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Letters
Immigration Ban Could Keep Terrorists Out

After reading many articles about immigration and sanctuary cities, it behooves me write the truth about the situation at hand. Trump's ban on people from countries that don't have proper vetting of people who wish to come the U.S. seems like a fair thing to do. It helps prevent terrorists from coming here. It won't fix all the issues but it's a start.

Apparently the facts have been ignored. Clinton, Obama, both Bushes, Reagan and Carter have had immigration bans. Once upon a time many immigrants came in through Ellis Island legally via a waiting list, not the case anymore. We have thousands of illegal immigrants coming into this country. Look around the world and see who is slaughtering thousands of people. And what about the rapes and murders that are happening on a almost daily basis throughout the world. Many who come do not want to assimilate and want to change our culture. They are costing the taxpayer billions of dollars.

Mexicans, Muslims and Syrians are getting food stamps, health care, housing. Plus millions in additional tax burden for public education. But no increase for social security for three years.

Al Pollock
Mount Hope


Believes John Faso Is All About 'Spin'

When a politician votes against the best interests of the majority of his or her constituents, an extra level of spin is required to sell those actions. John Faso, ultimate champion in the House of the disastrous and cruel AHCA, keeps his marketing people busy as they try to maintain his false brand: "moderate."

We expect campaigns and politicians to mischaracterize, but it's discouraging that the press has bought in; you often find the word "moderate" used to describe him. I grant that journalists are busier now than ever and can't be faulted if they don't study Faso's voting record closely each time they report on him. But it's destructive to reporting the truth about Faso's positions when journalists repeatedly fail to question Faso's branding.

Faso votes with Trump 88 percent of the time, and in the few cases where he's voted ostensibly "against party," they were measures that did not require his vote to pass. It would be naive not to consider that a radical right-wing Republican in a swing district like CD 19 will be granted permission by party leadership to vote "against party" on bills for which they don't need his vote so that said Republican can claim to be "moderate" in the next election cycle. You will not find Faso voting against party when his vote is actually needed by them.

So why do journalists seem to insist on calling Faso a moderate? Faso himself shamelessly and consistently claims to be moderate (while he votes with the radical right); he moderates his tone of voice, speaking in an unwavering monotone (unless repeatedly challenged on a position, then, he can get testy; perhaps this is why he has steadfastly avoided having a real town hall); and he is a master of what I've termed "obfasocation": the ability to articulate an endless stream of unrelated details to make his position on any legislation obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.

Because he is an empty vessel that only his party and their donors fill, obfasocation is Faso's strategy to try to shut down those who would question him. He can't afford to shoot straight and speak like a human being, because, like his party's president, there is no core there to convey.

I implore journalists both regional and national to investigate Faso's voting record and stop using the inaccurate description "moderate." In doing so they are editorializing in his favor, and that is not the role journalism is supposed to play.

Michelle Sutton
Highland


Adopt A Flat Tax Without Deductions!

Here are three myths:

1. Lower taxes unbundle "growth" and prosperity. Actually, while the U.S. ranks second to the bottom as a collector of tax revenue expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product among high-income nations, countries with the worst deficits relative to domestic produce were countries with the lowest tax revenues relative to gross domestic product: Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, The U.K., The U.S.

2. The U.S. has enjoyed a higher "quality of life" increase over the last 30 years, as expressed by gross domestic product per capita... Actually, that metric increase in the U.S. is a direct result of higher health care costs, longer commutes, more military spending, longer work hours, and most "new" NEW" Income begin funneled to the top of the income curve.

3. Higher government spending assures higher deficits and lower quality of life... Actually, high-income nations have used higher tax revenues to support more government spending towards special programs that improve the quality of life.

Here are four proven facts worth considering:

1. Higher tax revenues relative to gross domestic product reduce deficits.

2. High-income nations with relatively higher tax rates have had a 10 percent increase in tax revenue over a 30-year period while U.S. tax revenues have remained stagnant.

3. The Clinton administration raised taxes and the U.S. experienced a decade of growth and significant job increases relative to the previous two decades.

4. Spreading the tax burden, equitably, is the path to higher overall tax revenue increases, an important component to reducing and eliminating our deficits.

The best, proven way to accomplish this is to scrap the U. S. tax code and impose a flat, 15 percent federal income tax, with no deductions, no double or triple taxation, for every individual and corporation.

