The U.S. double standard when it comes to Israel

Our nation seems to be living a double standard when it comes to Israel. Who are we to live one way and tell others they must live another way?

In 1948 Israel was attacked by six Arab nations because they existed, and Israel won by the grace of God.

Again in 1967 Israel was attacked by four Arab nations and were also supported by 10 other Arab nations trying to wipe them out.

Israel was able to not only stop these countries but took some of their lands that gave the enemy higher ground against Israel.

Do we live in double standards? The United States took lands from the Indians, so should we turn it all back over to them? During the American-Mexican war when we took Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, etc., shouldn't we then give that back to Mexico if we are demanding Israel to give back these lands that they conquered when they were attacked?

Are you then willing to give up your home without any compensation as the Israelis have had to do, and are demanded by our country to do?

Are our country and our black president segregationists since we are demanding all Jews to leave their homes, again without compensation, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and move into other parts of Israel, yet all faiths, and backgrounds are living in Israel at peace.

These are double standards that should not be allowed, yet the world lives this way when it comes to Israel. People complain about Israel's attacks on Gaza, but if someone were shooting at your house many times every day, and once in a while hitting your family, would you sit by quietly? Even though you contact the law (UN) and they do nothing about it, wouldn't you at some point do what you could to stop these criminals?

Hamas states in their purpose for being to remove Israel from all maps and kill all Jews, so those who are in control of Gaza will never settle for peace, though Israel has given up much land.

Mark Opstein

Rifle

Looking for congressmen that can't be bought

Carol from Parachute, I liked your letter. Congress has been insane for years. All of our Congressmen in Washington have been voting for upping the immigration numbers for years.

Their report cards have been F for as long as I have been watching what they vote for.

Our immigration laws are not enforced, what is on the books, they look the other direction, unless some one illegal does something wrong, like drugs. If you note in the paper that those that are dealing drugs, and fraud have been here before, sent back and are here again to do the same thing.

I belong to a website that sends faxes to all of Congress and the president. They ignore them, until such time as they get so many of them that they can't ignore them. This is what stopped the blanket amnesty last time.

The only way to really, really get reform is to vote the bums out. Our Homeland Security is a joke — they are planning on reducing the numbers of border patrol shortly.

Why is that? Who knows.

Bills get passed in Congress with very little publicity, why not? Everybody is focused on the health care reform, the banking industry, etc. You get the picture. They claim they are not going to send boatloads of Haitians to the U.S. to live, but that probably is a lie. I have been to the Congressmen's websites and ask them to reduce the numbers on immigration until our employment numbers get better. Udall says he will try — not a chance.

Bennet and Salazar can't be trusted to do this. If all American citizens would stick together and vote for the people that do more than lip-service on issues, we probably would get change a lot faster. Too many of them have been in Congress so long that they don't care what the public thinks. They will all retire with millions, they don't have to pay into their retirement, they only have to be there a couple of years to get it.

Hey Colorado, lets get some people in Congress that can't, or won't, be bought by the lobbyist.

Jane Spaulding

Carbondale

There exists a modest alternative to Obamacare

I empathize with Axel Hiram Garcia whose recent letter to the editor pleads for health care reform. But Mr. Garcia shouldn't leap to the conclusion that Obamacare would solve America's health care problems. In fact, the 2,000-page House and Senate bills do more to sustain the status quo while pumping trillions into government programs than they do to facilitate the basic restructuring necessary to realize an efficient health care system.

Thankfully, Americans understand and see through politicians' oldest of confidence rackets — the promise of something for nothing. The bedrock common sense of the American people is summarized by a simple bumper sticker — “You Think Healthcare Is Expensive Now? Just Wait Till It's Free!” Given this disconnect with the voters, it's no wonder that 75 percent of Americans are angry with the government's current policies, according to a recent Rasmussen poll.

Politicians should listen to angry voters and move in a different direction. Real reform is still within reach. Congressman Paul Ryan's “Patients' Choice Act” (HR2520) is a “small bill” that enacts simple and sensible reforms. It is deficit neutral, promotes cost-containment and ensures health care for all Americans, without interposing more government between patient and doctor.

This more modest approach is what Americans favor by close to a 3-to-1 margin. A recent poll asked whether Americans prefer Obamacare or a bill that took “more modest steps like allowing the purchase of insurance across state lines to improve competition, creating a risk pool to help people with pre-existing conditions afford coverage, and curbing lawsuits against doctors.” By 61 percent to 21 percent, respondents favored the more modest alternative to Obamacare.

Politicians should listen to the people — modesty is the best policy.

Melanie Sturm

Aspen

A future as a lobbyist for pharmaceutical industry

Brad Janssen's letter to the editor titled “Prescribing crack for chronic back pain” would've been hilarious if it wasn't so uninformed. He should get a job as a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry, arguing against medical marijuana while at the same time pushing patented Marinol (basically synthetic marijuana) to HIV and cancer patients.

Curtis Cook

Glenwood Springs

Finish the job on health care, Congress

I am writing this letter in support of President Obama's health care reform, and I stand with President Obama in calling on Congress to finish the job. Gridlock is not an option. People expect their Congress to legislate and do what is best for the American people and not serve special interests.

Premiums are rising each year, and benefits are decreasing with higher deductibles and co-payments and out-of-pocket expenses.

Failure to act is not an option, and the party in power will pay dearly electorally if this is not accomplished.

Debbie Evans

Silt

Wilderness and its Hidden Gems

Nature belongs to herself. Not for the taking. Not ours to take.

Enough has been taken. Enough. More than.

Full of wonder, Hidden Gems as neighbors so near to us here in the valley. Actually, neighbors painfully dear to us. Unlocked property yes, but not ours.

Neighbors welcoming us to visit, offering substance for our souls and perspective for our minds.

Neighbors living with complete inner peace. Not ours to disturb. Not ours to trample, or harm. Not ours to domesticate, alter, disrupt.

Void of artificial noises, lights, objects, trash, and other belongings that are ours.

Please protect and respect these Wilderness Hidden Gems. It is the right thing to do. It is not our right to do otherwise.

Barbara Andre

Basalt

Battlement residents are used as lab rats

Unfortunately for the embattled inhabitants of Battlement Mesa, they have become “lab rats” for Garfield County and the gas producers. Some 200 wells are planned for the PUD. Many of the residents are retirees and many with “already fragile” health. The head of the area's Oil and Gas Association hopes to use these folks to “further the cause of science.”

Lab rats are typically sacrificed then dissected to learn the extent of the damages inflicted. No doubt the Battlement residents were hoping to come to a happier end.

Patrick Hunter

Carbondale

Letter was mostly about the bypass

In the Feb. 7 Post Independent, my letter has the title “South Bridge be should left to the voters, not to the Council”. But I submitted the subject (title) “South Bridge and the bypass,” and most of the letter concerned the bypass.

I used the South Bridge discussion only to introduce my thoughts on the bypass. My remark that “The decision on a project this size should be left to the voters, not to the Council” obviously refers to the bypass, which is the sole subject of the preceding paragraph.

I accept part of the blame for this error, as poor timing. I should have limited discussion of the bypass until the time when it is more in the news, if ever.

Julian Vogt

Glenwood Springs