Highway hypocrisy?
The folks who oppose widening Highway 156 love to go on and on
about the amount of agricultural land that would be lost. Then they
turn around and propose brand new routes with nary a word about the
ag land that would be lost to these roads. Seems hypocritical to
me.
Robert Gilchrist Huenemann
Hollister
Highway hypocrisy?
The folks who oppose widening Highway 156 love to go on and on about the amount of agricultural land that would be lost. Then they turn around and propose brand new routes with nary a word about the ag land that would be lost to these roads. Seems hypocritical to me.
Robert Gilchrist Huenemann
Hollister
A wrong turn for recovery
I was wrong last November when I recommended President Bush fire Treasury Secretary Paulson and replace him with President-Elect Obama’s choice, that Obama’s choice could not be any worse than Paulson.
Not only is Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner a tax cheat, he is a crook. It turns out that when his employer reimbursed Geithner for the Social Security tax and Medicare tax Geithner supposedly paid, Geithner pocketed the money. That is, he stole it.
Secretary Geithner was given a pass because, as president of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, he was the only one that knew the Troubled Asset Recovery Plan (TARP). When Secretary Geithner testified before Congress on Feb. 10, it appeared that he did not know TARP or how to make it work.
The Economic Stimulus Package President Bush tried did not work. It is doubtful that doubling down will work either. But we will have a more intrusive government, nationalized industries, and less individual liberties.
That does not give me a warm feeling.
Marvin L. Jones
Hollister
When will Congress feel the pain?
Some of us are proposing that the House of Representatives and the Senate vote themselves a cut in their pay for the duration of the present financial crisis.
On his Web site, Congressman Jim Matheson released the following statement regarding the announcement that there would be no pay increase for members of the U.S. House this year: “This is totally the right thing to do. Members of Congress are already so much better off than most of the families dealing with this economic crisis. As I have for the past eight years, I’ll continue to fight for an open, up-or-down vote by House members on the issue of the pay raise.”
Yes, that is a step in the right direction, but their personal sacrifice needs to go further than that. Unlike millions of American citizens, the members of Congress are not in danger of losing their jobs (until the next election) and they are not going to lose their health insurance. So the least they can do is take a sizeable cut in their pay so that they will share in the financial pain that is being felt across the country.
If you decide that it is an idea that you can support, please share it with your friends, and send e-mails to your Representative, Sam Farr, Sen. Nancy Pelosi, and as many senators as you wish. The members of the House of Representatives limit e-mail contact to their constituents.
Listing of Senators and contact information: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Link to use to locate Representatives’ Web sites: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml
The Speaker of the House Web site: http://speaker.house.gov/
Sandra Davidson
San Juan Bautista
Sorry we missed services
When the Free Lance stopped publishing four days a week I wrote a letter mentioning there will be days when someone dies and is buried without us knowing that. That just happened to me.
I failed to know Mr. Joseph Zanger’s funeral arrangements. When I got the paper, it was too late. I knew Joe for a long time. I made some deals with him.
I found him an honest, humble man with all his wealth and education, it still didn’t make him stuck up. I remember Joe came to many fundraisers, rosaries and funerals. He was always ready to give a speech where he would start with “ladies and gentlemen,” trying to make people feel welcomed and comfortable. The days come when old age takes its course. It happens to everyone who gets up to his age.
He was a good citizen that this county will miss. Peace to your soul and I hope you find the peace that we are all looking for. To all his family who are still alive, our sincere condolences. Sorry that we missed the services.
Amadeu Lima
Hollister
Thanks to HFH for our home
I wish to thank Habitat For Humanity for selecting our family home for its first project in San Benito County.
The difference it made in our lives is incredible.
The craftsmanship and quality of work of Jim Fehl Construction of Hollister and the expertise of Paul Herndon of P&C Finishing, Inc., of San Juan Bautista in selecting the colors, prepping and painting our home were great. Larry Diaz of Diamond Roofing, Rodney Clore of Clore Sheet Metal, Niessa and Tony of A&N Plumbing, George Lewis and Johnny Van Dyke for their engineering expertise, David Huboi for his architectural ideas, input and drafting were all great. Thanks also to Jennifer Galindo for walking us through the paperwork and being our pal. Thanks to her Mom and friends for the beautiful quilt. To Johnny Fehl of Merced for the excellent installation of our doors. Johnny and Ray from Santa Clara, Mrs. Flores, the two Lisas, Brent from Gavilan College, Mrs. Holthouse, Natasha and Frankie and all the others whose labors made it all possible.
Thanks also to the generous sponsors and the quality of their contributions. From the excellent windows and doors from Milgard Manufacturing to the full color posters from Ben Caputo Printing and the numerous real estate and financial institutions behind the scenes that made it all possible.
When I was a child, I was taught that Jesus’ meaning of the word love was the willingness to give unto another and ask nothing in return. In later years, a wise old Mexican cowboy named Pedro Castillo told me, “Tomas, when you want to say a heartfelt thanks in Spanish, you would say, ‘muchas gracias con duro respecto'” – much thanks with hard respect.
So I will end this letter with the words thank-you, with love and respect.
The Padgett family
Hollister
