CUTTING BACK HURTS EVEN THOSE ON LIMITED INCOME

Sometime in April, I'll have to do something I haven't done in 8 years: Cut out my phone service completely.

Why?

Because I can no longer afford it or keep up with the payments. It's not to say I've been reckless or irresponsible with my phone service. A recent cut in my already limited income has made me realize that I can no longer keep up with even my most basic bills.

This past weekend, I got another shock: PUD still hasn't credited my 60% discount on my latest bi-monthly power bill--like they said they would.

I'm now faced with a $160 bill rather than $120--despite my best efforts to conserve energy. (As our place sucks in the heat retention department.)

And given Bush's recent upbeat comments that the economy will turn around in a few months? I certainly wish I shared in his fantasy optimism. It would've made my financial pain at home even less of a burden than it already is now in real life.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

FED BAILOUT WILL ONLY HURT US; NOT HELP

It took me by surprise when I learned that the small bank of Bear-Stearns was on the brink of financial ruin.

It stunned me even more when a rival bank and the Fed decided to "bail out" the bank by giving out a loan that would allow it to remain in operation for another 30 days.

Why does this sound like a nightmare--instead of a candy-coated dream?

I don't remember much of the S&L scandal, but I do know that it hurt American taxpayers pretty bad in the pocket book. (Which John McCain was an accessory to--if anyone cares to recall.)

So why is it in our best interest to bail out bad lenders, mortgage brokers, and investors--from the very "Mary Shelly" scams that they themselves participated in and helped bring about?

The reason is quite clear: The Fed is trying to salvage whatever dignity it has in an equally bad situation. Since the interest rate cuts aren't...how shall I say this...cutting it...? Ben Bernanke has decided the next best thing is to start bailing out the current ship of state--in hopes that this move will lessen the impact the recession already has on us.

He thinks that money is going to solve everything. And in doing so, create the biggest financial mess seen since the days of Herbert Hoover.

Will the government be around to bail us out when that day comes?

Probably not.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

THIS IS HOW STUPID WE ARE

No matter how much we've progressed as a nation, there will be that glaring Achilles heel in which has dogged us since the end of the Civil War: Racial intolerance.

Anyone of different ethnicity that doesn't prescribe to the all powerful white Aryan race (to borrow a phrase from Hitler's book) gets racially played like a deck of cards:

What is this person's skin color? Is this person gay? Is this person an illegal immigrant? Is this person an American-hating Muslim? Is this person a gimp?

The insults go on and on and on. And--painfully--it's coming from us: The American public.

So lately, I've been on some board forums where people are coming out of he wood works claiming Obama is a Muslim, hates our country, and doesn't say the Pledge of Allegiance often enough.

To make matters even worse, some people are now saying because his pastor went off the handle with his inflammatory remarks, it must mean that Obama is in league with him! He must hate America as much as his pastor does!

And on and on it goes.

Which brings me to my point: We can't stay informed, we can't get our facts straight, and so...? This is the reason why our government has been able to play on our fears like a second fiddle: Because we are so stupid, it's become evident that in the face of truth, we'd rather remain racially intolerant and woefully ignorant.

No wonder the GOP loves us so much.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

ONLY BUSH BELIEVES IN HIS OWN ECONOMIC FAIRY TALES

Mark my words, this recession we are in is going to be a rough one.

Despite what Bush believes to be the exact opposite of what is really going on with our nation's economy, I'm seeing the effects already--and I don't have to go far to tell you what that is.

Take Wal-Mart for example. I swore I would never shop in this place, because I had always assumed it would take much needed jobs away from our economy.

Until I discovered how many plastic bins I could get with my money--then I fell in love with the place.

To make a long story short, Wal-Mart has been the place of low, low, prices--until I found my usual brand of generic toilet paper and other basic necessities were going up by a dime here and a dime there--all in the space of a month or two--and then I knew that even Wal-Mart was having problems keeping prices low.

And Bush? Bush will always remain Bush. Only he believes in fantasy make-believe. Or in this case...his fairy tale economics.

Where--if you only believe hard enough (like he does)--then all our economic hardships will turn into that real boy.

And if not? Bush will then turn and make a joke about how bad things are going. Because he doesn't believe in the real-world in which we all live.

But he will find out soon enough--just how harsh things are going to get for us all.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

NO TAXES, NO INFRASTRUCTURE. HOW'S THAT?

You'll have to excuse my bluntness here. But I rarely get the chance to speak my mind on the all importance of keeping and maintaining our state roads and infrastructure.

After I got done reading one writer's letter ("Democrats want our every last dime"), I came away with the impression that people like him whine way too much about paying their share in taxes.

You know, maybe on second thought...maybe we don't need all these renovations to our bridges, fixes in our roads, new bridge spans in our highway system, or anything else that would require millions of dollars to reinforce, repair, or replace entirely.

Heck no! We don't need that! Why? Because some people feel like they are being unfairly taxed to death by a state government that has put more monies into the transportation budget than any state on record.

Remember the W-35 bridge which collapsed because of age, wear and tear? I heard that the city there didn't want to pay any new taxes to get a good replacement in the works. Too much money the people said! They didn't want to pay out!

What happened?

Down went the bridge. People died as a result.

Now, imagine that being one of our major bridges or tunnel spans like the Alaskan Way Viaduct--filled with hundreds of people at the height of rush hour and the whole thing collapsing in on itself.

Then ask yourself this:

What's more important? Your money or people's lives?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

HAS ANYONE DONE A STUDY ON THIS?

I was pretty elated by the news that our state will soon be granting 172 rights to same-sex couples. While the issue of gay marriage being legalized may be only a couple decades off the beaten path, something else popped up which grabbed my attention.

State Republicans are decrying that such a move would only lead to a rise in the crime rate, juvenile deliquencies, and parents working long hours.

Has anyone thought to doing a study on the impact of same-sex relationships in these three areas...versus traditional marriage?

Because from my personal experience in dealing with same-sex couples (my mother being a lesbian herself), I hadn't seen no rise in the local crime rate, I have seen no children being neglected, but I have seen both my mother and myself (being traditionally married) work long hours to support ourselves and give the same loving attention to our kids.

So it leaves me wondering: On what basis does the state GOP peg their accusations on?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

CONTRACT LOSS AMUSES WRITER

As much as I respect this company for providing much-needed jobs for the greater Puget Sound area, I found myself laughing over the news when it was announced that the aerospace giant wasn't getting the $40B Air Force tanker contract.

I was equally amused when I heard a disgrunted Boeing work sound off with: "Who wants to buy a French plane anyway!?"

Who indeed? (laughing here)

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX