LETTERS
SNOWSTORM
Safety first, snow plows come second
I whole-heartedly disagree with Leslie McCormick’s letter printed in the Jan. 21 issue of the Redmond Reporter.
Her solution of “getting rid of police officers to buy snow plows” shows a complete disregard and lack of respect for the safety of Redmond and its residents.
We live in the Pacific Northwest, in the shadow of the Cascade Mountains. Snow is to be expected now and then; if you are unable to drive or walk, stay home and enjoy the winter wonderland!
If snow removal is that big of an issue to you, move to a warmer climate.
The Redmond Police Department does an excellent job of keeping Redmond safe and I cannot thank them enough for the services they provide our community.
If those police officers were not on “every street corner” Redmond would not be the family, pedestrian, bike-friendly, safe city it is today.
Keep up the fantastic work Redmond Police Department, as you are greatly appreciated and significantly more valuable than snow plows.
Lauren Brendel
Redmond
CITY COUNCIL
Debate is alive and well
I have received some interesting feedback from the Jan. 7 piece about the Redmond City Council and I would like the opportunity to set the record straight.
I was rather surprised to see an article about the current state of our Council since your newspaper did not interview or consult me in any way, other than asking me to pose for the photograph.
If you had, you might have discovered that I have a reputation for speaking my mind in spirited debate, especially on matters that affect our neighborhoods and the folks who live there.
I have no trouble casting the vote I think best represents those folks, even if I am not joined by my colleagues.
A recent example is one of the two votes taken on this budget where I voted NOT to raise property taxes this biennium because I don’t think the case was made for why it is needed at this very economically challenging time. I was joined by Mr. Carson in opposing the tax increase.
Spirited debate is alive and well on the Redmond City Council and I, for one, will continue to examine every issue to ensure that Redmond remains the community of good neighbors we all value.
Kimberly Allen
Redmond City Councilwoman
JAN. 21 EDITORIAL
Bush is not to blame
Although I too wish President-elect Obama success for the well-being of our country, I have a few comments about the Reporter’s editorial, which appears to have been written by some poor victim of “Bush Derangement Disorder.”
No Child Left Behind was a joint effort of President Bush and the ultra-liberal Senator Kennedy. The Act is intended to establish reasonable education standards for public schools.
I don’t see the connection between that and the Lake Washington School District’s supplies and extra programs. Perhaps this issue would better be referred to Gov. Gregoire.
Regarding the Iraq war, there is sincere disagreement on that issue; however it is clearly won and Iraq is beginning the establishment a new order in the Middle East, which can well make this a safer world.
Regarding the “mess left by his predecessor,” President Bush warned about the dangers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as early as 2001 and proposed limits for them, but Congress did not pass the Bush reforms until 2008, after they had collapsed.
The blame rests more honestly upon the shoulders of Senator Dodd and Representative Frank, both Democrats.
Bernice Oberson
Kirkland
JAN. 21 EDITORIAL
Bush did many great things for us
C’mon.
I am so sick and tired of hearing shrill far-left liberals blame everything that is wrong with the nation on Bush.
True, Bush wasn’t perfect (I don’t know a single president who was) but he certainly is not the only one to blame for all of nation’s problems.
Take the current economy crisis. One could argue that it started with the housing crisis. Gee, I wonder how that happened.
Could it have been Democrats and Democratic groups (ACORN) who pressured banks to give loans to folks who definitely did not qualify?
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are overseen by Barney Frank and Chris Dodd. That is, Democratic Congressman Barney Frank and Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Dodd. The idea of everyone owning their own home is a grand one but it is not reality.
Not everyone can truly afford a mortgage, and those folks are sadly now losing that home due to those bad loans. And the rest of us, plus our children, will be paying for the resulting bailout. Please, do your research before blaming Bush for everything.
Now let us look at just a few of the good things President George W. Bush did:
1. Created 15 new National Wildlife Refuges, designated over 330,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean as national monuments in order to protect them, and for Washington state signed the Wild Sky Wilderness Act thus designating 106,577 acres as wilderness.
2. Bush has sent more money to help impoverished Africa than any other president in history.
3. And whether you believe it not, Bush has protected the U.S. from further terrorist attacks.
These are but a few good things.
Even though I did not vote for our President elect, I wish Barack Obama the best and I look forward to all the good things he promises to deliver to us.
If McCain had won, I wonder if the author of the “Making History” article would be wishing him the best. Or would the author be throwing darts at McCain’s picture simply because McCain is a Republican?
Judi Liedes Kirkland
JAN. 21 EDITORIAL
Quit with the Bush bashing
I can’t believe you’re still Bush Bashing! Why don’t you admit that you don’t know what President Bush’s legacy will be, or how well Obama will do. Do you have some kind of crystal ball that the rest of us don’t know about?
W.R. Swaffield
Kirkland
