Published: February 25, 2008 01:46 pm            

2/24/2008 Letters to the Editor

It finally happened



It has finally happened. No, I didn’t win the lottery, nor did I get struck by lightning. I simply agree with the Local Crank’s article in last Sunday’s Times-Review concerning the treatment of Native Americans.

They have always been and still are treated abominably by us. With, of course, a disagreement on one very, very small point. He wants the United States of America to become subservient to the United Nations. No big deal really. Remember that he is a Democrat (just like Barack Obama). I have never seen anything good for the U.S. come out of the U.N. They simply cost us money and lives.

Obama, perhaps giving Americans a preview of priorities he would pursue if elected president, is rejoicing over the Senate committee passage of a bill that has just been passed out of committee, which he co-sponsored. It’s called the Global Poverty Act, and it would add $845 billion to what we already spend overseas. It would also demand that the president develop and implement a policy to cut extreme global poverty in half by 2015 through aid, trade, debt relief and other programs.

While the Global Poverty Act sounds worthwhile, its adoption would result in the imposition of a global tax on the United States and make our foreign aid spending subservient to the dictates of the United Nations. The bill institutes the United Nations Millennium Summit goals as the benchmarks for U.S. spending.

In addition to seeking to eradicate poverty, that U.N. declaration commits nations to banning small arms and ratifying a series of treaties, including the International Criminal Court Treaty, the Kyoto Protocol, the Convention of Biological Diversity and the Convention of the Rights of the Child.

These U.N. protocols would make U.S. laws on issues from the Second Amendment to energy usage and parental rights all subservient to U.N. whims. And with Muslims increasing at double the rate of the rest of the world’s religions, it is conceivable the U.N. could eventually be controlled by the Muslims and have Shariah law declared the law of the world.

After cutting through all the honorable sounding goals in the plan, the bottom line is that the legislation would mandate .07 percent of the U.S. gross national product as official development assistance. The most likely way to raise this amount is to raise gasoline taxes somewhere up to $1 per gallon (thereby helping implement the reduction of carbon usage in America also). If past history is an accurate indicator of future happenings, most of the money we give would end up in the U.N coffers and petty dictators’ Swiss accounts.

The legislation requires the president to do whatever is required to result in the elimination of extreme global poverty and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal by reducing by one-half the proportion of people world wide who live on less than $1 a day.

It further requires the president not only to accomplish that goal but, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this act, to submit a report on the contributions provided by the U.S. toward poverty reduction.

A statement from Obama’s office noted “With billions of people living on just dollars a day around the world it must be a priority of American foreign policy to commit to eliminating extreme poverty and ensuring every child has food, shelter and clean drinking water.”

There you have it folks. Take care of the world and double your taxes if either Democrat gets elected. You can bank on it. Get out and vote Republican.



W.V. Bonds

Cleburne



Maybe it’s time for a change

With the resignation of Cleburne ISD Superintendent Robert Damron and the hiring of a search firm to recommend a replacement it is time to look at what we want in a new superintendent. With the SAT scores dropping from 2005 to 2006 (verbal 30 points, math 16 points according to the Cleburne Times-Review, Sept. 14, 2006) and the low graduation rate, 500-plus ninth-graders and 250-plus graduating seniors (2007 AEIS Report from TEA) is it time to ask, “Do we have an excellent school district?”

Texas ranks 49th in graduation rate (2006 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau) and 42nd in SAT scores for college bound seniors (2007:College Bound Seniors State and National report, College Board). The U.S. ranks near the bottom worldwide in the abilities of our students. Is this result acceptable?

Then we as school district voters should review the criterion the board has set out for the search firm. If they do not include the following goals — greater than 90 percent graduation rate, a ranking in the top 25 percent nationally for our seniors’ SAT scores, adequate supplies and resources for our teachers to achieve our goals, a college graduation rate that is 75 percent 4 1/2 years (1/2 year for foolishness) after starting college, a 75 percent success rate for all those in the “trades” that need a license 3 1/2 years after graduation and a clear understanding the superintendent is accountable to the voters as well as the board, then we the voters of CISD need to revise the search criteria.

Texas is a leader in attracting worldwide corporations and many of the jobs are going to foreigners since the corporations can find “no qualified candidates” in the local area. Ask yourself, “Do we want Texas jobs to go to our kids or to foreigners?” If the answer is “our kids,” then it’s time for a change.



Harold Darling

Cleburne



Thanks from United Way of Johnson County

On behalf of the board of directors, campaign volunteers and the 23 agencies supported by the United Way of Johnson County, I would like to express our sincere appreciation for the generous pledges and contributions from the citizens of Johnson County which totaled $375,002, surpassing the campaign goal.

The United Way Kickoff luncheons held Aug. 28 in Burleson and Aug. 29 in Cleburne were the perfect beginning for a successful campaign. Many people throughout the county attended these fun-filled events, which featured former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Everson Walls as guest speaker at both events.

Many thanks should be given to Bob King, 2007 campaign chairman, and Jerry Pritchard, 2007 United Way president, and to all the campaign leaders for their conscientious endeavors to make 2007 a successful year for United Way of Johnson County.

Much credit should be given to the national firms division, composed of residents who work outside the county but designate their contributions to be sent to Johnson County. Without their pledges the campaign would not have reached its goal.

A special thanks to all those residents and businesses of Johnson County for their generous spirit of giving and community support.



Dianne Packwood,

Executive director

United Way of Johnson County



Questioning Chet Edwards

Usually we read good things about our politicians and the Times-Review’s take on Congressman Chet Edwards is no exception, as it is good to hear about them. I would like to submit this bit of information which is usually not the politically correct thing to do.

To begin, a little history is in order. The legal authority for the U.S. intelligence community to collect foreign intelligence (info that protects Americans from terrorist attacks and that our soldiers in harm’s way rely on to do their duty) was destined to expire on Feb. 15. But after the continual blockade of the bipartisan FISA legislation during that week Edwards and some of Nancy Pelosi’s liberal merry pranksters skipped town without reauthorizing the Protect America Act, stranding our law enforcement and potentially putting millions of American lives in danger.

Edwards and a couple of other Texas politicians have shown that this is a strong indicator of Pelosi’s political muscle with these most liberal Texas members. This puts our men and women in law enforcement in great jeopardy. And all the while I thought Edwards was a friend of our military men and women.

Respectfully,



E.G. Frey

Cleburne

        

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