Tuesday, July 28, 1998

Played key role

I am writing to echo Jim Johnson's July 22 letter in support of Congressman Charlie Stenholm. His seniority is essential to keeping Dyess AFB operational in Abilene.

Rural America can't afford to lose his voice in Washington, given the current drought and its impact on agriculture and rural small businesses.

Charlie played a key role in bringing the federal budget into balance. He has a proven track record of bringing all sides together to get things done.

This November, we can keep a proven and effective voice representing us in the House of Representatives, or we can go the inexperienced route and get our teeth cleaned.

SHARON COCHRAN

Abilene

Paternalistic

Regarding the National Health Identification Number (July 23,), Charlie Stenholm was quoted as saying this number is necessary because "You should not have to lose you health insurance when you change jobs."

I thought this comment was interesting for a fellow who voted against every measure that would allow individuals to privately contract and maintain their family's insurance; Medical Savings Accounts.

On several occasions, I personally petitioned Charlie to vote in favor of the MSA bills presented in congress. He argued that Medical Savings Accounts would mostly benefit the healthy population, and did not provide for the disabled and terminally ill. Well, Charlie, some people might try to stay healthy by making better life style choices because of the financial incentive of an MSA.

I'm afraid that Charlie's view is that we must lower all people's prospects to bring us all under one, common, system of identification and control. It appears that he would hobble his fastest children so that they could not run ahead of the slow and lame ones.

I can see no reason to continue with such a paternalististic legislature when we elect our leaders for the 21st century this November.

GEORGE SCHWAPPACH

Abilene

Patent abuse

I want to call attention to the issue of patent abuses-especially US Patent #5,723,765 on a new, agricultural biotechnology, also known as "Control of Plant Gene Expression." This new patent will permit its owners and licensees to create sterile seed by selectively programming a plant's DNA to kill its own embryos.

The patent applies to plants and seeds of all species. Think of it: Seed saved at harvest for future crops will no longer be capable of reproducing the foodstuffs we depend on; we will become totally dependent on huge agribusiness companies, such as Monsanto and its subsidiaries, for its genetically altered seeds. Obviously this is good for seed companies, because they can use this patent to eliminate all competitors.

This "Terminator Technology" was created to prevent farmers from saving non-hybrid, open-pollinated crops like wheat and rice. And since once the technology is commercialized, the USDA will earn royalties of about 5% of net sales, they're all for this idea.

Companies who can afford to pay big teams of patent lawyers are taking control of strains that have been in the public domain for centuries.

It's time for us to stop this and the rash of other patent abuses taking place each day. The U.S. Patent Office was designed to help encourage and protect American ingenuity and creativity, not to provide the greedy with a way of gaining a stranglehold over the world's supply of foods and herbs.

I encourage everyone to become better informed. Write these abusing companies!

SAMANTHA McTIGHE

Abilene