"Tune in" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Tune In

We Americans love dog stories.  On the May 17^th CBS Evening News, its end-of-broadcast segment--typically reserved for feel-good stories--detailed the story of Blue Dozer the pit bull and  O.J. the dachshund.  These two pals, always inseparable with Blue in the lead and O.J. (blind!) faithfully trailing behind, were dumped in a shelter by their desperate homeless owner.  The adoption call went out with a stipulation: it had to be a package deal.  No separation of the dogs allowed.  After an initial home placement somehow left O.J. wandering neighborhoods alone, a fine family was found, and both dogs were reunited to spend the rest of their carefree lives together.  No doubt, millions of happy tears were shed as the broadcast closed.

            The saga of Blue Dozer and O.J. merged with another news story of the past week.  White House Chief of Staff John Kelly was interviewed on NPR about a newly announced US policy of separating undocumented parents from their children when they are apprehended at the border.  Asked if it is “cruel and heartless” to separate a mother from her children, he replied,  “I wouldn’t put it quite that way. The children will be taken care of — put into foster care or whatever.”  He hoped this “technique” of deterrence would not be used “for very long.”

            Americans must demand that our immigration officials carve out a “family unification” exception for the dogs of these families, especially in light of Trump’s characterizations of some immigrants as “animals.”  Imagine the uproar over televised images of puppies being torn from the arms of their owners.  If we Americans can’t stand up for our best friends, what kind of people are we, anyway?  Cruel, or whatever.

 Publishing history

            Sullivan Democrat                            5/26

            Shawangunk Journal                       6/1

            Poughkeepsie Journal                      5/31

            New Paltz Times                               6/7

"Jobs for food?" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Jobs for Food?

            Rep. John Faso has touted his support for the proposed legislation that would require adults between 18 and 59 without dependents to meet new work requirements in order to be eligible for food stamp benefits (SNAP).  As a major reason for his support, Faso pointed out that “the House bill drives significant investment to employment programs that will be administered by the states” (Oneonta Daily Star 4/13).  Many of us can get behind a well- conceived program that could lead to well-paying jobs in distressed areas.  However, potential advocates for training and jobs are concerned that the groundwork for initiating the House requirements is far from complete.  According to Kermit Kaleba, director of federal policy at the National Skills Coalition, creating such a program for perhaps 3 million people “would be roughly equivalent to building almost half the existing U.S. community college system from scratch” (Politico 4/24).  Although the SNAP Employment and Training program has been used in the past by a few states with small numbers of participants, there is little research to support immediate implementation on a large scale. Under the bill, 1 billion would go to states that would guarantee slots for eligible applicants.  Some fear that the resulting tangled bureaucracy would likely discourage many from applying. 

            Might a real motive for the new SNAP requirement be, in fact, to reduce the food stamp rolls by setting up more hoops through which unfortunate Americans must jump?  A better idea for Rep. Faso, who sits on the Agriculture Committee pushing the bill:  do allocate money for new, carefully planned job and training opportunities for Americans without simultaneously threatening to snatch away an average $128/month for food from our fellow citizens who would be glad to work if the jobs existed.

Publishing History

Oneonta Daily Star     5/3

"Exercise your right to vote in June 26 primary election letter to the editor Misha Harnick

Exercise your right to vote in June 26 primary election

Many states are determined to replace republicans in Washington so as to mitigate the workings of corrupt and broken-down government.  We too need to replace our Republican congressman with a democratic one, and there are many reasons for this.   

It’s not just that we citizens ought to vote in elections on all levels, we should also engage in several pro-voting activities.  During the last month, thousands of registered Democrats put their name on the congressional candidates’ nominating petitions, and that is a good thing!   But those of us who collected the signatures also encountered people who did not know what this was about, were not aware that the candidates are running to replace/repeal John Faso (WHO?), the current Republican congressman of our congressional district 19, and also residents who did not want to have any part of it. 

In two months, on June 26th, we will have the right and duty to go to the polls to vote for one of the 7 democratic candidates.   Please follow the news, attend meetings, talk with people, so as to make the right decision when casting the ballot.   And if you will be away from home, as often happens in June, remember to cast an absentee ballot.  You can obtain an application on your county’s website [county]ny.gov, e.g. ulstercountyny.gov/elections.  Do it SOON.   

And if you want to assist people at the polling stations, obtain from the Board of Elections a “2018 new election inspector  application” form – it will be greatly appreciated

Publishing history

Middleton Times Herald Record 5/1/2018 

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