Is Clere Running for Re-election Already?

By Dennis Roudenbush, Local Contributor

I think it is great that we get a weekly report from our district state Rep. Ed Clere, but why does every Opinions column have to be politically motivated? Is he already running for re-election and his term just began?

Mr. Clere, it is my opinion that the Teachers Union is as important as any union, whether it be Realtors, policemen, firemen, grocery, etc. Even though teachers do not always support your way of thinking, you should not single out their union because you believe they are totally Democrat. Do some research. There are many Republican teachers in your district — our state superintendent of education is a former teacher and a Republican.

I would like to see your column used as a communication of what is going on in the Legislature instead of using it as a political forum for your re-election. Not every issue in the Statehouse is based on which side of the aisle you sit. I know this may be hard for you to believe, but Democrats are not always wrong. You should know that, you being a former Democrat.

Your campaign was one of the most negative and false campaigns in the state. Why are you continuing to be negative at taxpayers expense?

Instead of faulting Democrats, make it a project to get all legislators to work together no matter what the issue is. Remember one thing, you are now working for and being paid by the taxpayer and not a political party.

Top 10 Greatest Misfires of Bush Administration

By Ruth Anne Wolfe, Local Contributor

Too bad guest columnist Doug Olson (of the Evening News - New Albany Tribune) feels his admission — that President Obama might be the right choice after all — will bring down the wrath of his conservative friends. To help him defend his nascent awareness, here’s a recap of the Republicans' conservative record, specifically under the Bush Administration.

1) Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack — after 8 months into W.’s presidency and after warnings had been issued and ignored; bin Laden never captured.

2) Invasion and occupation of Iraq (no Iraqis involved in 9/11) based on trumped-up intelligence of WMD. 4,300 plus U.S. military killed, tens of thousands wounded; 2 million Iraqis displaced and 100,000 killed. War is ongoing, costing almost $1 trillion (a “slam dunk”). al-Qaeda metastasized into numerous terrorist groups around the globe. No safe place.

3) Truckloads of $100 bills — between $9 billion and $12 billion of taxpayer money — “gone missing” in Iraq on Bremer’s watch. Nary a peep from the Republicans.

4) Abu Ghraib torture, extraordinary rendition (i.e. kidnappings), Gitmo, international stature trashed.

5) Blackwater mercenaries (war profiteers) gun down innocent Iraqis.

6) FEMA’s “heck-of-a-job, Brownie.”

7) Warrantless wire-tapping/illegal spying on Americans.

8) Global climate change ignored and scientific reports redacted.

9) Environmental protection laws reversed.

10) Justice Department fires federal prosecutors unjustly (pun intended).

Those are just the 10 greatest hits of the Bush/conservative record. Many federal agencies have been dangerously understaffed and underfunded. Conservative zeal for smaller government has put the safety of the American people at risk. (No, Bush has not “kept us safe.”) Examples: The FDA inspects less than 1 percent of imported products that end up on our grocery shelves. The Labor Department, under Secretary Elaine Chao (Mitch McConnell’s wife), consistently sided with business and mining interests over worker safety.

And the final nail in our coffin: the orgy of conservative deregulation of the financial markets. Wall Street has had their bailout. But now that President Obama wants to stimulate the economy with new initiatives, instead of falling back on the failed, one idea of the conservatives — tax cuts, the obstructionist Republicans have their underwear in a twist, suddenly worried about the “cost to our children.” What hypocrisy. One would think that after their failed policies have been exposed, “conservatives” would have the grace to just get out of the way.

The day after the inauguration, The Onion (satirical magazine) ran this headline: “Black Man Gets Worst Job in World.” Just like in the circus, cleaning up after the elephants is a dirty job.