I could use a bailout too

I am asking the president and Congress for a personal bailout. I am a gambler and love to play the lottery machines and go to the casinos but as of late I've been on a losing streak, therefore, I need a bailout.

All I am asking for is a couple of million, not billions. I promise to split my winnings with the government if and when my losing streak ends. I think that I am entitled and I won't drive our economy in the toilet, as will the Wall Street bailout.

I know I have been bad but I promise to change if you would send me the money. I also promise to wait another 15 or 20 years until I ask again. That is exactly what Wall Street is asking of you now.

(Maybe Gov. Taxme will send me some money from the state-run lottery.)

John Harkness, Albany

Against Lebanon recall

This letter is in support of a no vote on the current recall vote. We support the decision made by our current board members. All of them made a decision that our current administrator needs to resign.

This community has failed the students and parents for years. There has been so much negative media that it makes us not a very attractive community to move to. Bad news travels fast and makes everlasting impressions. Don't forget the big grant that was pulled from this district by Bill Gates.

We support Rick Alexander and Josh Wineteer. They have continued to ask questions of this administration and keep pushing for answers.

Our kids and the future of this community depend on sound judgment from the school board. They all have agreed that there is a need for change.

Please join us in voting no on the board recall. Let's put Lebanon back in the spotlight of a community that cares for the education of its children.

Eric and Sherri Parker, Lebanon

Blame falls on the chief

To say that the Lebanon School District exists in a state of chaos is no exaggeration, as the present school board recall indicates. This chaos is not a new phenomenon, but dates back 10 years, when the devolution of the Lebanon school district began under the administration of the current superintendent, Jim Robinson.

I had two older children and one younger child attend Lebanon High School during the pre-Jim Robinson and current-Jim Robinson eras, respectively. I was satisfied with the education and environment provided to the older children and that experience has served them quite well. The experience of my youngest child, however, was an unmitigated disaster, marked by administrative ineptitude from start to finish. If the time/space continuum allowed, I would return to those years and quickly enroll him in a different school, as several hundred more recent students have done.

In sports, business or the military, the coach, CEO or commander are held directly responsible for the performance of their organization and are fired or relieved if that organization is failing. By any quantitative measure the Lebanon schools are failing. As superintendent, Jim Robinson is responsible.

I believe board members Josh Wineteer and Rick Alexander are being targeted for recall because of their opposition to the continued incompetent and arrogant tenure of the superintendent. Thus, the recall is more accurately a referendum on whether the superintendent should stay or not.

To paraphrase one of our recent presidents, "Are the Lebanon schools better off now than they were 10 years ago?" Anyone who has experienced the Lebanon schools as I have has a clear answer to that question. Absolutely not.

Ron Knight, Lebanon

Keep the current board

Soon Lebanon will vote on a recall of two Lebanon School Board members, Mr. Alexander and Mr. Wineteer. I have read the position of Lebanon CARES, and I must express my personal disagreement with their position. I encourage voters to check no on this recall.

The timing of this vote is not in the best interest of those who are working collaboratively with school administrators on the improvement of our students' academic performance.

Lebanon voters will be given the opportunity to choose the make up of the school board as has always been the case. This will occur as members' terms expire.

Since the Lebanon school's administration has declared our district to be in an academic emergency, it is critical that our current board stay in place. They need to remain focused on the urgency of change needed within the frontlines of our educational system to help our children.

Recently the Lebanon School Board voted unanimously to start negotiations on our current superintendent's removal. I personally do not believe that the board came to this decision easily, yet it shows this current board's ability to set aside personal feelings and unite as one voice. Their vote, on this motion, was not 3-2 as Lebanon CARES may have desired it. It was a unanimous vote of no confidence by all members.

We must allow this board to self-discipline its own members. If they should disagree, they will have their opportunities to vote publicly against any motion they feel is not in the interest of this school district. That is not the case here.

I urge voters to check NO on this recall election. I suggest we allow this Lebanon School Board to perform its duties as we originally asked its to do.

Steve Wallace, Brownsville

The problem of malpractice

Couldn't let this one go without a comment ("Locals sound off on health care," Sept. 18). One doctor's statement on malpractice insurance: "A lot of what I do on a daily basis is to try and avoid being sued."

Let's put it like this. A doctor that has to worry that much about being sued is obviously part of the overall cause of medical malpractice insurance being so high.

Why is he worried about being sued? On average I can't recall any of the physicians I know in this area being sued, but if the stats around the country are correct it's about 10 percent of the total medical field that are responsible for your local doctor paying outrageous premiums for medical malpractice insurance. But do they get rid of the bad apples? Not hardly.

The medical field is like any other group. They hang together regardless of the consequences and blame the patient, instead of getting rid of the real problem, which is a few bad doctors.

Stan Finn, Albany

Don't feel sorry for Larry

Genevieve Auman says that liberals have been picking on Larry Crompton. I remember quite well that Larry stated in one of his letters that if he irritated some liberals then he was a success.

Poor Larry, should we liberals ignore his ridiculous statements?

Joe Blankenbaker, Albany