Knee-jerk politics

Dear Editors,

I get that the Telegraph is a liberal newspaper but PLEASE, consider just a little balance. Giving Al Franken a thumbs up for anything, including his “election,” seems incredibly generous. In my experience, Al Franken is a caustic boob, no better than Sean Hammity or Rush Limbaugh on the right. It’s no surprise Minnesotans were reduced to ennie-meenie-ing in this election (hence the 50/50 vote and recount), with Norm Coleman and Al as their choices. Where’s Jesse Ventura when you need him? There’s an excellent Wall Street Journal op ed about this election “The Minnesota Recount Folly: We’ve Been Down That Road” (http: //online.wsj.com/article/SB123068520570944301.html) and the 2004 Washington Governor’s race, “won” by Christine Gregoire, in last week’s Wall Street Journal. Your readers just might be interested. And, way to pile on Kent Fry last week. You published three nearly identical letters, all skewering Mr. Fry for daring to question Mr. Obama’s tax plan, and ridiculing him for not worshiping at the Altar of Barack. While I don’t personally agree with Mr. Fry’s viewpoint on taxation, did you really need to draw and quarter him? I think we all got the point after the first letter.

I guess I just don’t buy what theTelegraphseems to be selling: that all Democrats are brilliant (or noble) and all Republicans are incompetent (or evil). I find theTelegraph’s knee jerk support for all things and people Democrat and derision for anyone and anything Republican polarizing and just plain stupid. Personally, I don’t see huge differences between the two parties, nor how the politicians in both parties conduct themselves in elections and as legislators. There are thoughtful, intelligent and fair people in both parties, just as each party has hacks and pork-seekers. And, while I did vote for Obama and I’m curious about him and hopeful for what he can bring to the office, the country and the world, I don’tthink he walks on water, nor do I blame people like Mr. Fry for questioning his policies and decisions. It’s a good thing. It’s called Democracy, and it could just as easily be called Republicanocracy.

There’s plenty of intelligent, thoughtful and even funny writing in theTelegraph.And, it’s usually about snow, beer, music and bears tipping over garbage cans. Politics? In theTelegraph, it’s unquestioned and unbalanced, the one and only party line ... period.  

– Oy, Tom Mann, Durango

The true price of parking

Dear Editors,

The survey reported in the Durango Downtown Market Assessment report of Dec. 1, 2008, notes that “a conference center was less of a priority when compared to improving the parking and pedestrian orientation.” The report goes on to state, “Parking is the primary complaint among residents and visitors alike in terms of barriers to increased visitation to downtown.” The proposed Railroad Square 220- room hotel and conference center scheduled to come before the City Council on Jan. 20 will significantly add to this problem.  

This plan proposes 150 on-site parking spaces with an additional 150 spaces in the future at a city-built garage two blocks away when funds become available. In this period of economic recession, it will be years before the city garage can be built. Even at that time only 65 parking spaces would be available for conference center use, not enough for any sizable conference and unable to support more than one event at a time.  

About 40 of the planned parking spaces will be needed by railroad passengers due to the elimination of the existing gravel parking lot. Thus, only 110 spaces now and 260 spaces at some future time would be available for daytime use.  

Compare this project with the DoubleTree that has 259 parking spaces and 159 hotel rooms. The same number of available parking spaces as provided by the Doubletree are proposed to support a much larger hotel, a conference center and other uses. Moreover, 150 of the needed spaces will not be available until some unknown future time and would be two blocks away. Clearly, the Railroad Square parking plan is inadequate to support the proposed development.  

The conclusion is obvious. Parking problems caused by the current plan for Railroad Square would make it less attractive to shop downtown, hurt hotel business if no spaces are available for guests, and because of this projected parking problem, the DoubleTree will continue to have the largest functional downtown meeting space. Ironically, downtown businesses are being asked to pay for part of this.  

Both the railroad and downtown Durango are exceptionally valuable local assets. This project needs to be redesigned to support their continued financial viability, not harm it.

