An issue we can all agree on
Monday, January 28, 2008 4:13 AM PST
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E-mail this articleAn issue we can all agree on
As a voter and a member of a local chapter of the poverty-fighting group ONE, I have been working with the more than 2.4 million ONE members nationally to make the fight against extreme poverty and global disease an issue in the 2008 presidential election.
I know global poverty is usually not part of the conversation when it comes to presidential politics. But through ONE Vote ‘08, ONE’s nonpartisan effort made up of ordinary voters and some of the most experienced political and policy experts in America, that’s all changing. ONE members are engaging the candidates at campaign stops across America and asking them about their plans to fight poverty and save lives. Candidates are responding, some with policy speeches, others by incorporating global poverty into their national security platforms.
As “Super Tuesday” approaches, ONE Vote ‘08 only plans to turn the pressure up. For instance, ONE members have gotten all of the major candidates to go on the record and lay out their concrete plans to fight global poverty and disease if elected, for all voters to see. I encourage voters to view those plans and compare the candidates at www.onevote08.org/on the record.
Wanda Pope
Longview
No crossing the party
This year has gotten off to a great start with lots of excitement, with those Democrats fighting among themselves. I have been told if a Democrat votes for a Republican and the Democrats find out, you might as well kiss your political career goodbye.
I am writing about four subjects.
On Christmas Eve I went to one of our big church’s service. The pastor had a stroke four weeks before Christmas. He was teaching at all three services. His message was on hope and taking care of yourself. Talk about a miracle. God is good.
I went to that meeting for those bald-headed young dudes. Talk about a show, very unorganized, nothing happened. They were just standing around shooting the bull. It looked like to me they wanted a place to meet. I was told this group is the laughing stock of the Aryan nations.
About 30 years ago a speaker came to my service club. He was one of these futurist guys, telling our group what to expect in 25 years -- mills would closed, and down-sized, and jobs would disappear, a lot of social problems. I Did not give it much thinking power back then, but look at our community now. It will take a lot of deep praying to get us out of this mess.
I had a lady tell me the teen pregnancy issue is bigger than it was 20 years ago, it is frustrating that we cannot get a handle on it.
Ray Van Tongeren
Longview
Revamp of Longview Fibre
Having worked at Fibre for many years in every department there, I wonder if management has thought about one of the most important aspects of becoming profitable again -- consulting your hourly employees. Their co-operation and help is the key to saving not only their jobs, but your mill. No one knows more about running a paper machine than those who have done it for the years they have worked there.
If you have not asked them how to get them to run better and truly listened to their suggestions, all you do will be only temporary and for no permanent solution. I know this is foreign thinking, since your desk does a better job of running things than your hourly workers, and who could possibly know more than the engineers and management? We, as hourly workers, trained those engineers and foreman to do their jobs but they don’t have the hands on experience that’s really needed.
If all was done by the “Book,” the mill would have shut down years ago. The Fibre workforce is the most creative and innovative group anywhere, bar none. If you want to be successful, let them in and work with them not on them. If you don’t, do it your way for window dressing only and be ready for failure. Seems to me the choice is an easy one. Just how innovative and creative is your management team? Time will tell.
Bill White
Kalama
There’s a fair solution
Growth and development provide many opportunities for our small corner of the world, yet this comes with a cost which is an unfair burden to those who have been here all their lives. Rates for water, sewer, and drainage go up for all while ignoring what is generating the greater need for service improvements.
There is a fair and reasonable solution which requires very little. It used to be called a grandfather clause where you pay based on what you already contributed through time as an established resident. In turn, those who buy in to our community or develop new areas pay the higher adjusted rates to supply the increased need they generate.
This option protects individual property rights and integrity, does not burden our older or long term residents, respects the environment, and forces consideration of what is acceptable growth and shared expense.
Ray Baker
Longview
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