In James Werrell's Feb. 13 column, "Look who hates the federal stimulus bill," the only one needing tarred and feathered is Werrell and the majority of "journalists" who write this same garbage. What about President Obama's promises? Where is this transparent government? Where is the five-day review before any legislation is passed? That promise was broken within two days of his taking office with the signing of the equal-Pay legislation. Now we are on the heels of our government passing the biggest piece of horse manure in our country's history, even with the news that the economy had a 1 percent gain in GDP last month, (the sky is not falling, Chicken Little). Obama also promised that lobbyists "won't find a job in my White House." There are at least a dozen hired already, Eric Holder, Tom Vilsack, William Lynn, William Corr, etc. etc.
The recent Herald editorials on public art were disappointing in several respects. As an artist who has received public money for various projects and who has completed several large-scale permanent installations, I can assure the general public that this is not a line of secure work from which you can expect to retire early.
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings created quite a media event when she came to South Carolina on Oct. 28 to decry our latest national disgrace: The inability of public schools to graduate more students. Her remarks garnered front-page headlines in state newspapers, including the Oct. 29 Herald. The Herald editorial staff was so impressed, they dedicated a supportive editorial to the cause of dropout reduction on Nov. 7.
Prior to the elections, I had written a letter to the editor lamenting the fact that America lacks a candidate and a party that are focused on returning to the solid foundation laid by Godly men who displayed a wisdom lacking in our leaders of today. A rebuttal was written stating that the founding fathers were men of little faith, committed to the idea of the separation of church and state as stated in the First Amendment. I would like to address this issue with the historical facts.
The 2008 election will hold a special place in American history. As a conservative, I am extremely disappointed that America has shifted dramatically toward the left. However, I am the first to acknowledge the immense significance this election holds for the African-American community. I commend President-elect Barack Obama for his achievement, but to me, this election was not about race or gender, but about issues.
Thirty-five years ago, Saluda Street was in a better economic condition than it is today. It was a street that serviced the needs of the black community. There were grocery stores, convenience stores, clothing stores, diners and other social gathering places. Whatever the need, it was available within walking distance to the community. People had places to go and things to do after 10 p.m. Saluda Street represents a part of history for Rock Hill's black community.
I read with interest the recent letter from Leslie Foster-Hopkins in which she stated that she rejects both major candidates and would like the option of voting for "none of the above." Millions of Americans, including me, share her disillusion with the two-party system. Actually, as Ralph Nader has pointed out, it's a one-party system with a soft corporate branch (Democrats) and a hard corporate branch (Republicans). If you doubt that, take a hard look at the $1 trillion corporate bailout supported by leaders of both parties. If Foster-Hopkins wants a solid protest vote, I think Nader is her man. He's an American icon and a genuine progressive.
