignorant of the facts.

Arnie's has been in the hands of a partner for a long time. Arnie has not drawn a paycheck for almost two years. He has had little to do with the financial end of the operation for a long time. His involvement had nothing to do with its closing.

The closing also had nothing to do with the smoking ban. Arnie's lost 45 percent of its business in the first two months of the smoking ban. Arnie chose to stand up for the rights of the business he was in. As a past president of the Restaurant Association and Northwest Ohio Licensed Beverage Association and as a member of the board of directors of the restaurant association, he felt an obligation to fight for the office he held. It was not "Arnie against the State of Ohio," it was the past president of the association (Arnie) wanting to help all in his charge.

Arnie and his family have lost their home and business in all of this. Who of you would fight the fight to this extent? It is time we all shook Arnie's and his family's hands for standing up for the rights of others. You may not agree with the smoking situation, but the voters spoke out.

Yes, Arnie has to shoulder the blame for his situation, but who amongst us has not had setbacks? If you think about all he has done for Toledo, maybe it is time for everyone to come to the aid of a friend.

Gayle Perne

Talmadge Road

After reading Trudy Bond's June 18 Readers' Forum letter, I wonder if Ms. Bond was speaking of the same Marcy Kaptur who represent's Ohio's 9th Congressional District.

The Marcy Kaptur I know wrote a constituent letter stating that she "disagrees with the administration's conduct of this war," that she "did not support the decision to invade Iraq," and that it was "not in the best interests of our nation to commit troops to a risky conflict without exhausting all means of diplomacy."

In light of these statements, I would beg Ms. Bond to keep her anger at the war in Iraq focused on the real people responsible, namely, the incompetent Republican administration who sent the troops over in the first place.

Mark Perlaky

Sylvania

Don't bother going to Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth, unless you're interested in fairy tales. Remember, he invented the Internet. Sure, he did! Don't waste your time and money. He's just trying again to be the next president. Now there's a laugh and a fairy tale - or at least, hopefully, an impossible dream.

Doris M. Rohweder

Findlay