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Letters to the Editor: January 14, 2022

Home cures galore

Thank you, Commissioners Starrett and Berschauer, for demanding home-treatment alternatives to evidence-based, scientific public health information on the county website. It’s about time!

I have been researching tried and true remedies that should be included. These are remedies of long standing — dating back centuries. Although testimonials cannot be provided, they fit any budget.

Let’s discuss options for the wealthy first. Ground unicorn horn mixed with water is excellent for both prevention and cure. It’s pricey, but if you can afford it, it tops the list.

If unicorn isn’t available, try Theriac. It contains 80 ingredients, but I can only disclose one, which is critical — opium. Or, if you have access to a freshly plucked chicken, strap it to the affected area for almost immediate relief.

Sadly, not everyone has the dinero for these. Less expensive options include rubbing onions, herbs or a chopped-up snake on your body. Bloodletting doesn’t cost much, nor does drinking vinegar, eating crushed minerals or consuming arsenic or mercury with molasses. Or you could stuff some garlic up your nose.

Still too expensive? Try saving excrement and smearing it on your body — it helps with social distancing — or drink or bathe in urine. And never leave home without an aromatic bouquet to fend off pestilence.

Plagues require not only private but public action. Use social media to organize efforts to kill a few lepers, cripples, lunatics, minorities or other outcasts. Combined with prayer and charms, these low-cost alternatives can provide mental, if not physical, relief.

Lastly, flee to the country, quarantine or wear a mask. Yes, a mask!

You can make your own authentic protective mask. Just go online and copy the mask shown in the Medieval Medicine section of the World History Encyclopedia.

Disclaimer: “Before starting any medical treatment, check with your doctor — or with Commissioners Starrett and Berschauer. “

Margaret Cross

McMinnville

 

To the rescue

I am writing to testify that we are served by a fantastic group of young men and women as our EMTs.

I welcomed the New Year with a heart attack. Less than seven minutes after my wife’s call to 911, they were at my side. And they were professional, proactive, knowledgeable and caring.

Four hours and four stents later, I was ready to go home. But I was the only one, as they remained on duty.

They saved my life. I can’t begin to thank them enough.

Gary Frost

McMinnville

 

Not a theocracy

Steve Wozniak’s Dec. 31 letter alleges my recent commentary contained an array of questionable statistics, but does not cite even one. He goes on to say I’m trying to “justify the continuation of unrestricted abortions.”

While abortions are reasonably available — if you can afford them, until 22 weeks, except in Texas — they are subject to various restrictions. And late-term abortions, very rare, are reserved for threats to the life of the mother and severe fetal abnormalities generally inconsistent with viability.

The writer notes that abortions “have not eliminated crime, child abuse or poverty.”

More than 40% of births in this country are billed to Medicaid, and it’s much higher in some states — 72% in New Mexico, 67% in Arkansas and 64% in Mississippi, for example. So how can you expect abortion to have an impact on poverty when the poorest of the poor don’t have access?

The book “Freakonomics” concluded the crime decrease of the early ‘90s was about 45% due to the Roe v Wade decision that came down two decades earlier. The authors have now updated the data through 2014, the correlation is even stronger.

In general, states with high abortion rates have low crime rates and states with low abortion rates have high crime rates. See https://freakonomics.com/podcast/abortion-and-crime-revisited.

I do not support eugenics. I support legal abortion because I believe a woman should have the right to control her reproductive activity and its impact on her life. I also believe every child should be a wanted child.

I believe abortion should be rare, and not be used as a method of birth control. Therefore,  all birth control methods should be freely available.

I don’t believe religion should enter into it, as we aren’t a theocracy. I fear at least some of the six Catholic Supreme Court justices will not be able to set aside their religious views.

Les Howsden

Amity

 

Take cue from Texas

I propose Oregon enact a law giving anyone the right to sue for up to $10,000 anyone who is eligible for the COVID vaccine but nonetheless remains unvaccinated, as they pose a mortal danger to themselves and all those with whom they come into contact.

In addition, anyone who abets the unvaccinated could be sued. No exceptions would be allowed for religious or political beliefs.

This would be a private right of action unrelated to any state laws or orders, which may or may not be determined to be constitutional.

Brad Thompson

McMinnville

 

Whack-a-doodle duo

So now the whack-a-doodle twins want Yamhill County to officially and publicly espouse such well-proven scientific COVID treatments as bleach injection, per that leading medical authority Donald Trump — or perhaps eating dirt, overdosing on vitamin D and sacrificing chickens by the full moon.

