"Free-for-All" Board

admin · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:50 am Post subject: Letters 09/08/2008

Houses controversy says a lot about McCain

When John McCain could not answer the question of how many houses he owns, the media jumped on the idea he has too much money to understand the needs of the average American. How can anyone who does not know how many houses they own be able to take care of our nation? If McCain needs his staff to answer this question, won't he rely on his staff to tell him everything?

We criticize the Washington bureaucracy, yet we invite McCain to be president with 26 years in Washington and needing his staff to tell him how many houses he owns. We would vote for a can of tuna fish if it ran for our political party. Conservatives have wasted more tax money, given out more no-bid contracts, built a bigger government and spent more years at war than any group in American history. But aren't we great, we keep electing the president that can make this all happen. Vote for McCain and you can lose count of your houses too, because you will soon no longer own one.

David Souers, Rhinebeck

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Planned Parenthood provides vital services

Recently, your newspaper printed a letter about Planned Parenthood based on false claims ("Planned Parenthood's racism is covered up," Aug. 17).

Here's the real story. For nearly 75 years, Planned Parenthood has provided high-quality health-care services including birth control, cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and education for women, men and teens. Each year, we serve nearly 50,000 of our neighbors, and our staff and volunteers live and work in the community.

We believe in helping all individuals, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation, make informed decisions about their sexual health. Our doors are open to everyone.

A recent Guttmacher Institute study shows a two-tier system of health care remains in place in the United States. Black and Hispanic women have less access to quality birth control services and face higher rates of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases than do white women.

Planned Parenthood knows the best way to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies is through prevention. We provide crucial access to information, education and the full range of contraceptive options that can help our neighbors prevent unintended pregnancies.

All of us have a stake in ensuring health care is affordable, accessible and respectful. Now is not the time for divisive words but to seriously work toward reforms that can begin to fix our health care system.

Phebe T. Banta, Poughkeepsie

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Thanks go to Marist for salvaging workshop

The beauty of this community is how quickly people rally around when there is a call for help. Recently, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill was the recipient of such kindness from one of our finest institutions, Marist College.

We have always been able to count on Marist and Vassar College to host our two summer Girls Leadership Workshops. Vassar was a great host for the first session in July. Due to circumstances beyond their control, Vassar staffers had to cancel our second session. Fortunately, Marist stepped in.

On behalf of the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill, I would like to express our gratitude for how quickly and efficiently the staff at Marist accommodated the relocation of the Girls Leadership Workshop on their campus.

While Marist has long been a great supporter of the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill, this time around required Herculean effort on the part of Marist staff who worked hard to accommodate us at such short notice. Without the attentive and responsive service of Tim Massie, Deb DiCaprio and the housekeeping and grounds staff, our program's transition to Marist would not have been as smooth as it was.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill has empowered 60 young women every summer during its Girls Leadership Workshop. Its continued success is certainly a testament to the conscientiousness of those who provide service and support to us throughout the year.

Mary Jane VonAllmen, Board chairperson, Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill, Hyde Park

Lenin_N_Things · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:03 am Post subject:

How about a BOYS leadership workshop?
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Obama should get every bit of the respect and cooperation the outgoing president got.

bilkay · Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 2323 Location: Hopewell Junction

Lenin_N_Things · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:47 am Post subject:

Liberalism hates the Boy Scouts
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Obama should get every bit of the respect and cooperation the outgoing president got.