More Letters: Shameless right-wing disseminations!
by Tucson Citizen on Oct. 09, 2008, under OpinionAP disperses reporter’s politics as news
This morning I was astounded and dismayed to read an Associated Press article that was little more than shameless regurgitations of partisan right- wing talking points concerning Barack Obama’s selection of Joe Biden as his running mate.
No balance or actual analysis was included, just McCain’s party propaganda masquerading as news.
Since the piece read as little more than a blatant hit piece, I researched the reporter a bit to see what else he had composed.
Imagine my lack of shock when I discovered that the writer, Ron Fournier (the AP Washington bureau chief, no less!), has not only written gushing letters of praise to Karl Rove, but also recently spent months in talks with the McCain campaign about becoming a senior adviser for that campaign.
Clearly, Mr. Founier decided to instead use his position to disseminate McCain’s talking points via AP to newspapers and media outlets around the country under the guise of “reporting.” Good grief!
The solution to this mess is clear. The AP needs to either compel Fournier to recuse himself from covering the presidential campaign (thanks to his obvious disregard for fundamental journalistic ethics) or demand that he step down from his position as Washington bureau chief. No, really.
JASON WILLIS
Tucson
Amendment would halt redefining ‘marriage’
Prop. 102, to preserve marriage between one man and one woman, is on the Nov. 4 ballot.
The Citizen published pro and con pieces on this initiative Sept. 8, but some items in its defense have not been cited.
Homosexuals have the same rights as heterosexuals. Both may marry any person of the opposite sex upon adulthood.
Homosexuals are lobbying for an additional right that is contrary to 6,000 years of established behavior. This is not an issue of discrimination. It is an issue of granting a right that has not existed previously.
As for the Arizona law that already defines marriage, that law in California was subverted in a 4-3 ruling by California Supreme Court judges.
Roger Putzi
Tucson
If we don’t drill for oil, others will to sell to U.S.
Sen. Barack Obama must wonder if the Democrats in Congress know he is running for president. The lunacy coming out of the Democratic Senate and House is a definite benefit for the Republican cause.
If the Democrats want to wait for the wind to blow and the sun to come out to do what needs to be done, you can always read by candlelight.
Oil is a commodity just like corn, wheat and hogs. If we do not want to use it, plenty of other people do.
It is worth money, and we are going to need a lot of money just to get out of our financial trouble. The Chinese are going to drill for oil for Cuba. Another few miles north, they could be drilling for us to sell to market.
ROY MESSER
Tucson
We the nonwealthy people should invest in . . .
John McCain thinks rich is someone with more than $5 million. So how many rich people do you know?
John McCain thinks “the fundamentals of our economy are strong.”
Unemployment up, home foreclosures up, inflation up, wages down, national debt out of sight, financial institutions in ruin. This is a strong economy?
John McCain thinks tax breaks to big business will “trickle down” to the working class. The trickle is pretty slow. Gaps between rich, middle class and poor are greater than ever.
John McCain – with seven houses, a private plane, his wife’s huge payoff for the selling of a major American icon overseas – John McCain’s economy is fundamentally strong. The rest of us are suffering.
Barack Obama is the clear choice for all of us who make less than $5 million.
MARY KEEGSTRA
Tucson
Moral rights not Bush’s baby
Recently the federal Department of Human Services proposed rules that would protect the conscience rights of health care workers in facilities that receive federal funding.
Simply put, it means a hospital or other facility that receives a federal grant could not force a doctor, nurse or other worker to perform an abortion or sterilization if that would conflict with the worker’s moral convictions.
Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocates are telling their supporters that this is a “radical” gift from the Bush administration to pro-life supporters, but that just isn’t true.
Since 1973, federal law has consistently protected pro-life health care workers from reprisals such as termination and decertification when they act on their beliefs. The proposed rule simply enforces what has been the sense of Congress for 35 years.
It’s simply false to suggest, as Planned Parenthood has, that the Bush administration is inserting politics into the exam room.
These regulations aren’t pleasing to the pro-choice crowd, but they are a matter of common sense – and that’s why they should be approved in September.
LIDA CLEM
Tucson
Papers clear air on our true effect on climate
The Western Climate Initiative, a region cap and trade scheme for carbon dioxide emissions, will have no measurable effect on global temperature but will impose added costs and bureaucracy on generation of electricity and purchase of automobiles.
WCI is unsupported by science. To get the real story see two papers:
“A comparison of tropical temperature trends with model predictions,” International Journal of Climatology. This paper shows that actual measurements refute the greenhouse hypothesis promoted by the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
“Environmental Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide” concludes no experimental data support the hypothesis that increases in human hydrocarbon use or in atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are causing or can be expected to cause unfavorable changes in global temperatures, weather or landscape. There is no reason to limit human production of CO2, CH4 (methane) and other minor greenhouse gases.
Jonathan DuHamel
geologist
Tucson
Diner counter review, pans La Fuente
Re: Tom Stauffer’s Aug. 1 piece “No complaints but plenty of praise to Lodge”:
For years La Fuente had been good. So today my husband and I took the entertainment book. not reading it carefully in the fine dining section, and went there.
That fiasco is our fault. But the terrible food and service is their fault.
The mariachis, refried beans and iced tea were great. I was given burnt old carne adobo that seemed rancid. The tortillas were lovely.
We could not have the buffet, as the rule is you cannot. In any case, this wins the prize for the worst food in Tucson.
We try to stick with Old Pueblo Grille. It is safe and delightful. The waitress was lovely though the service was very slow.
Please do a review and warn people if you feel this warrants warning. It has lost its charm also. Different owners, I think.
Marni Mcdaniel
Tucson
