Section: LET http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/LET LET stories from The Capital Newspaper at HometownAnnapolis.com. en Copyright (c) 2009, Capital Gazette Communications Inc., Annapolis, MD 21401 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:34:02 GMT nlundskow@capitalgazette.com (Editor, New Media) technician@hometownannapolis.com (HTA Technicians) <![CDATA[Ehrlich-ites, Thomann-ites]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/07_09-61/LET Maryland now has two eloquent Republican spokespersons, Robert Ehrlich and Joyce Thomann.

The former Maryland governor declared in a radio interview that "multi-culturalism is crap." Mr. Ehrlich keeps Maryland's Archie Bunkers and yuppies energized.

A yuppie is an Archie with a college degree. Archies and yuppies - white, male, straight, and Euro-American - are increasingly angry that they are decreasingly dominant i...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/07_09-61/LET <![CDATA[Residential pollution]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/07_09-60/LET Residential pollution, although not a major source of bay pollution, is substantial and very easy to control, that is if homeowners are educated on the facts.

Fact 1: Fescue is self-fertilizing, mulch the clippings and leave them to decompose and your fertilizer is right there, free of charge. And you don't have to mess with collecting the clippings and dumping them on your neighbor's vacant lot.

Fact 2: Set the mower heig...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/07_09-60/LET <![CDATA[USNA diversity]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/07_09-62/LET The extensive rhetoric re: USNA diversity misses the point.

First, the Navy's mission is national security, not expanded educational opportunities for minorities.

Second, a higher percentage of minority officers can enhance Navy mission performance. The esprit de corps and performance of that high percentage of minority enlisted personnel could be enhanced by a higher percentage of minority officers as role models.

Third...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/07_09-62/LET <![CDATA[ACES bill]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-36/LET Later this month, the American Clean Energy and Security Act will be voted on in the House of Representatives. The "ACES Bill" for short, will create jobs and will address energy security and national security while fighting against global warming. Here in the 1st district, our Congressman Frank Kratovil, has been a champion of clean energy. We know we can count on him to vote yes on this bill. An initiative for clean energy is long ...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-36/LET <![CDATA[Are we doomed?]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-41/LET No, I refuse to lie down to be trampled by arrogant, hypocritical people who have only one goal in life; to gain and maintain power over others.

I wish to commend Mr. Jones, Jr. for his thoughts penned in "State of the Nation" (The Capital, June 5). They were spot on; the truth of which cannot be refuted.

An American icon stated, "Government that is big enough to give us everything is big enough to take it away.&quo...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-41/LET <![CDATA[I voted Republican]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-42/LET Despite new evidence presented every day that Global Warming is a myth, the Democratic Congress is set to vote for the biggest tax increase in American history. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman are pushing through cap-and-trade legislation that will cost the economy $161 billion in 2020, which is more than $1,870 annually for a family of four.

The purpose of cap-and-trade is to hike the cost...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-42/LET <![CDATA[Religion and government]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-40/LET In considering the relationship between church and state, let's start by asking the right questions. The personal views of Jefferson are not a good place to start because the founding documents were not like a book, intended for Jefferson's self-expression. The intentions of all the signing authorities should be considered as we interpret the documents.

Another question not to ask is whether professed atheists can act on high pr...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-40/LET <![CDATA[Single payer]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-39/LET To exclude a single payer plan from discussions about health care reform is akin to sending Marines to Iraq/Afghanistan with no armor on the Humvees. Which is of course, exactly what happened. And we are now correcting that ghastly neglectful condition. Let us not fall into a similar trap on health care reform.

People, it makes sense to explore single payer proposals just as it makes sense to bring our troops home. It makes sense for al...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-39/LET <![CDATA[The Constitution]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-43/LET In a used book shop, I bought a book called The Story of the Constitution written by Sol Bloom for the United States Constitution Sesquicentennial Commission. This book was published in 1937, and I would like to quote several paragraphs from the chapter headed "The Heart and Soul of the Constitution."

"Unless the Constitution satisfies the aspirations of the heart, unless if feeds the human soul, unless it stirs our emoti...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-43/LET <![CDATA[Troops' funding]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-38/LET As an American who is proud of and supports our brave troops, I:

Support the War Supplemental Bill to give our troops what they need;

Reject putting funds in the War Supplemental Bill that pay for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility; and

Fight the release of the alleged detainee abuse photos.

MARGARET BECK

Annapolis

...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/06_29-38/LET