They would not have the time to dream up all these lame, agenda-driven and unnecessary ideas if they would just do their job, which is taking care of essential county business!

They can start with immediately disbursing long-hoarded recovery funds to citizens in need of help. Then there is the critical need for a home rule charter, so we don’t lose tremendously effective leaders like County Clerk Brian Van Bergen, who are currently term-limited.

If the whack-a-doodle twins need other ideas, they should accompany the one conscientious commissioner, who actual talks with department heads, travels the county, inspects problem areas and visits with citizens personally. There is plenty of genuine need and lots of work to be done to keep idle hands and minds busy.

Sure, this isn’t as much fun as fantasy. That’s why it is called “work.”

If its too hard, then certainly one should be recalled and the other voted out of office.

Ken Dollinger

McMinnville

 

GOP at fault

While one can applaud last week’s editorial highlighting the threats to democracy, the editorial’s lack of candor only served to muddy and confuse the issue.

Over the past several years, with an acceleration in the past year, we have been warned very publicly — not just by individuals, but by entire communities of generals, security analysts, lawyers, constitutional scholars and historians — that the GOP is a growing threat to constitutional and civil order in this country. They have not been warning about similar malfeasance from the other side.

While there have been violent street protests with deplorable damage to property, and even loss of life, from those who could arguably be identified with a politics of the Left, it bears no comparison to what is going on on the Right. Rampages and property damage such as we have seen in this state, and across the country, entail no disruption of the political process. Arguably, they foolishly work against the very agendas such protests seek to advance.

The GOP has given its imprimatur to — and even encouraged, from the top down — violent intimidation against statehouses from Michigan to Oregon, the events of Jan. 6 in D.C. and the intimidation of local election officials throughout the country. Republican-led legislatures in no less than 30 states are preparing legislation to thwart the sovereign voice of the peoples in their states should elections not turn out to their satisfaction.

If you want to see which party has given up on both democracy and a reality based universe, look no further than the Republicans.

This is not a time to court the favor of conservative readers by obfuscating with false equivalency. Besides, they will hate the media no matter what.

Steve Rutledge

McMinnville

 

Crashing democracy

Chaos and uncertainty are the mother’s milk of authoritarian movements. Both are easy to come by when truth, for many folks, is whatever the loudest liars promote on social media.

The COVID disaster is a case in point.

If this were purely a matter of science and medicine, rational people of good will could find a solution. But we have a cadre of political activists who promote the pandemic by eschewing masks and vaccines and claiming a constitutional right to breed mutations to infect the rest of us.

This selfish, reckless, and purposeful behavior exacerbates the chaos. And that is the plan.

If Trump had told us what he told Bob Woodward in early 2020, that COVID was worse than the “most strenuous flu” and was transmitted through the air, we would be in a different place. Hundreds of thousands of Americans would still be alive, and he might have gotten himself re-elected as a hero.

Instead, he chose to downplay the pandemic and scoff at the measures required to hold it at bay. Who benefited from that bad call? Certainly not 800,000 dead Americans and their families.

The beneficiaries are those who would forcefully change our society into something less democratic, something more cultish and racially pure.

The leaders of our Authoritarian Party, freshly out of the closet, are up for  that challenge. For them, COVID is another tactical tool to get the right people in office and keep the wrong people from voting.

They are still working on their coup, but their “alternative facts” about COVID have become Party dogma, like their “Big Lie” about the 2020 election. The poor foot soldiers may be misinformed or deluded, but as they clog our hospitals, their leaders understand that the real goal is to crash our democracy.

Bill Johnson

McMinnville

 

How to change course

I commend the News-Register for last Friday’s editorial, in which the editor wrote:

“If modern democracies typically live or die at the ballot box, ours desperately needs to find new life through the ballot box. That means electing leaders of reason, moderation and character — decent, reasonable people capable of listening to others and forging compromise, regardless of their personal political leanings.

“We haven’t always done that in the past. But it appears there’s still time for us to turn things around, put America back on its hallowed track of reason and respect.“

The voters of Yamhill County have two opportunities locally to get this community back on track, building on reason and respect for each other.

On Jan. 18, they have the opportunity to have their voices heard and vote for reason and respect on the Newberg School Board by recalling Brian Shannon and Dave Brown. Vote YES to recall.

