Meeting a medical need

I suffered a serious injury last winter and had a need for a shower chair and raised toilet seat for several months. When we had no further need for them, we considered throwing them away, but instead decided to place a free ad under “medical equipment” in the classifieds to see if somebody could use them.

They were picked up right away, but we have had many, many calls since then from desperate individuals wanting these items.

We were not able to help these callers. However, if you have similar unused items in your shed or basement, please take a minute and place a free ad to see if the equipment can be put to good use.

Deb Fell-Carlson, Lebanon

What about McCain, Smith?

The editor of this rag of a paper is so biased to the right that it seems all he can do is criticize Obama and print cartoons about him.

How about some things McBush has switched on? He wrote in his opinion column July 9 about Obama switching. I will admit he has changed since he got the nomination, but how about his rival? He has switched on every issue that has come up.

He mentions that Obama acts like a weather vane but never mentions Smith, who defiantly changes as the wind blows. When the war became so unpopular with the sane-minded people, he spoke against it. Then he decided him and Obama were big buddies on some legislation Obama was sponsoring. That is not true.

Also Mr. Hering says that the new salmonella outbreak is nothing. I can imagine if he got it he would call it something other than nothing.

Bill Porter, Sweet Home

Open primary is no solution

An initiative of hope? I’m sorry, Mr. Hering, but I don’t think I’ve ever disagreed with you more than with your editorial of July 7 voicing your support of the “open primary” system.

I look at it something like this: The Elks and American Legion are having elections to select their officials for the next year. Also, First Baptist is having their annual business meeting to approve their budget and select three new deacons. I hope they’re not on the same night since I want to make sure my “voice” is heard on these matters. Now I’m not a member of the Elks or the American Legion; and I attend another church. So why should I feel I have any right to help decide who serves in these organizations; or how First Baptist allocates its money? That’s right; I don’t.

And more importantly I shouldn’t. Everyone who registers to vote selects a party they claim to be affiliated with. That gives them a voice in deciding who that party supports in their election bids.

If you choose to register in a party that hasn’t fielded a candidate for (fill in the blank) in the last 30 years; don’t complain that you didn’t get a vote in the primary. Actually you did got your vote when “your” party failed to field a candidate.

Mr. Hering believes this would minimize appeals by candidates to narrow interest groups and stop their shifting of positions after the primary to appeal to the broader electorate. The way I see it, how could several liberals or conservatives running in the same primary gain support without focusing even more than usual on even smaller (read splinter) special interest groups? But this would allow them to start their shifting of positions (read lying) earlier in the election process. These actions would not end with the primaries.

What happens if two Democrats, George and Linda, end up running against each other in the general election? Just which one does the state party support financially? Do they support George because he’s more “Democrat” than Linda? Or do they give each of them equal amounts? If not equal support from the “party” does Linda now shift and start her pandering to conservatives and making promises she never intends to keep to gain their financial support?

Wow, lying to voters. That’s a new one.

Ted Salmons,Lebanon

We’ve come a long way

I believe this nation has made a giant step forward regarding this upcoming election.

Sure, many Republicans are not so satisfied with their choice of McCain. Maybe they felt Huckabee or Romney was more to their liking. And one lady that always supports anything and everything Democrats do, and hates everything Republican, seems to be most dissatisfied with Obama.

I have been a longtime conservative Republican and noticed the Democrats appeared throughout Oregon and you could see them for free. If I am correct, McCain appeared once in Portland and it cost $1,200. Twelve-hundred dollars! Give me a break. And that was it? That is not the life I live in.

Isn’t this the first year a black has run for president? And is this not the first time a lady has? I have heard virtually no discussion over whether or not we should elect a colored person, or a female. So whoever wins, that to me shows this nation has come a long way.

Roger Hawthorne, Albany