June 25, 2008: Our Readers Write

Liberal agenda hurting first black nominee

Regardless of what kind of commodity a merchant sells, a significant increase in the value of that commodity should result in a corresponding increase in profit for that merchant. Should any merchant be forced to take a lesser percentage of profit from a sale because of heightened value of his or her product? I say no. This is especially true when the increase in value is based upon public demand for the product and not because of any adverse actions by that merchant.

Applying this logic to the current oil price situation, the resistance of liberal elements of the Democratic party has more to do with the rise in the price of oil than either George W. Bush or any of his alleged “big oil” associates. Liberal left obstruction of oil drilling and exploration has reduced the availability of marketable oil reserves and consequently increased the value of the oil supply on hand. This stupidity is why the oil companies are making huge profits. Why should the oil companies greatly reduce the percentage of profit which they get from each barrel of oil when liberal left and “big government” personalities who have historically hindered production of our own oil with numerous regulations based upon obscure ecological situations, are the ones who really caused the problem?

I want an American president willing to go to an OPEC meeting with collateral to bargain with. This president should go to such a meeting and say, “Fellas, I’m so tired of how you’re playing games with my country. Either increase your oil production and lower the price or I’ll just have my oil folks start producing our own.” Barack Obama clearly isn’t that man as he consistently has voted against oil exploration and production measures. On this and many other issues, he is merely a minority figurehead on the same liberal agenda which national-level Democrats have pushed for decades.

I hated to write this letter but this issue needed to be addressed intelligently without the cloud of possible racism. In local media during the Democratic primary, I supported Barack Obama against Hillary Clinton because my country shouldn’t be “Clintonized” again. He needs more maturity on energy and economic issues if he wants to have a strong, virile country.

As a black veteran who has put most of my healthy adult life into this country, I want our first black president to be one of the very best without committing “hara-kiri” like a Samurai warror for his Democratic Party masters and the faulty liberal agenda. Such a situation may provide psychological momentum for some to hinder other far more capable blacks from ever getting this far again.

Harry M. Braxton Jr.

Elizabethtown

Don’t shut down senior citizen program

The senior citizens of Elizabethtown are the forgotten and invisible generation.

We meet five days a week at the Christian Academy for games, exercise, fellowship and lunch. We are a group that is vital in this day of constant change. Don’t allow the city to shut down our program at the end of June for lack of money. There are other ways to make up any deficit.

Elizabeth Tank

Elizabethtown