11/14/08 Letters to the Editor

Whoa, Nellie!

To the editor -- In the aftermath of the presidential election, only one thing thus far has given me pause: the president-elect's invitation to the Bush administration and the current Congress to develop another economic "stimulus package" before Jan. 20. "Whoa Nellie!" -- as retired sportscaster Keith Jackson was known to say.

The current president, who has relied upon 50-percent-plus-one to "govern" the nation throughout his eight-year administration, is not qualified, either philosophically or politically, to lead such an effort. The current Congress lacks sufficient majorities to develop an effective "stimulus package," even if an effective congressional leader or two should happen to emerge between now and the inauguration.

The president-elect indeed appears to be someone who can lead this country out of the current economic catastrophe. Measures he's apparently considering include federal spending on health care, job creation, the country's crumbling infrastructure, and assistance to state and local entities charged with providing essential services to their patrons.

What a bold departure such measures would be from the private and corporate greed that has brought about this catastrophe in the first place. Such a departure, however, requires the departure of the current president and the lame duck Congress.

Let it be!

ROGER CARLSTROM

Yakima

Time to govern

To the editor -- Re: Steven Laws' Nov. 9 letter, "Now Democrats must govern." Amen!

LISA CORNELLA

Yakima

Barack and bias

To the editor -- I was furious that Barack Obama managed to insult former first lady Nancy Reagan (recovering from a hip issue) in his first news conference, to which he was late. While he has apologized to Mrs. Reagan for the remark, which incorrectly implied that she held seances (it wasn't her; according to a CNN story, found at www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/07/obama.seance/index.html, Hillary Clinton held "seance-like sessions"), I feel that it showed great disrespect. I believe that if it had been a Republican, the gaffe would have been trumpeted as front page news and would lead newscasts for a month. The press corps should be ashamed for laughing at the ill-advised joke.

It's no wonder newspapers are losing subscribers and television stations are struggling. I believe it is that they are biased toward Democrats and do not work toward fairness and just reporting the facts.

JANEICE A. JUMP

Ellensburg

Too much

To the editor -- Will Rogers once said, "Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for." I fear that we just may start getting it.

DAN GATTIS

Yakima

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