Wednesday, October 21, 1998

Perry disloyal

After your recent editorials warning of the danger of Texas becoming a one-party state, I thought you might be a little more progressive in your endorsements that ran Sunday, Oct. 18.

Of the 14 races you highlighted, you endorsed Republicans in 12 of them. I find it hard to believe that one party has such a lock on good candidates. The law of averages would seem to suggest otherwise. One would have to assume from this that you want Texas to become a one-party state. I should have expected nothing less.

Of particular interest is your reasoning for endorsing Rick Perry. You state that he "is a native of the Big Country and has been a friend of West Texas while serving in state government." This implies that Perry has some sense of loyalty. I believe this is the same man who abandoned the Democratic Party, the party that helped get his political career started, when it became fashionable to do so.

I consider Rick Perry to be the worst kind of politician, the kind who will use you for his own selfish interests and then stab you in the back when it will serve him better.

The people of the Big Country need to keep one thing in mind when it comes to these "endorsements." This is a very large business looking out for its own interests, not yours.

RICKY WILKINS

President, Communications Workers of America, Local 6202

Abilene

Via e-mail

Silent no longer

I have remained silent while our crime rate has risen and our welfare system has grown. I said nothing while children killed children, young girls had babies, gangs and drugs became an everyday occurrence.

I have been "polite" and hushed when I saw people selling food stamps, cheating on their taxes, changing prices on items at a garage sale or stealing something "little" at the local Wal-Mart.

Have we become an "anything goes" society? I think it is time to speak up.

Are we, as a society, going to allow our president, our commander-in-chief, to lie and deceive, to commit adultery, to break a vow to God and to make us the brunt of jokes all over the world? I agree that a person's sex life is private, but when Clinton had sex in the White House, it became the American people's business.

As the president of the United States, Clinton should be above reproach, an example to our society and, most of all, to our youth. If we allow our president to commit adultery, to lie to a grand jury and to his friends and family and say it is not our business, we are leaving the door open for any type of behavior in the future. The impact it has on our future will be overwhelming.

Our children are watching us to see what action we take. What we do today will reach into our future and the future of America.

Let us be silent no longer. Set an example for our children to follow. We should not allow a liar and cheat to lead this beautiful country.

SUZANNE RICHARDS

Abilene

Re-Elect Browder

We would like to recommend that we all support Laura Browder, CPA, for county treasurer.

We believe Carol McDonald, CPA, did an audit of the county books and discovered findings that required extensive action. Laura Browder was hired to correct these discrepancies and create a sound fiscal program. She did just that. She was then elected to that office and, among other things, increased the county's interest income by an impressive amount. She is well trained, and above all, she is experienced in this job.

I believe "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it." Let's re-elect Laura Browder for county treasurer.

LUE AND FRANK CRITES

Abilene

Lied to by Charlie

I've been lied to long enough by Charlie Stenholm. I saw him vote last week against saving Social Security by returning $1.4 trillion to the Social Security trust fund. That's money he has previously voted to steal from the trust fund over the years.

Stenholm justified his vote by saying the corresponding tax rebate would be paid for out of the Social Security trust fund.

Stenholm blatantly lied to us to save his own skin. Charlie knows darn well that any rebate would be paid for out of excess income taxes already paid by the American people.

I have doubted Stenholm's sincerity about saving Social Security for a long time. If he's been so concerned, why hasn't he been talking about Social Security before now? Now that he's faced with a tough re-election, Charlie is trying to mask his previous votes to steal money from the Social Security trust fund with some election-year attacks on those who truly want to save the program.

Charlie, you've been able to fool a lot of people for a long time but not any longer. You and your party aren't going to be able to lie your way out of this one. It's painfully obvious that you must want an issue, not a solution.

ELISA KNOX

Abilene

Agriculture savvy

The Oct. 5 article, "Stenholm, Izzard resume battle on ag issues," is the epitome of "doublespeak" by candidate Rudy Izzard. Evidently he has no agricultural background and no understanding of agriculture's issues.

Charlie Stenholm has been and continues to be a consistent supporter of agriculture. Charlie is, however, a fiscal conservative who does not vote for programs that give money back to the taxpayer if true government obligations, like Social Security, are damaged in the process.

Criticism of Charlie's support of the International Monetary Fund is also a slap in agriculture's face. U.S. farmers and ranchers produce much more than this nation consumes each year. It is essential that our products be sold abroad so U.S. producers can stay in business and contribute to a favorable balance of trade. The International Monetary Fund is used to fund purchases by other nations of our agricultural commodities.

The re-election of Charlie Stenholm is crucial to farmers and ranchers across the United States and Texas. Charlie's influence on behalf of agriculture in the Congress is quite simply irreplaceable at this point in time.

Izzard is counting on voters not understanding these issues. Stenholm has worked tirelessly to promote the interests of agriculture and all of the 17th District. He deserves to be returned to Congress with a mandate to continue his important work.

BOB STALLMAN

President, Texas Farm Bureau

Been there too long

The political ads we read and hear are usually negative and, instead of stating where the candidate stands on all issues, only state one or two positions, like education, Medicare and agriculture, and run their opponents down with misrepresentations of their positions on the same items.

In the campaigns for the 17th Congressional District, Stenholm says he has always voted the way the majority of voters wanted. I wish this was the truth, but it is not. The majority of Texans and especially in the 17th District did not want Congress to give away the Panama Canal. Stenholm went along with the Democrat majority to give it to Panama. A big mistake.

Again, Stenholm went against the majority of Texans by voting against giving to aid the Contras in Nicaragua who were trying to save their nation from communism. The Sandinistas were murdering all opposition, including whole villages of women and children. With just a small amount of military supplies, the Contras would have won the fight and given that nation a better government.

Stenholm needs to go. He's been there too long. At one time he said he was for term limits, but has proved differently.

JABE PRATT

Abilene

Value of experience

Do we want to trade a Ph.D. congressman for a freshman? I do not think so. I am sure that Izzard is a good and honest man and will do his best in Congress. I do not think he has the experience in such matters. U.S. Rep. Stenholm has had years of experience. Let us not throw that away.

Come on, Dr. Izzard, you know it takes a majority to pass any bill. So what makes you think you can do so much?

GARLAND ELLISON

Abilene

GOP irresponsible

The Republicans claimed to have scored a win this week, according to news reports, when the White House dropped its demand for nearly $1 billion a year to help communities with bonds for school construction and modernization. This was a win for the Republicans and a loss for your children and our schools that are so dilapidated and run-down.

Just a few months ago, reports in the Abilene Reporter-News stated some of our Abilene school district elementary buildings were in such a state of disrepair that they did not meet the fire marshal's code and had been granted waivers, as was also granted to a local church school where the parents were required to sign waivers of immunity should a fire break out.

On election day, Nov. 3, we are asked to vote on electing intelligent, responsible people to Congress. Evidently Republicans are acting neither intelligently nor responsibly when they vote to put our kids in worn-out buildings or classes in crowded hallways. U.S. Rep. Charlie Stenholm is a mature, responsible and intelligent congressman and will stand up to such Republican nonsense. Mature, responsible, intelligent citizens will vote to re-elect Stenholm as their congressman once again.

By the way, the Abilene school teachers who did an outstanding job in guiding their students to pass the TAAS tests this past school year deserve not only our thanks but a pay raise as well. Are you listening, school board members?

CURTIS SMITH

Abilene