Thursday, October 15, 1998

Just ask Rudy

I recently had the opportunity to ask Dr. Rudy Izzard how he felt about the situation facing President Clinton in Washington. Dr. Izzard told me what he thought without being political. I liked that.

However, the most impressive thing was his follow-up comments. Dr. Izzard told me he is most concerned about the scandal turning people, especially young people, away from the political process. As I sit back and watch career politicians attack one another, I was impressed by the sincerity of Izzard's comments about the future of politics in our country.

Izzard is right. When more people show up to watch Rangers-Yankees playoff games than will take the time to vote in this election, we know our political system is in shambles.

With more people in government like Rudy Izzard, maybe we can begin to get our government back on the right track.

ANGELA ARMSTRONG

Abilene

Need Judge Hacker

We are fortunate to have Aleta Hacker as judge of our family court, the 326th District Court. She knows the law and knows what families and children need to live as happily as possible after divorce.

Besides hearing more than 1,000 cases each year, she gives time to community service, to educating attorneys and to maintaining her knowledge of the law. Anyone who says she is not working full-time doesn't know what he's talking about.

We need to keep Judge Hacker as our 326th District Court judge.

JANET FORRESTER

Abilene

The positive view

Although I have lots of opinions, I have never taken the time to write before, which is often a blessing, I'm sure. I had to take a minute, though, to congratulate Mr. Carl Smith, the Merkel Chamber of Commerce, Ken Ellsworth and the Abilene Reporter-News.

Mr. Smith, you are an inspiration to us all to use the abilities God has given us to make our world a better place. We are all unique and contribute something in our own special way. Our choice is to either enhance or diminish the quality of life around us.

To the Merkel chamber, I salute you in recognizing the positive attributes of a person instead of focusing on what some would perceive as shortcomings. What a positive atmosphere for your community!

And to staff writer Ken Ellsworth and the Reporter-News, in this climate of negative media coverage, hurray for you for reminding us of the good things in life and the high caliber of people in the Big Country.

KAREN BELL

Clyde

Via e-mail

Pales next to JFK

For everyone who thinks they have been shocked by the behavior of President Clinton:

Read The Dark Side of Camelot by Seymour M. Hersh. Clinton is only a beginner in sleaze compared to JFK. A president on "speed" with the button for launching missiles just an arm's length away is just a might more hair-raising than a bimbo on her knees.

The Secret Service either looked away or cooperated in order for Kennedy to get away with all the things he did. The media had its place also.

Clinton is suffering what JFK would have if he had lived and his dirty laundry been aired on the "national laundry line." Clinton's problem is that he lacks the family influence and money that made it possible for Kennedy to buy the silence of those who could have ruined him and his presidency.

MARSHA RICHTER

Tuscola

Dyess says thanks

On Saturday, Oct. 10, our neighbors from throughout the Big Country lent us a valuable hand by helping us fight a grass fire that made its way onto Dyess. Their teamwork, dedication, training and equipment were key factors in preventing property damage in our base housing area.

Abilene and Dyess are justifiably proud of the relationship they've shared for more than 40 years, and the actions of these firefighting agencies certainly lived up to the Texas tradition of neighbor helping neighbor.

I'd like to personally thank the fire departments of Dyess, Abilene, Buffalo Gap, Hamby, Tye, View; the ECCA Volunteer Fire Department; and the Texas Forest Service and its aircrews for their help in preventing a small blaze from becoming a major disaster at Dyess.

BRIG. GEN. MICHAEL McMAHAN

Commander, 7th Bomb Wind

Dyess AFB

No to Puerto Rico

On a late-night vote March 4, the U.S. House of Representatives voted by the slimmest of margins (209 for, 208 against) to allow the citizens of Puerto Rico to hold a special referendum to determine whether Puerto Rico should be an independent country; whether Puerto Rico should continue in its present commonwealth status; or whether Puerto Rico should become the 51st state of the United States.

The deciding vote was cast by U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm when he voted in favor of the bill. When queried as to why he chose to vote in favor of Puerto Rico, Stenholm replied to a constituent that he "supported this measure because I believe the people of Puerto Rico should have the opportunity to determine their fate."

This reasoning is sound if Stenholm had been elected by the Puerto Ricans; however, it cannot be in the best interest of the people of the 17th District to have Puerto Rico admitted as the 51st state in this Union.

