Posted: Friday, February 1, 2008 12:00 am
On 'pretext stops,' police ignoring traffic laws, the Whiteside, Hillary Clinton, the State of the Union, Medicare patients and lying leaders
More police presence would be welcome
So Randy Wisnia ("Are police blitzing streets of Corvallis?" Letters, Jan. 28) doesn't want to buy a home in Corvallis because of too much police presence?
I would argue there is too little. Try living on my street, where the 25 mph speed zone is completely ignored and the average speed is 45-50 mph.
There are instances, too many of them, where motorized vehicles have reached freeway speeds.
I actually call the patrol sergeant and request increased police presence in the hope of getting some to slow down.
I would like to add that I think red light cameras would be a great thing for our town. I can't go from one side of town to the other without seeing at least two red light runners, most of them deliberate, as they were far enough back to have stopped safely.
My daughter and grandson were nearly killed a few years back when a speeding, red light runner came off the bridge onto Harrison and nearly broadsided them. They had a green light and were forced to take evasive action to avoid becoming a casualty of thoughtless, reckless driving.
So Randy, move to another town where the police don't patrol as much if that is what will make you feel better, but for most of us we like to see the laws being enforced.
June Rice
Corvallis
Don't police officers follow traffic laws?
I made an interesting observation today.
I was behind a car that exceeded the 20 mph speed limit passing in front of a school.
Then the car exceeded the 25 mph limit in a residential area.
Then when the car came to straight or left turn lanes the car moved into the turn lane over the double line. The car was about six cars back from the intersection.
I found it interesting because it was a Corvallis police car.
He wasn't "rushing" anywhere because I saw him minutes later on Ninth Street.
I have seen many people pulled over for changing lanes over the double line by one of the motorcycle cops. Sometimes three or four cars at a time.
How much in fines would a citizen have accrued doing all of this?
Are cops not held to the same laws as the rest of us? Shouldn't they be setting a better example?
Maybe instead of making so many "pretext" stops they should monitor their own driving a little better.
I doubt you or I would have gotten away with any of these transgressions, let alone all three.
I'm not "dissing" all cops. I just want to see that they have to obey the same rules as the rest of us.
Sandra Schomberg
Corvallis
Whiteside would be center for the future
I hope that the Friends of the Whiteside succeed in acquiring and restoring our historic theater.
It is worthwhile to preserve the architecture of our grand movie houses, in part because they are places where, for an evening or an afternoon, we feel our own worth elevated and reflected in our surroundings.
Additionally, a restored Whiteside would provide a place to see certain classic films as they were meant to be seen. It is impossible to appreciate the scope of "Lawrence of Arabia," the breadth and depth of "Doctor Zhivago," or the real power of "Gandhi," without seeing them on the big screen.
But I think the most exciting potential for the Whiteside is as a center for the future.
We are living in a time of enormous challenges, and there are artists, scientists and entrepreneurs who are engaged in reversing climate change, ending poverty, eliminating hunger and disease.
Architects, inventors and engineers are shaping the green economy of tomorrow. People like William McDonough and Michael Braungart are envisioning a world without waste, going beyond recycling to design products that would imitate nature and in their "end-state" provide nutrients for new products.
The Whiteside could be a venue for film festivals, performance events, and lectures that present these innovative concepts and ideas.
If the Whiteside could help inform our community about the future, and involve people in becoming part of these solutions, then preserving the Whiteside Theatre would make the past relevant to our future.
Cristina White
Corvallis
Don't let candidates keep changing rules
According to a Jan. 25 Reuters article, Hillary Clinton would like the Democratic party to un-ban the delegates for Michigan and Florida.
Both states were penalized for moving up their primary schedules without the consent of the national party. Candidate Clinton's name was the only name on the ballot in Michigan and won in Florida.
Is this the kind of candidate Democrats want?
I generally don't expect my president to be saint. However, I do expect a candidate to adhere to agreements made within their own party. Clearly her experience includes the Tom DeLay change-the-rules-so-I-can-win kind of experience.
Personally, I've had enough of that mentality for the last eight years. Haven't you?
John T.L. Lee
Corvallis
Bush's state of union statements mislead
President Bush's state of the union mentioned health care. While he gave a cursory nod to the fact that millions of Americans cannot afford care, he made several statements that are misleading.
He stated that a national health care policy would dictate coverage and ration care. This is false. Our current health insurance model does those things now. A national coverage policy would ensure that all are covered, and get the treatment they need when they need it.
He indicated that Americans now make their health care decisions in the privacy of their doctor's office.
Not true. Care given, medications and treatments, are all decided on by your insurance company now, often resulting in delayed or denied coverage.
This can leave patients to decide if their mortgage or health is more important.
We leave our society needlessly suffering illness while the insurance industry tries to figure out how to deny the coverage that they have promised, and accepted money for.
Medicare has been harmed by Bush's recklessly bad Medicare Modernization Act. Doctors now get lower payments for Medicare patients, leaving fewer who will accept patients who have Medicare only. We here have lost two locally owned pharmacies secondary to this act.
Do not listen to the blandishments and terror tactics of the insurance industry. It's time to do the right thing, demand health coverage for all.
Shelley Ries, R.N.
Corvallis
Medicare patients can't find new doctor
Recently, I was briefly in a doctor's office in Philomath when a very pleasant lady told the receptionist that she was looking for a new doctor, because hers was retiring.
She was told that their parent organization, the Corvallis Clinic, won't accept any new patients who receive Medicare or the Oregon Health Plan.
Initially, I merely thought that was unfortunate, but the longer I dwell on it, the more outraged I become.
Now I'm sitting at my desk, wishing that the heartless bigshots who make such decisions had the courage to go to the waiting rooms county-wide and personally explain all this to the unfortunate folks who are seeking health care.
Apparently, this is common, but it doesn't make it right.
Bear in mind, the lady in question wasn't looking for a handout - they were going to get paid, perhaps not as much as desired, but, still compensated.
Frankly, I can't imagine the folks who work for the Corvallis Clinic feeling very good about this shameful and uncaring behavior.
Paul Mortenson
Philomath
Do we accept lies from our leaders?
As I watched the president give his state of the union address I felt disheartened with all the standing ovations.
What kind of person is it who applauds a man who lied America into war, who lied 500 times to get us into this war that most now admit was a bad idea, a war that will cost Americans so much money that (I've heard) we could have reconstructed our nation's highways and schools, a war that has cost the lives of so many men, women, and children as well as thousands of our own?
What kind of representative of the people applauds this man who arrogantly, proudly, lies as a matter of course?
What kind of nation just accepts such a leader? Russia? America?
What kind of democracy does not impeach such a president? Do we now thrive on lies and deceit?
Tracy Rupp
Corvallis