A candidate willing to tell the truth

9/12/2006

I am sick of the political ads already. I assume I am not alone. I promise I will campaign for the first politician from either party who has the nerve and the honesty to say, "I will cut your taxes, but you have to realize that some service or benefit that is currently provided will be reduced or eliminated."

Or, if they are not willing to say that, how about, "I will cut your taxes as long as you understand that I am putting our city, county, or state further in debt and jeopardizing the future economic health of our communities."

Most of us realize that we cannot spend more money than we have and, if we do want additional services, it will cost more money. With energy prices significantly higher, raw materials more expensive, and the cost of living increasing, does anyone believe we can lower taxes without losing some service or benefit?

I have always felt that politicians do not give voters enough credit when it comes to explaining the "real world." We know that is the world we all have to live in and decide what we can afford or what we will have to save for.

I am anxiously waiting to hear from a candidate willing to tell us the truth. Unfortunately, I don't expect to be campaigning for anyone this year. Just think, only two more months of this stuff!

Dave Brim

Temperance

While the raccoon relocation article was humorous on the surface, relocating wildlife is anything but funny. Well-meaning, upstanding citizens think that they are not harming these animals, but the sad fact is that the majority will die as a result of their relocation.

Relocated animals will be unfamiliar with local sources of food, water, and shelter, must avoid unfamiliar predators, and compete with established local and perhaps territorial populations; any dependent young left behind are doomed to death from starvation; and disease may be spread to healthy populations (hence the fact that relocating wildlife is illegal in many states).

For most relocated animals, these obstacles are simply too many to overcome.

So-called nuisance wildlife are usually just enjoying a meal of easily-accessible garbage or pet food.

Keeping garbage cans locked or stored inside garages and bringing pet food in at night will eliminate the potential for the vast majority of human-wildlife conflicts.

Raccoons are playful and intelligent omnivores. Rather than wasting time and energy trapping and relocating them, we should be thrilled to have them in our backyards, providing endless hours of entertainment and the beneficial (and free!) service of ridding their property of roaches, rats, mice, and other real nuisances.

Urban residents should take advantage of the opportunity to observe the beauty of our wild neighbors (the non-human variety, that is) right in the middle of the big city. It will ultimately be for our own benefit that we learn to coexist with nature rather than try, ever unsuccessfully, to dominate it.

Jill Shalabi

Newcastle Drive

Government, along with the powers that be, including the "no think" mass media (present company excluded), promote the virtues of a minimum-wage service economy.

Meanwhile, as losses of good jobs mount, so does the state's income. Can't borrow against our children's future like the federal government. So the fools in state government are now embarked on selling state assets like our turnpike system to other countries.

What's next, the state capitol?

Maybe Cashland can arrange some creative financing for the cash-strapped states.

Paul Wohlfarth

Ottawa Lake, Mich.