Letters to the editor: Oct. 17, 2013

Republican tactics fail

A big thanks to Bob Emery for his Oct. 10 column, “Glad to have quit the ‘Grumpy Old Party.’” In all the chaos of the last few weeks regarding the government shutdown, it is easy to lose sight of the facts.

The big stumbling block of the current GOP appears to be funding the Affordable Care Act. Up to now, the USA has been run by a democratic process in which the majority rules. If the minority is not happy with the outcome, they will need to gain the majority of public opinion to effect change. It appears that the GOP tactics so far have in fact decreased their popularity with the American public.

Keira Dillon, Poway

Reverse speed limit increase

As a resident of Rancho Bernardo for 28 years, I have traveled down Pomerado Road from the Gatewood Hills development to the 15 freeway to commute to work. I recently read in this paper that the City of San Diego refused to install a traffic light at Grandee to facilitate entering and exiting this development. Interesting that this was refused in that this is an access route to Chaparral Elementary school.

But what I did notice is that the speed limit on Pomerado Road has been increased to 50 miles an hour for two blocks just before Grandee. This speed limit increase should never have taken place, and steps should be taken at this time to reverse this change.

Julia Aselstine, Rancho Bernardo

‘Village’ helps motorist

It “takes a village” even in a minor emergency like your car becoming disabled on the road. At least my car had the good sense to chug and die on Pomerado Road by Mirasol in Rancho Bernardo rather than on the 78 or 15 on my way home from Oceanside. Cell phone provider, AAA, tow truck, mechanic and a kind son all played a part in averting much discomfort and anxiety.

Besides everyone doing their job so well, assistance was offered by several drivers passing by. One young woman even turned around, stayed back a short distance with her flashers on to slow traffic, and stayed until the tow truck arrived.

Thank you, and I will pay these kindnesses forward.

Eleanor Oakley, Poway

Puppets, not leaders

Bob Emery rants about the Republicans are old and his blatant biases show through every time. It amazes me that when Bush was in office, Bob would stand with his friends at the corner of Pomerado and Twin Peaks to protest the war, but I have yet to see him protesting Obama’s wars. So what is the difference? We still have troops dying.

About the Un “Affordable Care” Act, Emery failed to mention that many of the Democrats that voted for this measure have admitted to not having read it. The reason? It wasn’t fully written yet. No mention how these so called leaders followed after the dictates of their leadership and voted for this measure. Sounds more like puppets than leaders. How could we support such an act when our elected officials don’t even know what was going to be in it? The creation of this measure was not the transparent, bipartisan measure that Obama had promised that it would.

Bob was a great Poway councilman and I will state that I voted for him many times because he cared for Poway. If I could whisper in Bob’s ear, I would suggest he stick with his observations about Poway.

Roger C. Covalt, Poway

Obamacare designed to fail

I read Bob Emery’s column about leaving the Republican Party with great interest. Based on his regurgitation of Obama talking points I think he should have taken one more step. His ridiculous attempt to support Obamacare gives me all I need to know about his thought process and inability to fight for the American people and the children and grandchildren whose future we are mortgaging.

Lenin said that when you control the people’s health care you control the system and can implement socialism. I believe Obamacare was designed to fail, and that the “Chicago Way” crowd will attempt to lead us to a government run single-payer system. I want nothing to do with that.

Richard Taylor,

Poway

Impeachable behavior

Responding to Bob Emery’s Oct. 10 column, “Glad to have quit the ‘Grumpy Old Party’”:

Obamacare was rammed through without a single Republican vote. To quote Nancy Pelosi, “We had to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it…” The lawless bill was passed based on lies by our president: You will be able to keep your own insurance; you will be able to keep your own doctor; your (Obamacare) insurance costs will save you money. All lies. That in itself is unconstitutional, and should be subject to impeachment.

Polls consistently show that the majority of Americans do not want Obamacare to be forcibly impacting their livelihoods, while costing them more money for reduced benefits. To avoid Obamacare costs, many employers with 50 or more employees are going to shift their employees’ hours from full-time to part-time so that they can afford to stay in business. This will greatly impact thousands, if not millions, of workers’ livelihood, and consequently have an adverse effect on our already shaky economy.

If Obamacare is so good, why have the politicians exempted themselves from it? This elitist class has arrogantly placed itself above the law, above the citizenry it is required to serve, rather than to be served.

Lastly, why is it that Democrats feel the need to resort to name-calling whenever they disagree with the opposition?

Marie Woodruff,

Rancho Bernardo

Emery on the mark

Bob Emery expresses perfectly the sentiments of honest Republicans and soon-to-be-former Republicans about the tragic demise of a formerly Grand Old Party. The irresponsible antics and treacherous deceit of the right-wing lunatic fringe has conclusively proven them unfit for political office.

Plenty of decent, reasonable, intelligent people continue voting Republican by force of habit, despite the evident lunacy. Time to kick the habit. Enabling these kooks is indecent, unreasonable and stupid. It puts the future of our country at risk. Put down the three-cornered hat, and slowly back away. Better yet, do it quick.

Gerold Firl,

Poway

Increasing wages meaningful

Let’s stop this nonsense that raising the minimum wage increases unemployment or inflation. (Common Ground, Oct. 3).

Instead of listening to those armed only with computer models or sophomoric theory, we should first look at the number of times we have raised the national minimum wage since it began in 1938 — 23 times — and then look first at unemployment rates before and after the rise. One finds no correlation between true unemployment rates (government and private sector) and increases in the minimum wage. The same lack of correlation occurs with respect to price increases, though in the mid- and late-1970s, the increase in the minimum wage coincided with the time oil prices went nuts — and which do we think caused more inflation for food, cars and other goods traveling by motor vehicle? In fact, most of the time too many other larger factors are at work in our economy.

Raising the minimum wage is good for workers, and good for businesses since workers with extra cash tend to spend not save it (unlike plutocrats who stick their money in the Cayman Islands). Raising the minimum wage by $2 an hour does not mean the price of burgers goes from $2 to $4. Often, the owners of the businesses take a little less money for themselves to remain competitive. They don’t fire their workers or raise prices. Considering the ridiculous inequality we now have, raising the minimum wage is a meaningful tool that improves the lives of workers.

Mitchell Freedman,

Poway