09/01/08 Letters to the Editor

Yakima Herald-Republic

Economy's a mess

To the editor -- The finances of many households are very tenuous at present because of President Bush's economic policy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Major Sector Productivity and Costs, reports that from 2000-2006, while productivity increased 19 percent, wages rose only 1 percent. Other government reports indicate that corporate profits and a few thousand households took most of the income that resulted from this increase in productivity.

In an analysis of Internal Revenue Service data published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, it is reported that from 2000-2006 the bottom 90 percent of households received only 4 percent of national income growth, while the top 15,000 households received a full 25 percent of national income growth.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Income and Product Accounts reports that from 2000-2006, while Gross Domestic Product rose 17 percent, corporate profits rose 66 percent, and corporate profits doubled as a share of national income. A real transfer of wealth has gone on since 2000. People may not have realized how flat their real wages have been. Rising home values and low interest loans masked over the lack of real income growth. An imbalance between wages and productivity is not sustainable in the long term. Only political solutions and changes in policy can spare us further economic decline.

 

ELEANOR HUNGATE

Yakima

 

 

Vote for real change

To the editor -- Recently, I viewed Kevin Costner's "Swing Vote," which at first seemed to be just an election year attempt at political humor, but soon evolved into a thought-provoking commentary on our political system. The premise was that a presidential election that ended in a tie would be decided by one man's vote.

Despite a highly improbable plot, the underlying message is that every vote counts, and deciding how to cast that vote should not be taken without careful consideration.

If you believe that you and the country are better off today than four years ago, by all means vote for John McCain and Doc Hastings. If you feel like I do, that the current administration has ignored the poor and the middle class, then consider that a vote for either of them amounts to a continuation of George Bush's failed policies and leadership.

As Costner's character realized, your vote is an awesome and powerful privilege. Don't vote for a candidate just because he is a Democrat or a Republican. Vote because he can bring real change to the country and to your future. Join me in voting for Barack Obama and George Fearing. Join me in voting for real change in Washington, D.C.

 

DANY ADOLF

Wapato

 

 

Ensey small-minded

To the editor -- I am deeply saddened over Councilman Rick Ensey's assertions in the Aug. 22 article, "Zais receives mixed reviews," that the only reason for our downtown renaissance is due to a real estate market upswing.

In one sentence he negated the thousands of man-hours spent over the last 25 to 30 years that the private sector and city staff have worked to bring this about. The admonishment that bureaucrats and senior staff stole the credit for the wonderful changes that have occurred is just plain ludicrous and small-minded.

The list of individuals who have contributed toward our revival is long and illustrious. The planning process was both a matter of meetings, planning reports and consultant activities. Who put these endeavors together? City staff. Who funded the planning and the consultants? Multiple City Councils. Many individuals and groups can take credit for a job extremely well done. However, it would have never come to fruition without Gov. Chris Gregoire's interest in Yakima, state Sen. Alex Deccio's representation and state Reps. Jim Clements and Mary Skinner's political acumen.

As a former councilman, I can say that we have an outstanding city staff and work force. Ensey proved in his campaign his lack of ethical compass. It appears he is still lost.

 

GEORGE H. PECHTEL

Yakima

 

 

Voting irregularities?

To the editor -- The Aug. 6 article about the Democratic Party and paid efforts titled "Yakima sees new effort to get out the Latino vote" must be viewed with considerable anxiety by anybody who remembers the 2004 governor's election fiasco, which included the discovery of 1,678 illegal votes in addition to election worker error, especially in King County (according to a June 8, 2005, article in the Yakima Herald-Republic).

This time will it be the Yakima/Tri-Cities area? The reasons for my anxiety are as follows: The paid workers admit to helping the Latino voters fill out their ballots, (notice all the workers are bilingual for a reason). This, of course, opens the door to more than just helping. The article also mentions the workers are registering voters, but it doesn't mention whether they assure the legality of the registration (citizens, legal resident, etc.). In other words, they could unintentionally be helping somebody break the law.

Also nowhere in the article does it mention any checks and balances or official follow-up of this activity. If not, why not?

 

H.A. CHEVARA

Ellensburg

 

 

Thank God for Bush, Hastings

To the editor -- Re: Derek Tyler's sarcastic Aug. 23 letter about Doc Hastings being a follower of President George W. Bush.

Thank God for President Bush, Doc Hastings and those other followers whose actions and decisions have kept al-Qaida and others from moving into our great country.

And thank God for the men and women who have taken the responsibility and uniforms to keep our country free from what could have been another Iraq, etc., etc.

Shame on Mr. Tyler.

 

DICK BAIN

Prosser

 

 

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