Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Friday, Aug. 08, 2008

Letters to the Editor

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Powering America

The Tribune seems to have lost touch with the real world with the garbage you are printing, especially concerning the oil industry.

Do you not realize that the strength of America is based on the fact that we have had energy for factories, transportation, agriculture and construction, and that the oil industry is what has furnished most of the energy.

For the last decade, environmentalists and ignorant politicians have decided we should decrease our county’s oil output to “save the Earth.”With present-day technology, oil can be extracted with very little chance of endangering our environment.

It is true we need to become a less oil-dependent nation, but until that time, are we going to sit back and be controlled by the Middle Eastern oil nations and other countries run by dictators? We need to continue to have as much energy as possible to keep our nation strong until other means of energy are developed, and oil is the answer at least for a few more years.

My husband and I know what we are talking about as we were born and raised in Taft, which is still an oil industrial area, and we are also involved in the oil industry.

Judy Kidd

Morro Bay

A happy ending

I give thanks to a caring stranger who found my purse in a shopping cart (Sunday Aug. 3) outside of Michael’s in the Marigold Plaza and returned it 100 percent intact. Whoever you are, you are a wonderfully honest person, and I am very grateful to you.

Linda Brownson

Arroyo Grande

A case of censorship

Has anyone noticed that all the major news media, as well as The Tribune, refuse to report that the Democrats have left the House floor and the Republicans haven’t? The Republicans want legislation passed to try to help us with our energy policy, and the Democrats want to vacation. Does this remind you of censorship?

Terry Sweetland

Oceano

A day of discovery

On behalf of all the docents at the Coastal Discovery Center, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed to our Coastal Discovery Fair on July 19th and made it such a success!

We would especially like to thank our exhibitors/donors: A Matter of Taste, Bureau of Land Management’s Coastal National Monument, Bureau of Land Management’s Piedras Blancas Light Station, Brett White Photography, Caltrans, Central Coast Salmon Enhancement, SLO County Partners for Water Quality, Department of Health Services, ECOSLO, Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, Friends of the Elephant Seal, Hearst Ranch Beef, Jeannette Kinney, Lighthouse Litho, Marine Mammal Center, MATE ROV Center, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History, Morro Coast Audubon Society, Nature’s Touch, North Coast Ocean Rescue, Too SLO Turtles and Tortoises and Zoo to You.

Thanks also to Boni’s Tacos for the delicious food. And thank you to our student volunteers Nikki and Ashley. Thank you to California State Parks for their support of the Coastal Discovery Center.

Michele Roest and docents

Coastal Discovery Center

The letter of the law

A California government Web site states, “Effective Jan. 1, 2008, the minimum wage in California is $8.00 per hour.”

This law was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. This law must be followed by all employers, even if our businesses are short in revenue, over budget and unable to pay bills.

Shouldn’t we demand that our leaders at least follow the rules they impose on us, rather than paying their own employees $6.55 per hour?

Greg Steinberger

Arroyo Grande

Empire or republic?

The major question that should dominate thinking today is, do we want a hegemonic empire or a republic?

Those favoring empire realize the necessity in maintaining a high level of fear in the American public to warrant their continued press for an increased military budget. This dangerous policy was noted by Eisenhower in his warning to beware of the industrial/military complex that advocates military solutions over diplomatic ones.

One example of the lack of cognizant thinking would be Sen. Joe Lieberman’s backing a billion dollar submarine to fight terrorists — who lack even a rowboat.

Another example is the 800 military bases around the world placed in each country with aid of the Status of Forces Agreement — a policy enabling us to station troops in a country whether that country wants them or not.

As President George Washington warned, it is very difficult to unmask pretended patriotism when the nation is frightened by real or imagined enemies. The chief difficulty today is to see beyond the curtain of implanted lies created by those favoring empire.

W. R. Cole

Arroyo Grande

Unnecessary expansion

To think that spending $44 million to expand the airport terminal and $15 million to build a parking lot is necessary to sustain our local economy demonstrates the Economic Vitality Corporation’s narrow view of our assets. While we may get grant money to fund part of the terminal from the federal government, that is still our tax money being squandered.

As far as the parking structure financed by user fees, is that before or after it’s built? What if no one uses it?

Hundreds, if not thousands, of communities around this country have been sold the same pipedream with billions of federal dollars spent on airports that never achieved their expectations. Even if we fall for this hype, we will still be at the mercy of the airlines’ whims. The metro jet which we lengthened our runway for uses too much fuel to service small markets anymore.

Invest in something that would be useful like a light rail line from the Santa Maria airport to Paso Robles. This could serve both the traveler and commuter, while we still keep our small airport.

Let’s start looking toward the future, not rehashing failures of the past.

Terry Mohan

San Luis Obispo

L. A.-S. F. transit needed

The solution to the airport question is to establish a reliable and economical north and south ground transportation system for both commercial and personal needs between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Every community having their own airport is now an unaffordable luxury. The airlines are not coming back; not unless you foot the entire bill. No community can afford that.

August Runte

Atascadero

Don’t leave us, AA

American Airlines, we’ll pay more per flight. Please don’t go!

Helen Anderson

San Luis Obispo

Fewer flights a bonus

I experienced San Luis Obispo as a good place to live before it had commercial air service.

Fewer flights will mean less noise and air pollution for the airport area. Less travel in general, and less air travel in particular, would help avoid global warming.

Concerning the large share of airport construction expense that would be borne by the federal budget deficit, where are all the opponents of pork when we need them?

Glen Matteson

San Luis Obispo