Political pandering for the Latino vote

Tens of millions, tens of millions of U.S. citizens of all colors, unemployed.

Tens of millions of illegal aliens stealing U.S. jobs. Tens of billions of U.S. dollars shipped out of our economy every year.

Obama says we have to deal with the workers “humanely”. Is he referring to the 30-plus million unemployed U.S. citizens? No.

Barack is worried about legalizing 15 to 20 million, job-stealing foreign nationals; he calls it “comprehensive immigration reform”.

I call it blanket amnesty without securing our borders in a blatant display of political pandering for the Latino vote.

Bruno Kirchenwitz

Silt

Our students need your support

School has once again begun and our students need your support. Student athletes of all ages are working hard to perfect the skills needed to be successful in their chosen sport. We, as a community, need to make the effort to attend their games and show them we appreciate all the hard work and dedication they are putting forth.

There are many other students who are working on their skills in band, music, dance and other activities which also need the communities' attendance and support.

I urge everyone in our community to be involved in supporting and cheering on the efforts of our youth and create a positive school spirit.

Thank you

Leroy Duroux, Mayor

Town of Basalt

I prefer revisited history to revisionist history

Sharon Brenner chastised Mr. Carl Heck for his letter to the editor. She also gives us a history lesson about when the whole thing was good and then became bad. She asks what cave Mr. Heck was living in over those 8 years. Perhaps he was shacking up with Osama Bin Laden.

Ms. Brenner tells us about the glory days of 4.5 percent unemployment, neglecting to tell us of the 7.5 percent (same as Carter's peak) and quickly rising rate as George W. Bush helicoptered out of D.C. The GOP had control of the both houses for 12 years. Here's a handy checklist of their accomplishments: Overturned Glass-Steagall and allowed the financial industry to run rampant, creating CDO's, swap differentials and a myriad of other “financial instruments” that almost no one had any idea what they were. Wall Street sold them to pension funds, counties, countries, etc., almost bankrupting the entire world. The GOP allowed unbelievable interest rates on credit cards. Let's not forget those tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. Or tax breaks for moving your operations overseas. No effect on unemployment there. They also gave us two wars, neither of which are paid for. Billions wasted based on trumped-up intelligence. We have thousands dead. Iraq has hundreds of thousands dead and virtually no reliable water or electricity. Thanks for nothing.

The Democrats were elected in 2006, but took office in '07. The housing bubble burst in 2005. The Wall Street crash of 2008 was caused by events set in motion years earlier. Bush and the GOP gave us the highest deficits since the 1950's. The GOP had 12 years of control, with 6 under Bush. Here's what they never addressed and now filibuster: health care, financial reform, the energy situation (unless you're in oil and gas), the environment and education, just to name a few. They recently voted down a small business bill as well as tried to kill unemployment extensions. I don't know who's been living in what cave, but I do know who drove us to the brink. Personally, I prefer revisited history to revisionist history.

Craig S. Chisesi

Rifle