In the event the Puerto Ricans vote for statehood, Congress will then vote on whether to admit Puerto Rico into the Union. The people of the 17th District will never be allowed to vote on whether Puerto Rico should he admitted as the 51st state.

If Stenholm had voted "no" when the opportunity was presented to him, this would be a dead issue. The only vote you will be allowed to make on this subject is through your representative - and Charlie Stenholm has already voted "yes." Don't give him a chance to vote again.

GORDON ASBURY JR.

Abilene

Trust fund raiders

Charlie Stenholm has been in Congress for the last 20 years helping his fellow congressmen steal from the Social Security fund. Now that it is time for re-election, he suddenly decides something has to be done to salvage it.

Actually, all Congress has to do is replace the worthless IOUs in the trust fund with some really worthwhile funds. These non-negotiable bonds have been deposited in the fund over the last several decades to replace the real funds used to pay the everyday government functions, which was not what the Social Security fund was intended for.

At the end of World War II, the fund was already over $23 million short with no record of where the money had gone. Instead of replacing the funds, Congress started taxing people more and more by raising the amount of the FICA paid into the fund every year. Then Congress continued to raid the fund and replace the funds with non-negotiable government bonds that are for all intents and purposes worthless.

This was when Congress started raising the FICA and really raiding the fund.

So Charlie, why don't you start working on your fellow congressmen to repay the money you have been stealing for the last 60-plus years.

This would more than make the Social Security fund solvent for a long time to come without increasing the FICA on working people.

Of course, I don't expect anything like this to happen because then they couldn't claim any surplus of government money.

FRED PAULSEN

Abilene

Speaking straight

The time has come in politics when it is as important to cast a vote for a particular candidate as it is to cast a vote for what that candidate's platform is. The personal fiber, the moral integrity, the work ethic and family values of a candidate are as important as what that candidate's party may be proposing.

Rudy Izzard, candidate for U.S. Congress, 17th District, is a man who tells us what he thinks is best for our country. He tells us what he thinks he can do to help our country and our district. And he tells us the truth. He doesn't tell one area what he thinks they want to hear and then tell another area something different. He doesn't take half-truths or statements out of context and try to build commercials that are not true.

I have known Izzard since he was a young boy. I followed him through his high school and college athletics and studies. I carefully followed his dental education and training, and I felt confident knowing he was fully qualified to take over my practice when I retired.

One can count on his word. One can count on his knowledge of the needs of this area. And one can count on his ability to represent this area as it should be represented.

If you don't know what he is advocating for this district, search for his proposals, but you do not have to search very far to discover he is a man of uncompromising integrity. Your vote for Rudy Izzard will be one you will be proud of.

DR. R.O. McWILLIAMS

San Angelo

Out to pasture

It now looks like this investigation is going to go on for another two years. At least unless we voters send a very clear message at the November election.

We must vote out those congressmen who are wanting to continue this charade - on and on and on. This must be done even at the risk of voting out an old head like Charlie Stenholm.

He has been a very decent representative for all too many years. Let's send him on to pasture and let some new blood go to Washington and try to put a stop to some of this embarrassing nonsense.

MARCELLOUS WEAVER

Big Spring

No course credit

Recently my husband and I moved to Abilene from Lynchburg, Va. My husband is an airman in the Air Force and we are stationed at Dyess Air Force Base.

I hope to receive my associate's degree before we are reassigned to our next duty station. Having almost four years of college experience, I was somewhat shocked at the procedures that I am about to explain.

In Virginia I attended two colleges since graduating from high school in 1994, Radford University and then Central Virginia Community College.

At Radford, I took several developmental or self-help classes, which counted at least one credit hour each.

Upon moving to Abilene, I enrolled in the Abilene branch of Cisco Junior College and was told I must take and pass the TASP test in order to receive a degree in this state. I did not pass the math section of the TASP, at which point I was told I had to take a developmental math course until I could pass the test.

However, I was not informed that I would not be receiving college credit for this class, although I paid full tuition for it.

My question and concern is this: Obviously if a person is taking a developmental course, that signifies the person does not have sufficient knowledge of the material. If this is the case, why then are they not receiving some college credit for the course they are striving to learn?

Why not reward their hard work and achievement with college credits instead of just another semester's tuition?

AMY ALLEN

Abilene