In addition, they have the opportunity to sign the recall petition for County Commissioner Lindsay Berschauer.

While the initial petition featuring almost 9,000 signatures, 1,500 were ruled invalid due to a clerical error with the e-petition, since fixed. Trained circulators are actively collecting signatures now to put Berschauer on the ballot for recall, should she not choose to hear the voice of the people and resign of her own accord.

There is no doubt we are living in challenging times. But the best experiences in American history have always happened when we have come together and worked with each other, respectfully hearing different points of view while arriving at solutions that deliver the greatest good for the majority.

Doing the right thing is not always easy, but it is the right thing! Take the time to make your voice heard and your vote count!

Phil Forve

Berschauer recall leader, McMinnville

 

Protect voting rights

A year ago, we lived through an attack on our democracy — an insurrection by political extremists at the U.S. Capitol. A mob of violent rioters defaced the Capitol and threatened the lives of the elected officials and staff working there — the core of American democracy. This was a pivotal moment for America and our fundamental promise of free and fair elections. One year out from that horrible day, Congress has yet to secure the right to vote and the integrity of our elections. Meanwhile, state and county governments are passing laws to make it harder to vote. Hours-long lines and oppressive ID requirements are only the beginning, unless Congress acts.

The Senate must pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Both bills are essential to the survival of the American experiment.

The House of Representatives has already passed them. We can’t let made-up Senate rules stand in the way of protecting our democracy. Fighting for our democracy by passing voting rights legislation is one of the most important actions we can take as we commemorate this attack on our country.

Michael Losonsky

McMinnville

 

Urgency to act

We seem to be facing a lot of crisis situations in our country at this time, so it is difficult to keep track. However, one crisis I believe we need to think about much more about, and act on at this time, is climate change.

A CNN commentator talked today (12/30/21) about the effects of climate change and the very serious situation we are facing with global warming, such as rising sea levels.

We cannot let this issue slip through the cracks. We must be proactive now in addressing this problem.

It seems that perhaps we need focus on our planet and consider ways to modify our behavior.

The problem of global warming will affect all of us in one way or another. We must plan and act now.

Janet De With

Yamhill

 

County quacks

Mary Starrett and Lindsay Berschauer are the personification of, “Why act like fools when you can open their mouth and prove it!”

Their advocacy of promoting COVID “quack cures” is grossly incompetent. It borders on, if not crosses, the line of criminal negligence.

What they advocate adds to the burden our overworked and understaffed caregivers and first responders are already dealing with.

These two are not and have never been serving the public good at all. They are menaces to Yamhill County public institutions and citizens.

It is long past time to recall these so-called commissioners and hold them accountable.

Preston Henry

McMinnville

Comments

Airman

Mr. Rutledge,
First off, I'm a registered independent. In my view, when you let a "sole political party" rewrite the voting laws and federalize them, it's like you are letting the fox into the chicken house!

madmacs

Airman- "The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators." Establishing rules for Federal elections are explicitly under the purview of congress in the above voting clause of the the constitution, the 15th amendment and numerous other laws on the books. You may also want to read the federalist 59.

Airman

madmacs
I've read the federalist 59 and it all sounds all sweet and pretty, "but" changes should not be by decided one sole political party!! That makes it viral. I'm nervous about federalizing election laws as it is. But, if it has to happen, it needs to be fairly close to a bipartisan decision.
Airman

madmacs

Airman- The changes being made at the state level are being implemented by one party, your argument is completely hollow.

Airman

Quote by Madmacs "The changes being made at the state level are being implemented by one party, your argument is completely hollow."

Maybe, but it is only at a state level and not federalized. Individual states can change over time. Besides, what are you afraid of on these state level changes? I think if you dig into what they really are, most are reasonable, whether you would like to admit it, or not. We had the most people ever vote in the last election. I don't think anyone was kept from voting if they really wanted to.

tagup

I think your correct Airman, we had the best voter turnout in the last election with no credible evidence of fraud......There are new restrictions in multiple states on voting locations, reduced voting days, reduced voting-times, restrictions on mail in and absentee ballots, that are all being put into place by the party that lost.....Pretty obvious that the goal is to make it harder to vote....wouldn’t it be better to win on the issues rather than barring voters?

