Wayne Richardson’s suggestion in the Forum that cellphones be blocked if they are traveling at 20 mph or faster is a good one as long as all cabs, trains, buses and airplanes travel at 19 mph or slower.
David Cooper Hartland
I am very pleased that Annmarie Christensen is running for election to the House in Vermont. Over the years she has served her community well and has earned my respect and support. She supports issues that are important to me and my community, such as fixing Act 46 by making it more flexible for all towns. More importantly, she is asking the right people the right questions to help people in our community struggling with substances. She listens.
Having worked for many years as a reporter and editor for many of Vermont’s newspapers, her experience and institutional memory will surely be an asset.
During the general election on Nov. 8, Weathersfield and Cavendish voters will have their say on what is important to them. I hope you will join me in voting for Annmarie Christensen. In fact, you can vote early beginning the first week in October. Contact your town clerk and ask for a ballot.
Maureen Dowd Bogosian Weathersfield
Jim Newcomb (“Reasons to Oppose Clinton,” Sept. 20) sees, with fervor, four reasons to oppose Hillary Clinton. They are quite understandable, and in keeping with his previous Forum views. That’s how he sees it and neither I nor anyone else can say to him, “Don’t see it that way.”
What those who oppose Trump can, however, say out loud (and not to change Newcomb’s view), is that the way he sees it is applicable to Trump for essentially the same reasons.
Trump curses people out, calling them names just for disagreeing with him. We are impressed that according to a nonpartisan organization that measures the truthfulness of the candidates’ statements, Trump is about four times the liar that Clinton is.
Our view of the stories of how Trump got where he is in the business world show he is more than a little lacking in ethics, and morality for that matter. And for reason number four, our view of the openness of Trump about himself is well characterized by his avoiding producing his tax returns. We surely do not want such a person to live in the White House.
Louis A. Kislik West Lebanon
Perhaps like many Americans, I remain undecided on what to do during the fast-approaching November election. A recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece by Robert Gates nicely summarized the severe deficiencies of both major candidates. Under our current system, the third-party candidacies are a side show, no matter what one may think of their personalities or positions. What to do?
Regular readers of the Forum will know me. I am fiscally conservative, socially liberal, a strong believer in the founding principles of America and so-called traditional values of individual freedom, integrity and honor. I believe in a country that projects these ideals globally, with both diplomatic humility and military strength. While government programs may be well-intended, I mistrust them for their crony corruption. Large bureaucracies run from accountability and are woefully inefficient, wasteful and counterproductive. One of Mr. Trump’s positives is that I believe he cannot stand incompetence, and his temperament might force some change in the higher levels of the administrative establishment; that same temperament may create problems internationally. I can find nothing redeeming in the policies or character of Ms. Clinton and her ruthless pursuit of personal wealth and power.
Surely, among hundreds of millions of citizens, we have many dozens, indeed hundreds, of persons who would make an outstanding leader. Perhaps it is the make-up of our two-party system that such people never make it onto the stage.
We need a way to identify another George Washington, who exemplified the first requirement in being president … the person we elect must be someone who does not want and has not sought the job. When Washington returned control of the American forces to the Continental Congress, King George of England said with some disbelief: “Then he must be the greatest man in the world.”
But that is not the case today. Washington, Jimmy Stewart and Gary Cooper are not on the ballot. For the first time in my adult life, I may do my citizenly duty, go to the polls, and then cast a vote for “None of the Above.”
Tim Dreisbach South Royalton
People with a variety of views and political stances stopped to talk with me on primary day outside the Claremont Ward 1 polling place. Many asked me where I get my ideas of what to post on social media. I replied my information comes directly from the people I talk to during my door-to-door campaigning. I tell them I am here to listen and ask them what concerns they would want me, as a state representative, to bring to the forefront. I listen to them for as long as they want to talk to me.
The biggest concern I hear about is Claremont’s high property tax and how it affects them personally. Another big issue is Common Core and school choice. I also have heard several moving stories about domestic violence and how it affects families. I’ve heard comments that Claremont is basically a meat and potatoes town. I consider the meat and potatoes, or “must- haves,” to be public infrastructure. There is concern that some projects supported by the city are not “must-haves,” but more like dessert.
Another question asked of me on primary day was, “What is your stance on the safety net?” I think there are two kinds of safety net. The first one is for people who are definitely in need of public assistance because they are unable to support themselves. The other I call the social safety net, which is where able-bodied people become so dependent on social welfare over the years that they, and generations after them, cannot function in life without it. I compare it to a skilled person who stops working and eventually loses those job skills through lack of use. I consider this welfare dependency and enablement to be a product of socialism.
I am behind the 603 Alliance and have attended several of their meetings. I will also support the Republican nominee for governor, Chris Sununu, who wants Common Core out of New Hampshire.
Francis GauthierClaremont