Letters to the editor for Aug. 19, 2009

Herald doesn’t

go far enough

To the editor:

I must question your misplaced concern after reading your recent editorial “Councilors go too far on recall.” I’m not a Steve Brocato supporter. I can’t be. I’ve only met him twice for a few seconds. This isn’t about Steve Brocato. It’s about transparency, accountability, and honesty. Four of our city councilors fired the city’s top employee. They offered no coherent reasoning, except councilor Bonebrake. Why isn’t the Herald asking more questions? We’ve read one editorial. Good. Where’s the follow-up? Where are the one-on-one interviews? Councilor Bonebrake: What

specifically did Mr. Brocato do? Where is your documentation? If there isn’t any, why? If you believe he broke the law, why didn’t you fire him then? In failing to do so at the time, do you feel you failed to fulfill your responsibilities? If you did, do you feel you should resign? If you think it’s too harsh to suggest you resign over a single failure of duty, why do you use this standard with Mr. Brocato? At least Councilor Bonebrake tried to inform the public about her reasoning. The other three councilors did not.  This is “unstatesmanlike” behavior and a true “disservice to the public.” Councilor Calder: Why did you rank Mr. Brocato low in every area in his performance review? Are you admitting that you and your fellow councilors somehow hired a candidate with no skill sets whatsoever for City Manager despite meticulous and time-consuming interviews? If so, why should we have confidence in you selecting another candidate now? A bad hire is one thing. Hiring someone completely without skills in every area is another. How do you account for the testimony of so many city staff attesting to his leadership? Are they not telling the truth? Mayor Dorrah:  How did you and the other councilors know a consensus to fire the city manager had been reached if you didn’t discuss the issue prior to the meeting? Perhaps it’s time the Herald “knocked on a few doors” asking questions. I choose honesty, transparency, and accountability above the appearance of statesmanship. Still waiting.

Scott Knox

Baker City

Healthcare bill not good for America

To the editor:

HR 3200, the health care reform bill, is dangerous to our health. Go online and read it for yourself, paying particular attention to these sections: Page 29: healthcare will be rationed by government regulators; Pages 30 and 42: government committees and a “Health Choices Commissioner” will decide what healthcare we can and can’t have; Page 239: the government will limit and reduce physician services for Medicaid which means that the dependent elderly and those most unable to access other services will suffer; Page 341: the government will be able to disqualify Medicare Part B and HMOs if they don’t get with the program, which means that they can effectively put them out of business as competition; and no one will be able to sue the government for a de facto monopoly on healthcare or for price-fixing (p. 124); Pages 425-430: “end-of-life” counseling and courses will be obligatory, making the possibility of coercion to decide to end one’s life very real. The Hemlock Society (now euphemistically called “Compassion and Choices”) has admitted to working with members of Congress on this section of the bill.

Page 429: nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants can have authority to write end-of-life orders.

Additionally, of course, the bill will undoubtedly result in our tax dollars funding abortion — a compelling reason all on its own to reject HR 3200. Politicians in support of the bill have repeatedly refused to add an amendment that would prohibit tax dollars from paying for abortions.

Wake up, America. This bill is NOT healthy. It is socialized medicine, and that’s a step down from the health care we have now in this country. Educate yourselves: look at where socialized health care has taken nations in Europe. It is not a pretty picture. 

Jay Boyd

Baker City

So that’s where Walden went

To the editor:

Regarding Congressman Walden's overseas trip, I happened to call his La Grande office on Aug. 11. I was told that Congressman Walden “is on vacation with his family.”

The next day I saw the Herald’s article.  I guess belt-tightening only applies to those outside of Congress and not to boondoggles. 

Julianne Williams

Baker City

City needs to listen, not ignore

To the editor:

I’ve lived in this magnificent city for 28 years and counting. But never have I felt forced to write in comment concerning the decisions and actions of our council members.

They seem to think so highly of themselves that they disregard and ignore our constitutional rights in the so-called name of health, safety and property values. When in fact it’s never been about our health and safety, but a clear case of further control of its citizens and the chance to manipulate property values. To put into act any ordinance or law with such a huge financial impact on citizens without a democratic vote by its citizens, proves council members have little to no respect for our own intelligence to govern ourselves.

Further proof is their blatant disregard in our voting process. Note: The firing of our city manager was 4-3, clearly a shock to most of us. But certain council members refuse to accept our law of majority rules. Instead they take upon themselves a campaign of recall against those that didn’t go behind closed locked doors to barter for this man’s job.

Clearly the council members have become an entity that no longer represents a government we the people created. We are the citizens of Baker City, to be heard and answered to, not ignored! 

Bruce E. Hahn

Baker City