Airman

My, My..... The winning party would love to be able to vote 24 hours a day, seven days a week and never have to prove who you are. You cannot hardly do anything in this society without a valid legal I.D., but vote!! Hmmm! Tagup, you're on the ball!!

tagup

Yet no fraud can be found.....my, my....

RobsNewsRegister

I wouldn't go that far tagup. There is always fraud - the question is that of magnitude to overturn an election. Below is a list of the court cases. Most were thrown out on technicalities without looking at the merits. Also, there are numerous active prosecutions throughout the country against fraudulent votes related to 2020 that are currently working their way through the courts. The second link is one from Georgia.

The important thing as Americans is we need to set the rules, follow the rules, and then abide by the process. We really need to get our act together folks. I follow foreign affairs for my novel writing and to say Russia/China are setting themselves up to challenge the US is an understatement. We'd best unite before it is too late - we're inviting trouble.

http://wiseenergy.org/Energy/Election/2020_Election_Cases.htm
https://news.yahoo.com/georgia-potential-vote-fraud-case-213006511.html

tagup

The better question is if voter fraud is of the magnitude to warrant changes in voter ID law, poll times, days etc. The facts clearly don’t support changes that will exclude a significant percentage of voters.
Requirements for some form of government issued photo ID sounds great, but ignores the fact that an estimated 11% of the US population, (21 million people) largely from lower income and minorities, do not have one....On top of that, the in-person voter fraud rate which is what photo ID would supposedly prevent, is ridiculously small. Additionally there is absolutely no election security reason for reduced poll times and days other than to reduce the opportunity for citizens to vote.....

RobsNewsRegister

They tried many of these ideas in Europe but then had to back track after issues with fraud. We should be careful that if the door is open too wide, at some point in time, someone will attempt to take advantage. Please cite the source for that 11 million number - I find it very hard to believe that many US citizens eligible to vote could possibly lack and ID when they are free in every state requiring voter ID. You need ID to do most anything now adays in our society. Even going to sports games to prove Covid vaccination status in a lot of states.

RobsNewsRegister

The nonpartisan James Baker - Jimmy Carter commission reviewed elections worldwide including Latin America where there was great concern at the time. Notice #3 on their major recommendations for the United States.

-Creating a uniform photo identification method to match the voter to the voting roll, while establishing more offices to all non-drivers to more easily register and acquire photo IDs[2][1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_on_Federal_Election_Reform

tagup

Rob- not sure what ideas they tried in Europe that you are referring to....?.....
I’m not against creating a uniform ID program ( I wish they would do that for immigration as well).....but you shouldn’t create the voting requirements ( as are being done) until the program is available ....
The 11% (21 million) was cited from the Brennen center of Justice....a left leaner for sure....

RobsNewsRegister

Sorry - the latest Euro area change was in UK (see link). I am by no means an expert on voting laws - just run across things during research and I guess other European nations also tightened recently.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/voter-identification-faqs

I'm concerned because I am seeing such divisive and reckless rhetoric in the US; even from our president. Remember, 2020 rules were temporary emergency rules due to the pandemic. A lot of what is being passed (e.g. items in Georgia law) actually loosen current regs (e.g. increases early voting - see link) but we're seeing it characterized as 'Jim Crow 2.0' - that is crazy. Then I see restrictions on 'gifts' by campaigns to voters in line such as food and drink, something that could be viewed as lobbying, mischaracterized repeatedly without specificity in order to mislead and smear the other political side. Even from the White House.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-voting-law-9-facts/

Sorry if I'm touchy. Unless someone can pull a diplomatic miracle out of their hat, Putin is about to grab a good chuck of eastern Ukraine - its also heating up regarding Taiwan (after the Olympics) and in the South China Sea - the hunt is on for a F-35 lost in China's backyard - see link. I guess time will tell. One thing is certain - our division shows weakness to potential enemies as something they may exploit.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44011/navy-is-exploring-options-for-recovering-f-35c-that-fell-into-the-south-china-sea

Airman

What tagup does not seem to understand, from my point of view is; I don't care how the election laws are written (well, I actually do, but....). Just leave it to the individual states to clean up their own mess. (some created before the pandemic, some created during, as RobsNewsRegister stated) Just do not federalize these laws. Anytime the feds get involved, (and done by one party) it's surely to get screwed up!!

Messiah

Ken Dollenger
Trump NEVER said to inject bleach.
But thank you for your thoughts

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