Dear Editor,

Okay Mr. Meyers, I guess I can “hear you now” (cute, by the way). Your last sentence sums it up nicely, “… just like the people of California did.”

So as I understand it, when someone wants a Democrat out of office that’s “… American voters (taking) matters into their own hands” but when someone calls for getting a Republican out of office then that’s “… just plain (ignoring) the facts.” Thanks for letting your true colors show.

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I guess the only response I can put to you is that you should follow the advice in the last line of my last letter, “Mr. Meyers and those who agree with him should try reading articles of this kind with an open and flexible mind.” Try to not see the world as only black and white, us vs. them, or any number of cliched terms.

I think our current administration is awful; I thought Clinton’s was awful too. Just because I agree with Mr. Sundin’s column does not mean I voted for Clinton. Also Mr. Meyers, I am still waiting for you to refute anything that Mr. Sundin wrote. Just saying “Clinton did it too” is not a valid way to “counter a 600-word diatribe.” I count eight other points in the column (other than WMDs) that you have not even mentioned.

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So bottom line, and this goes for Bob Anderson too, no matter how many times you complain about the former president it will never make the current one any better.

Thank you,

Matthew Ballance

Glenwood Springs

Dear Editor,

Hal Sundin (Oct. 30) provides a concise description of the economy and enormous deficits of Bush’s policies of global militarism and tax cuts for the rich and corporations.

Very conservative sources like London’s Financial Times believe the goal of the Bush administration’s tax cuts and massive deficits is to deliberately create a national financial crisis and then use this as an excuse to gut and destroy nearly all federal programs like Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, veteran’s care, and environmental protection, and to privatize and sell off cheaply or give their corporate buddies the national parks and forests, BLM lands, postal services, and any other resources.

As Grover Norquist, a powerful Republican insider, has charmingly said, “I want to shrink the federal government to the size of a baby and then drown it in a bathtub.”

Welcome to the world of totally uncontrolled corporate greed and power, where ordinary people are routinely crushed, with profits as the sole measure of everything.

A century ago when the robber barons of Wall Street ruled, 60- to 100-hour work weeks were common, unions barely existed, there was no Social Security or Medicare. Public education barely operated, toxic pollution of land, air and water was common, access to medical care was largely limited to the rich.

These same conditions exist today in poor nations where the global corporations rule, grab resources, and pay 30 cents to $1 per hour for skilled labor.

The 2004 election is a referendum on these policies. What will you choose: justice and equality or domination and repression?

Chester McQueary

Parachute

Dear Editor,

On April 18,1775, Paul Revere rode through the night to warn his fellow countrymen of a foreign power on its way to impose its will on Americans by force. Today Paul rides again to warn of foreigners imposing their will on Americans, not by force but by sheer numbers.

Roughly 700,000 illegal immigrants enter this country yearly. Unfortunately, they and many legal immigrants use our constitution as a doormat by assuming a de facto national identity number that is not theirs. For what purpose?

The original George W. must be rolling in his grave to know that we are giving up our principles and values, all in the name of progress. Who are these foreign nationals that would think they could come here for a better life and make it harder for the average Joe by evading the taxes and fees that support this nation? No, not the British.

Marc Richardson

Silt

Dear Editor,

This letter is in response to Linda Saathoff’s missive regarding the city’s noise ordinance. Yes, Linda, Glenwood Springs does indeed have a noise ordinance. City Council voted on and passed it unanimously on second reading on May 1, and it officially became an ordinance on May 23. The ordinance is based on state law in order to make it easier to enforce and prosecute and less likely to be thrown out when the violators face a judge in court.

Why this problem is not being addressed is beyond me. I can share a few of my experiences. I have e-mailed Police Chief Terry Wilson and received a half-baked response. I have e-mailed City Manager Mike Copp and received no response at all.

However, according to the council meeting minutes, when Councilman Dave Merritt asked Wilson if he was going to be able to enforce the ordinance, Wilson’s response was “yes.”

Terry Wilson needs to quit making excuses as to all the reasons why the ordinance can’t be enforced and find all the reasons it should be enforced.

People are weary of loud custom exhaust systems, cars without functioning mufflers and obnoxious straight-piped Harley Davidson motorcycles”all of which are in direct violation of the noise ordinance.

We have the right to enjoy peace and quiet in our homes and neighborhoods. When are Mike Copp and Terry Wilson going to accept responsibility and make this possible?

Chris Mecham

Glenwood Springs

Dear Editor,

After reading the (front page no less) story of the Klein dog being shot by the New Castle police, sorry, but my thought was “boo hoo,” gnawing on a shotgun?

How many stories have we read about kids being attacked or worse by “family pets,” and the owners just “didn’t believe” their dog or dogs would “do such a thing.”

I say thank you to the officers who handled the situation with common sense, putting people ahead of an animal. I hate to be the one to break the news that animals are not people, nor are they children in furry coats.

And no, I am not a dog-hater. I like dogs, had great ones throughout childhood and on, but I was taught if you love your dog you keep it at home and teach it not to bark for hours on end, and to never bite or intimidate a person, unless on command.

A dog can be a member of a family without being an equal. How about a little more common sense and responsibility if you choose to own one? Also, the county resolution for dog control might clear it up for some.

Sharon Robyn

Parachute