McCain vote continues Bush era

9/2/2008

In the Aug. 25 edition of The Blade, Gov. Ted Strickland was quoted as saying that he predicted that supporters of Hillary Clinton would get over their disappointment of her not being nominated for president or selected as vice president. No one on this planet had worked harder for Senator Clinton than Mr. Strickland, and she carried Ohio by 10 percentage points.

I would suggest to all the disappointed Senator Clinton supporters that before you either do not vote, which in essence would be a vote for John McCain, or think about voting for Senator McCain, consider the consequences of another four or eight years of one of the most disastrous periods in the history of this country.

I, along with millions of other voters, was a big supporter of Senator Clinton, but considering the nightmarish possibility of a third term of a "Bush" administration would require me to temporarily suspend disbelief and good judgment to vote for anyone other then Barack Obama on Nov. 4.

Jerry Chabler

Sylvania

Short-term fixes lead to complacent public

John McCain wants to ease gasoline prices at the pump by promoting drilling for oil off America's east and west coasts on the outer continental shelf. I was startled to learn that most geologists believe that the total estimated oil contained therein - 18 billion barrels - would only be enough to satisfy U.S. energy needs for 2 1/2 years and if drilling started tomorrow, production would not start until 2017.

If oil drilling off the East and West coasts does proceed, acceptance of this should hinge on a major investment in renewable energy. Short-term fixes lead to a complacent public; then, government may be inclined to relax efforts to develop alternative sources of energy.

We can't afford any slowdown in our energy programs, and that means both financial assistance and generous incentives.

Carolyn Manchester

Wauseon

Visit 'Wall' in capital before deciding vote

For everyone who supports Sen. John McCain and thinks this "war" in Iraq should continue until we "win," let them go to the "Wall" in Washington, D.C., and see the names of other young men and women who died in another "winnable" war. How many walls will be needed for how many wars? After all, Mr. McCain himself said there would be more wars.

Must we continue to buy real estate to honor our war dead? A vote for Senator McCain is a vote for infinite aggression and wars. This man and his ilk must be stopped before Washington becomes a field of walls.

Marylyn Lucas

Northwood

Do we want 2 desks in the Oval Office?

A contributor to the Readers' Forum earlier this year asked, "Do we really want two desks in the Oval Office?" Michelle Obama, Sen. Barack Obama's spouse, has prominently projected herself and her opinions, so that concern could be repeated, "Do we really want two desks in the Oval Office?"

Mable Bridgman

Sylvania

Attack on McCain is a class warfare ploy

I was appalled by the Aug. 23 story in The Blade by politics writer Tom Troy in which a poor, struggling Toledo homeowner says John McCain is out of touch. My, my, here we go again, class warfare at its finest. So the senator has seven properties. What is the problem? The story describes them as his homes. It does not mention that a few of the properties house family members, including an elderly aunt. If he can't put a number on amount of property he and his wife own, so what?

Why doesn't Mr. Troy do a story on Barack Obama and his million-dollar home and how he has ignored his less fortunate half-brothers? These are issues, but they're hardly worth interviewing a working family in Toledo to see how they react to the news.

Can't the liberal agenda get anywhere without pitting people against each other? Each of us has choices in life. We all have the same opportunities for a good education and to succeed in life if that is our goal. Demeaning someone for being successful is distasteful, to say the least. Class warfare is a socialist and liberal game.

Why not ask the woman in the story how she would like to pay more taxes and see how she responds that is more to the point. She may have to get three jobs if Mr. Obama is elected.

Diane Welch

Ganymede Drive

Capitalism doesn't limit homes owned

On Aug. 23, Sen. Joe Biden gave a speech accepting his role as Barack Obama's running mate. In it, he attempted to portray himself as the "average American" by indicating that he also worries about being able to pay his bills. Somehow I think that his standard of living is closer to John McCain's than to the average American.

Also, Mr. Biden sarcastically referenced Mr. McCain's seven houses. To me this is a direct attack on prosperity. If I could ask Mr. Biden one question, it would be: "What exactly is wrong with owning seven homes?" I always thought prosperity is encouraged in our economic system.

The beauty of a capitalistic system is that there is no maximum number of houses one can own. In turn, there is also no minimum number of homes one should own. Remember: owning one's home is not an entitlement.

Patrick Ghaster

Waterville

Informed Catholics won't vote for Biden

Barack Obama has selected Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate in the hope of luring uninformed Catholic voters. Senator Biden continues to be masquerading as a Catholic, even after he voted four times in favor of partial-birth abortion.

The Vatican has repeatedly informed American bishops that pro-abortion politicians have separated themselves from the Catholic community and should not receive the Eucharist. In 2004, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, along with Mr. Biden and 46 other pro-abortion Democrats in Congress, cosigned a letter to the U.S. Conference of Catrholic Bishops objecting to the Vatican directives.

An informed Catholic will not vote for Mr. Obama and his "masquerading-Catholic" running mate. The truth is that Senator Biden is not allowed to present himself as a Catholic in any campaign ads.

Dorothy Radon

Sylvania

Vote to continue Clean Ohio Fund

Every parent needs to know that the best opportunity to protect our children this election is a "yes" vote for state Issue 2 to continue the Clean Ohio Fund.

For those unaware, since 2000, Clean Ohio has protected family drinking water, conserved Ohio's natural and wildlife habitats, preserved Ohio family farms, created miles and miles of recreational trails, and redeveloped polluted sites and urban areas.

The most important thing we can do as parents is ensure the safety of our children. Clean Ohio keeps family drinking water pure, our natural areas unpolluted, and the places we live in safe, all without raising taxes.

For the benefit of our children, grandchildren, and future generations, join me and other responsible parents by voting for Issue 2 and continuing the Clean Ohio Fund, which won't raise taxes.

Kevin Joyce

Executive Director

The Black Swamp Conservancy

Perrysburg

Regarding The Blade's Aug. 22 story, "Court upholds Ohio law banning funeral pickets," I am not quite sure I would belong to any church that thinks God punishes people in this manner. A funeral is a funeral and no one has a right to be there except the family members.

I think it is morbid what the members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka are doing and maybe, when their names are listed in the obituary section, everyone should go and invade their mourning process.

Gerry Jaworski

Central Avenue