Removing Congress from legislating any tax code is the way clear of the malaise and dysfunction being imposed on the American public.

John Crowley
Woodstock


Totally Against Ulster County As A Sanctuary

I recently read that Democratic Minority leader Hector Rodriguez is trying to make Ulster County a sanctuary county for illegal immigrants. My question to Rodriguez is how does this benefits the residents or the county and besides this being his own personal agenda has he gone around the county to ask residents how they feel about this move or does he just plan to force this down the throats of the tax paying legal voters of the county like what they did in the city of Kingston. In most if not all places that have sanctuary status the crime rates have gone up because law enforcement is not allowed to do their jobs, this status puts a burden on our social services and communities. It would seem to me that something that effects the whole county and the people who live in it should have a say in this and not just a handful of politicians. I realize as a Democrat that forcing their own personal agendas down the peoples' throats is their way of getting things done. They have had a President for 8 years who did things this way. I have taken the time in the last five days to speak to county residents and have yet to find one who was for this status maybe Rodriguez should do the same. It seems to me that it is about time politicians as a whole should be held accountable for the laws that they pass that effects the legal citizens of this county. I say to all the residents of Ulster County to contact your reps and let them know how you feel about this. Facebook is a real good way for the people to voice their opinions

Lindon Eaton
Napanoch


Longing For The Era Of The American Dream

I was born in Italy, and my parents came to America for the American Dream. The law was you needed to be sponsored and show proof of residency.

Both my parents worked and were grateful to have jobs. They applied for citizenship, which meant completing forms that were in English only. They had to learn the language and take a test that consisted of knowing the leaders in Congress. They had to promise to obey American laws.

My parents told me it was hard but they did it. Once they were able to purchase a house, they truly felt they were able to obtain the American Dream. They worked hard, followed the law and were just good people. I was lucky enough to have those ideals and value taught to me.

Why is it now the English language, I feel, is not our primary but a secondary language? Criminals have more rights than honest law-abiding citizens. Our leaders in office are more concerned with what they can get. We have plenty of problems here at home. Let's fix America first.

Our young people need to be cultivated to become honest law-abiding citizens, not coddled, selfish, ungrateful adults. I believe bringing back mandatory military service would help them grown into well-rounded adults.

I'm writing this letter in pure frustration. I could be totally off the mark. But I'm sure I hit the nail on the head on some also.

Connie DiPeri
Saugerties


A Plea To Those Who Love The Arts...

I am enormously grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services for making possible the work of The Dorsky and other museums and cultural organizations in our community.

The Dorsky has received significant support from both the NEH and the IMLS. Funding from the NEH has assisted us in assessing our art collection storage and in presenting exhibition-related education programs. A 2010 grant from the IMLS allowed us to digitize our collection and the collection of four other visual art organizations in the Hudson Valley region, including the Center for Photography at Woodstock, the Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, Women's Studio Workshop, and the Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild. Thanks to the IMLS, our collections can now be viewed online at www.hvvacc.org.

The NEA plays an invaluable role in our country, recognizing and supporting the arts, and giving Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. The NEH supports museums as institutions of learning and exploration, and as keepers of our cultural, historical, and scientific heritage; the NEH also funds humanities councils in every state of the country, including New York State. The IMLS provides the critical support that enables museums and libraries across the country to engage the public and make a tremendous difference in our communities.

Please make your voices heard to prevent the elimination of these important Federal agencies.

Sara J. Pasti, Director
Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art
State University of New York at New Paltz


We Were Once Slaves In Egypt

There were several mentions of Passover in last week's paper including the editorial and the Bard rabbi's article.

What seemed to be missing in the discussion was that this is a celebration of freedom. It is the time when Jewish people, individually and collectively, follow Deuteronomy 6:20-21: "And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you?T hen thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand."

It is this telling that resonated with slaves in America, that deliverance from bondage is the gift of God.

But what is interesting is that the text admonishes to the now free people: "thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land." Jews were not then, and certainly not now, to abhor their previous slave masters. A good lesson for the descendants of the (more recently) freed American slaves.

And on the subject of slavery it is also noteworthy that the today, much despised, shalt and shalt nots of Deuteronomy also include a most important shalt, the basis of religious support for emancipation in 23:15: "Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee."

Freedom for others is the work of all people.

Bob Prener
Grahamsville



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