Sep 3, 2008

Letters to the Editor

Daily News

Samaritans out in force

Dear Editor: On Aug. 22, I experienced a miracle on Middlefield Road. At 5 p.m. I was southbound on the inside lane during peak traffic. While stopped for a signal at Oregon Expressway, my car's engine suddenly failed. I got out of the car to alert the drivers behind and around me. Three windows rolled down, and instead of expletives, there were offers to help.

Before I knew it the young woman driver ahead of me called out she had dialed 911. A truck driver came up to tell me he was going to push. Someone held back traffic on the outer lane so we could make a right turn onto the shoulder of Oregon. When I looked back in the rearview mirror, I saw three strangers pushing me to safety.

After getting on the shoulder, one of the men stayed with me and called AAA on his cell phone. He also stayed until help arrived. Thank you, Kevin.

Before long, a Palo Alto police car drove up behind me and the young officer could not have been nicer. He also stayed until the tow truck arrived.

I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart and say how much I appreciate the kindness and caring of so many strangers who came together to help another stranger in need.

Gloria Brown,

Palo Alto

Not looking for a beauty queen

Dear Editor: So ... the Republicans have finally gotten it. "It" being a woman and a yesteryear beauty queen at that. Wow. And this one, Sarah Palin, has a voice that shatters glass, so Hillary can relax. Hillary is the one who shattered the glass ceiling. Palin doesn't have Hillary's clout to finish breaking that ceiling. We're all so excited we can hardly wait for Friday when the Republican convention will be over.

Sarah Palin and her granddaddy John McCain can then relax for 13 minutes before boarding that "Straight Talk Express." The two of them will let the women of this country know that not rape nor incest nor the light of the silvery moon will allow a female to ever, under any horrible or even loving circumstances, be allowed to seek a safe medical abortion. Compulsory pregnancy will be the law of the land. God help us and the rest of the world's women. There will be no support for family planning or R&D into newer contraceptives with this twosome.

Please don't worry about the Supreme Court. Between John and Sarah, the justices they may have the chance to appoint will make Clarence Thomas look progressive.

Finally, because it could be final, Palin will be, as they say, one deep breath away from becoming our president.

It doesn't have to be that scenario.

Remember Barack and Michelle Obama? Remember their choice for vice president? Joe Biden, a learned man, a man of the world. This is the time for true hope and for real change. This is not the time for beauty queens and grandfathers.

Trish Hooper,

Portola Valley

A lesson learned?

Dear Editor: Now Mayor Ray Nagin has urged all residents to evacuate New Orleans from Hurricane Gustav. So why didn't he do this three years ago when Katrina hit, instead of sending folks to the Superdome, leaving 500 city buses lying idle in parking lots, and then blaming the disaster on President Bush?

Scott Abramson,

San Mateo

Don't pass baton to McCain

Dear Editor: In a remarkable book by Thomas Frank called "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule," Frank illustrates how the Republican Party has run the government while lining their pockets and those of their friends and corporations, and have privatized every aspect of government to make the taxpayer overpay and not get results or accountability.

Whether it is contracts for the military or domestic services, there has been an endless series of scandals and disasters. The idea behind the conservative rule is to put government at the service of corrupt politicians and businesses on the take like Blackwater, Haliburton and Enron. It is no accident that this has accelerated since 2001 under George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

It is not government that is the problem, it is the conservative politicians put in charge of sabotaging the government, who use it as a teller machine for those who have Republican connections. Before you cast your vote in November, remember that McCain is a continuation of Bush-Cheney and is even more doctrinaire in his unitary executive ambitions. You have been warned.

Edith Groner,

Palo Alto

Eat your words, media

Dear Editor: Since the announcement of Sarah Palin as John McCain's vice president pick, the press has been in an uproar. They cite her lack of experience. They complain that she was the mayor of a town of only 9,000 people, that she has been governor of Alaska for 18 months.

They complain that she chose not to abort a Down syndrome baby. She has no foreign policy experience. She is for ANWR drilling.

The very same people think that Barack Obama is qualified to be president. A man with 143 days in the Senate. A man with multiple positions on every issue? A man with questionable supporters such as Tony Rezko, Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers? This man is qualified to hold the highest office in the land?

You can't have it both ways.

Keith C. De Filippis,

San Jose