– John Viner, Durango

The real state of the union

Dear Editors,

It appears that Congress and many other wealthy people did not like to hear the truth of the facts with regard to how bad things are in America, as President Obama declared in his Jan. 8 speech. Perhaps that is due to the past eight years’ lack of honesty and transparency. If we want to help serve this country and our lives, people should wake up to reality and let Congress know that we expect and respect truth, justice and common sense and will continue to fight for the same.

Let congress know that we want to be rid of lobbyists and congressional perks once and for all. The recently announced automatic congressional pay raise of $5,000 flies in the face of hypocrisy, when so many of us are losing our jobs and homes and deep in credit card debt. Let’s push for pay cuts for our dysfunctional congressional members. Remember, they are our employees and must be called to task. We voted for change, and now that we have a president who is most intelligent and obviously cares very much for our country, it should behoove congress and us to support him.

Wake up, America, for it is time to speak out now; if you do not do your part, you will deserve what you get. I would like to be writing in a more positive way and with humor, but time is of the essence as a matter of supporting our president who, to me, is a fresh breath of mountain air.

– Evelyn Stacer, Mancos

Ringing in the season

Dear Editors,

The La Plata County Service Extension Unit would like to thank the citizens and businesses of La Plata County who again contributed to a very successful bell ringing season. Over $75,000 was collected in the red kettles placed throughout Durango, Ignacio and Bayfield. Thank you to the following businesses that allowed us to ring: North City Market, South City Market, Albertson’s, Wal- Mart, Durango Mall and Honeyville, Ignacio Shur-Valu, and The Grocery Store in Bayfield. We also want to thank First National Bank, especially Brandi and Dana, who counted all those dollars and coins each day.

Thank you,Durango Telegraph, for the publicity and photos. We appreciate David Halterman’s photos of bell ringers and Will Sands’ editorial about the Salvation Army and his experiences bell ringing. We really could not do this without the 750 volunteer bell ringers from all walks of life and of all ages. So many of you participated in so many ways: playing instruments, singing, dancing, playing bells, all to benefit those in our community who find themselves in crisis situations and need extra assistance. Your donations remain in La Plata County and will continue to assist those who need rent and mortgage assistance, motel and shelter vouchers, gasoline, car repairs,

prescriptions, meals and much more. We will continue to work with our many community partners to assist those with emergency needs.

Thank you for your incredible generosity and continued support of the Salvation Army.

– Wanda Ellingson, La Plata County Service Extension Unit

Resolve to scoop

Dear Editors,

‘Tis the season when resolutions meet the realities of the New Year. While we may struggle to find the time to take better care of ourselves and our planet, there are numerous little resolutions we can make to improve our community this year. A simple suggestion for pet owners who do not already do so: please pick up the pet waste, especially on popular trails (e.g., Horse Gulch, Junction Creek). Our winter wonderland highlights a year-round aesthetic, health and pollution problem. The droppings are in such quantity as to adversely affect nutrient and bacteria levels in adjacent waterways. There is ample research documenting pet waste as a significant cause of water quality issues. Thank you for scooping (BioBag makes biodegradable bags) and disposing (Durango may not have San Francisco’s pet waste composting program but there’s plenty of internet suggestions for those concerned about the landfill).

– Rebekah Guss, Durango

Profiting from bubbles

Dear Editors,

Asset price bubbles are surely the enemy of the people. Such bubbles are well-shown by real inflation-corrected price histories, e.g. “Real Dow & Real Homes & Personal Saving & Debt Burden” at http: //homepage.mac.com/ttsmyf/RD_RJShomes_PSav.html .  

Well-shown dictates well-deterred – that’s clear to me. But these histories are kept little-apparent – because more money is made from bubbles by those who provide information flow to the people. In fact, all four of the extremes in the above title beget more paid advertising – to feed the news media who keep the histories little-apparent.

– Ed Hamilton, Durango