Buying American cars would rev up our economy

The American people are helpful and patriotic people. When faced with tough times we come together. When there is a need to be met it is up to us as the people of this incredible country to do our part. With the economic crisis hitting us hard it seems there may be little we can do to control it. On the other hand, the crisis the American car makers are facing we do have the power to change. We need to buy American vehicles. It's that simple. We need to think about what it means for our communities and nation when plants close down and dealerships shut their doors. How many jobs will be lost and people out of work?

Have we ever thought how much American car makers and American car dealers give to their communities? So I decided to ask the question: Will you help our economy, our American workers and the American car industry and buy American vehicles?

Can we pull together and turn this crisis around? Can we keep the government out of this and do our patriotic duty and buy vehicles that are just as good if not better than our foreign competition? Can we keep ALL the money here in the United States to go back into our nation, our communities and, most importantly, to our workers? Come on, America; next time you need a new vehicle, be patriotic. Buy American!

Melanie McClave, Corvallis

Let's make roads better for biking and hiking

The news of the past few days discussing the possibilities of large public investments in infrastructure and bailouts for the automotive industry has made me deeply concerned that we will continue to subsidize the auto-dominated, gas- guzzling culture that has caused so many problems. But, in an atmosphere of change and hope, it also presents great opportunities.

These opportunities should be used to shape the future of transportation in this country to be compatible with the green energy and green economy. Infrastructure investments should be directed toward alternative forms of transportation by with a "rails-and-trails" mandate.

Investments in roads should be geared toward making them bike- and pedestrian-friendly with bike lanes and sidewalks. Funding should be made readily available for areas that wish to pursue light rail and improved bus systems. Any bailout of the American auto industry should be accompanied by significant increases in fuel economy standards.

While traditional subsidies of roads and the SUV-laden auto fleet would greatly hamper efforts to reduce our oil dependence and green our energy future, recasting these investments toward non-auto transportation would further enhance such efforts.

Tracy Kugler, Corvallis

Question plan to boost state economy via road-building

About eight years ago, Oregon "Invested" in rebuilding the economy by enacting the Oregon Transportation Investment Act or OTIA. This bonding transaction was used to rebuild infrastructure to be paid back six to 10 years later from various Oregon Department of Transportation bridge and modernization programs.

The $1.4 billion was too big for ODOT to manage, so they bought a large consultant group to help. After this was OTIA 2, etc. Just as ODOT must now begin repaying the bonds, we hear of another (Perhaps OTIA 4, 5,?) request for money to put Oregon workers back on the job. Maybe another bond purchase?

I don't have a problem with the idea. I'm just suspicious of the timing. It would be wise to take a close look at where the money will go. If any portion is used to pay back the original bonds, isn't that much like requesting a new credit card to pay off another? I'm all for putting Oregon back to work, but after what we've been through financially lately, let's just be sure we're not borrowing debt to pay off debt or hiring large out-of-Oregon consulting firms to set up satellite offices here to skim the cream off the top.

Steve Dockins, Philomath

U.S. greed of the past has us reaping a bitter harvest

The Hume Report of noon on Oct. 1 was about the thousands of "tabs" that members of Congress have loaded onto the Wall Street rescue bill, and that it is suspected that the U.S. Secretary of Treasury quietly flew to China to talk them out of calling the U.S.'s certificates of debt China holds. Perhaps several trillions, in the gold bullion contents of Fort Knox! In the PR snow job the politicians are doing on the American public, there is no mention of the additional public debt being loaded upon Americans, or that the Chinese have the right to demand payback for grub-staking America for over 25 years.

In 1968, Jim Davis, cartoonist of the comic strip "Pogo," penned that we Americans had met the enemy, and he is us. Meaning that perhaps the "Evil Empire" is our own political system of greed.

Don Baarstad, Corvallis