Letters to the Poughkeepsie Journal

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

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This fall, vote out non-conservatives

It is a good sign of objective journalism when an excellent letter like that from Ms. Toder appears in the Journal ("Hinchey sends home pork; send him home," Aug. 30). Many voters are discouraged when an incompetent like Hinchey is repeatedly returned to partake of the largesse of the taxpayers.

Mr. Hinchey's dedicated left-wing stance is sad enough, but what kind of lunatic refuses to back off the hypothesis that a sitting president was complicit in the Sept. 11 attacks?

Another letter, critical of Michelle Malkin, is typical of most liberal reactions to well-researched reports on the nuts inhabiting the White House ("Spare readers from Malkin's vitriol," Aug. 30). Who would not sound "vitriolic" after processing the mass of factual material used by Ms. Malkin?

A horrible mistake was made by many Americans in November 2008, but we will be given the opportunity to stand together this November.

Vote out the non-conservatives and restore fiscal responsibility and the republic itself. In 2012 we will be kissing the Obama administration goodbye (don't forget to count the silverware)!

Karl O. Muggenburg
Clinton

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Teachers' contracts, salaries befuddling

Good news for all of Dutchess County. More school budgets were passed. Taxes rise as test scores drop - fantastic.

It doesn't make sense. In the real world, if you don't perform on the job you don't get a raise.

Having been educated locally, perhaps I'm not smart enough to understand these issues and others.

Is it true that some districts dedicate up to 75 percent of their budget to satisfy teachers' contractual commitments? Befuddling. Further perplexing are things like: Since the taxpayers provide the salaries and wages, aren't we considered the boss? Hmm ... Why shouldn't teachers submit to credit checks, psychiatric evaluations, drug tests, and performance evaluations? Other employers expect their staff to submit to such.

Why are teachers able to earn both salaries and wages? Isn't that like being paid twice? I gotta admit, as a salaried employee, I sometimes wish I was wage, but never both; that's just greedy. Why do teachers have both tenure and unions? Isn't tenure for professionals and unions for laborers?

Finally, why are teachers against vouchers? If they're doing the job they're telling us, wouldn't this bring more students to them?

Remus Kemler
Poughkeepsie

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