Don't be fooled

To the editor:

Spread the wealth, Obama says. How socialistic can you get! This is not fairness as he claims. If he is elected, the U.S. will drift into socialism similar to the policies of many European countries. If you think the economy is bad now, just hang on. There will be higher taxes, higher unemployment, stagnant growth and higher inflation. Obama has co-sponsored a bill in Congress that will take away the secret ballot in union elections. A fundamental American right is lost. He is not for the free- enterprise system which helped us grow and prosper. Please do not by fooled by this gifted orator.

Robert Koenig
Chambersburg, Pa.

Foreclosure tour no happy bus trip

To the editor:

I wonder if other people have also noticed and become disturbed by the advertisements of "Foreclosure Bus Tours?"

When I think of a tour bus trip, I think of paying to go with friends on an entertaining day in New York City for shopping or sightseeing.

I think that was and is the purpose of a "bus tour." It is very sad to see that there are people who have sunk so low that they organize such tours to bring prospective property buyers right to the exact locations of foreclosed homes.

I feel these opportunistic people who organize and run the tours are taking advantage of the very tragic and devastating situations of families of other human beings. We are witnessing so many people losing their homes for various reasons, but largely because of banks that extended loans to people for amounts they could never really afford to repay.

As Barack Obama said, "We are all connected." I believe the real estate people and agencies organizing the foreclosure bus tours in Maryland and West Virginia do not feel connected to people who are fellow Americans. They feel, I believe, connected to a fast and easy way to make an easy commission from the suffering of others.

Doug Pittsnogle
Hagerstown

Elect John Yoder

To the editor:

John Yoder is the best and more experienced candidate running in West Virginia's Division 2 Circuit judgeship race.

He thinks it is wrong for judges' campaigns to be financed with contributions from lawyers who will later appear in court before that judge.

While John Yoder's opponent points to the results of a poll, conducted among lawyers as an indicator of his qualifications, it's far more telling to look at the endorsement of former Charles Town Mayor D. C. Master, who asks that you vote for John Yoder.

I agree with Doc Master - a vote for John Yoder for Circuit judge is a vote for fairness, integrity and positive change.

T. Irene Sanders
Harpers Ferry, W.Va.

Palin family values

To the editor:

Now I'm going to go where no one has dared to venture. I'm going to examine the sacred cow of Sarah Palin's family values.

First, I will give the governor credit for giving birth to her Down syndrome son. But, that's where the buck stops. Who is going to be lavishing mother love on baby Trig while the Republican vice presidential candidate is out and about doing McCain's bidding?

Who is going to be cheering Bristol on as she gives birth to her baby? What about the other children? Who will be watching over and caring for their every need on a daily basis? Helping them with their lessons, comforting them when stomach aches and other childhood illnesses happen? Is the first dude going to be taking up Palin's slack? Well, as Palin says when it comes to meals, "They all know how to make sandwiches."

I'm not going to vilify Bristol for her teen pregnancy. However, Palin disapproves of sex education in schools, a practice that might help other teen girls avoid unwanted pregnancies.

It has been shown that when sex education is included in school curriculums, teen pregnancies decrease.

Now I've said it, how about digesting it?

Mary Lee Scalf
Falling Waters, W.Va.

Bush-haters not thankful for anti-terror measures

To the editor:

The Herald-Mail's Oct. 15 opinion page contained some interesting "Letters to the Editor."

Sam Cuthbert's letter is another example of a "Bush -hater" who just doesn't get it. He does not appreciate the fact that this country has not been attacked since September 11, 2001.

Cuthbert said in his lengthy letter about Senator McCain "exploiting the ignorance and bigotry of the desperate and uneducated among us."

Perhaps Cuthbert did not hear Howard Stern's on-the-street interviews where he asked citizens about their preference for president. The lack of political awareness was unbelievable. The citizens all stated Obama as their choice.

The second question was "Do you have any problem with Sarah Palin as his (Obama's) Vice President?" All said they had no problem with Sarah Palin as Obama's Vice President.

Obama has run a masterful campaign, thanks to the liberal media, which has given him a free pass on everything from his association to the American terrorist William Ayers to the America- hater, the Rev. Wright.

As a statesman, Obama has not had any leadership qualities except for a "smooth tongue."

His association with terrorists and America-haters is very disturbing for loyal Americans. Obama represents a more socialist future for America, which is neither bright nor does it represent American values.

Jack G. Dunn
Greencastle, Pa.

Who's guiltier, McCain or Obama?

To the editor:

Well, it finally happened. After a election of very few negative ads, something happened. The stock markets did a nose dive. After three weeks they're still diving. So what happens?

One candidate tries to calm and talk about what needs to be done. The other panics and starts the worst mud-slinging I've ever seen.

Obama was on a board in Chicago with William Ayers - and several Republicans, I may add - to help school districts with their funding and help kids to a better education. Ayers was charged, but never found guilty.

McCain was brought before Congress in the early 90s for the S&L trouble (The Keating 5). Three senators were reprimanded and two others got a slap on the wrist. One of those was McCain, whose judgment investigators questioned.

This brings us to Palin. Her husband up to 2002 belonged to a group in Alaska called Alaskan Independence Party. They are a group that wants to secede from the United States. Their founder states, and I quote, "I'm not an American, I'm an Alaskan and I never want to be buried under their American flag."

Now Ms. Palin doesn't belong to this party, but she's given talks at their conventions. Now, is there guilt by association? McCain and Palin say there is. They are attacking and not saying anything to help us. A famous writer once wrote: A man with ideas can build up a nation, a man who has run out of ideas becomes lost."

Rodney A. Guessford
Hagerstown

When it comes to persuasion, Obama no match for George W.

To the editor:

Obama is reputed to be an eloquent speaker and highly persuasive. He is certainly more eloquent but is not likely to top George Bush when it comes to persuasion. Say what you will about Bush's accomplishments, no one can deny that he could rightly claim the title "The Great Persuader."

If we are to believe the media surveys, Bush was one of just a handful of people who did not know Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction and was no threat to us.

Despite that, he not only persuaded the entire U.S. government to fund a war it knew was unnecessary, but enlisted the help of more than 100 countries to supply him with resources and military aid.

He has done this without the use of force. Many before him have engineered aggressive action more far-reaching than Iraq and Afghanistan, but they required the use of armed force or the threat of dire personal consequences to their followers. Bush has done it by pure persuasion.

Now he's done it again. It is his fault that the world's credit institutions are in such turmoil. Through his obsession with terrorism and his attempt to reduce the influence of Islamic radicals, he has neglected to stop us from indulging in risky financial transactions. He has repeatedly said that our economy is in good shape. Perhaps not in so many words, but he has apparently implied that we should max out our credit cards, buy the biggest cars, the largest houses, the most expensive electronic devices and the latest drugs. Even his demeanor suggested that the good times were here to stay. That is persuasion at its best.

Obama may think that when he is president, he can bring the heads of other countries to the table and, by mere rhetoric, bring peace. He believes that even with our tremendous debt, he can persuade insurers, from the goodness of their hearts, to provide universal health care at low cost and that investment bankers can be taught to resist the lure of profit made from using investor's greed to their advantage.

We wish him well but to be on the safe side, he may be wise to keep close touch with his predecessor for refresher courses in persuasion.

F. Burkett
Williamsport