You may call the Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or e-mail comments to readerscolumn@stny.rr.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any message.
What do you get when you mix partisan politics with flawed economics? Answer: An anemic economic recovery with no end in sight. Congress has ample evidence to know austerity economics is a recipe for disaster, yet it is preparing for another round of fighting over the budget deficit, the debt ceiling and the national debt. Just as the Great Recession could and should have been prevented, the struggling economic recovery is being hogtied by arbitrary policy choices in Congress. The Great Depression demonstrated that increased government spending during times of high unemployment helps to create jobs. Just 62.4 percent of adult Americans were working or looking for work last month – the lowest participation rate since 1977. Working people spend their paychecks and create more jobs. This cycle grows the economy, which in turn creates tax revenues that can be used to lower the deficit and national debt. Deficit and debt numbers as a percentage of the national economy have been shrinking, but more slowly than expected. The message is clear. Congress should be doing more to increase employment instead of obstructing broad-based economic growth. We could sure use the jobs in the Southern Tier.
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Follow the news. The do nothing Republicans in Congress are at it again. This time they’re refusing to act so the premiums for Part B Medicare aren’t going to rise 52 percent for some of us seniors. It’s really outrageous that these guys balk at doing the sensible or common sense thing on behalf of those of us they allegedly represent. Talk to your Congressman and ask him why he wants to be responsible for an increase in Medicare payments that are going to hit the social security recipients very hard.
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Halloween is almost here and it’s time to thank Congressman Richard Hanna for revealing the truth about the witch-hunt that’s been going on in his Republican House of Representatives where his colleagues are trying to label Hilary Clinton as the villain in the Ben Ghazi affair. Thanks again Congressman Hanna for telling the truth.
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Last Thursday it was announced due to lack of people the VFW bingo will be closing at the end of December. Where are all you people that used to play? Come on back, we need you! Maybe another organization could take it over. The ones that come all the time really don’t want it to close. Help!
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The totally incompetent Commander in Chief has gutted all upper levels of all military forces by over 350 senior officers who have openly disagreed with emperor nobama. The nobama regime says all military activities in Afghanistan ended in 2014, but at least 200 air force sorties have occurred. Now nobama is forced to face reality by maintaining 5500, some say 9500, US troops so if Afghanistan does not fall as has Iraq under his regime and yet about 48 percent of American voters support the National Socialist Democrat party and Hilary Clinton. Do you believe these morons?
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This is in response to the person who wrote in about every neighborhood having a black sheep dysfunctional family because their kids are outside playing basketball for five or six hours into the night instead of doing homework. First of all, you don’t know if the kid has done homework, second of all, I commend the parents for actually having the kids outside and getting physical activity and fresh air instead of being inside playing video games all day. So considering the obesity rate in the United States I think it’s a good idea that these kids are outside. You do not know if these kids have absentee parents. Maybe you should get some more information before you consider these parents being the black sheep of the neighborhood.
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Can we stop with the cigarette butts? Everyday I pick up at least three butts in front of my house! In Singapore you can be publicly flocked for tossing a cigarette butt, but here in America the Beautiful people fling out their cigarette butts like there’s no tomorrow! You can’t take a walk without seeing hundreds of cigarette butts. I saw a documented report saying the number one pollutant in the ocean is cigarette butts. I also saw with my own eyes a lady waiting for a red light, open her driver’s door and dump her overloaded ashtray into the street! Believe that? Smoking sure does cloud the brain. If you smoke, do your health and wallet a million dollar favor and quit today. If not, please be more considerate and respectful of the earth that you live on by properly disposing of your cigarette butts. Consistent overwhelming litter is brainless!
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I see where our supervisor is at it again. Let’s put GPS’s in the Town of Owego Highway trucks. That’s the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of. The next thing is, he wants to control everything. That’s a good set up for a lawsuit by harassing them. He ought to think about it but he won’t.
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To the person seeking information about the work being done at the North Avenue underpass – the project engineer’s field office is one short block to the west at the corner of Central Avenue and Fox Street (south of the tracks).
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I’m responding to the person who is concerned with our Campville Fire Department requesting more money and donations, plus raising taxes in the Town of Owego. One has to realize what has been accomplished in the past year with a minimal increase in our funding requirements. We have provided fully trained fire and medical emergency teams to both the south side and the northwest sections of the Town of Owego. These efforts in the past were covered by a contract in the Village of Owego, and were a part time effort. This is a major accomplishment as we can now depend on an immediate and prompt response to our fire and emergency needs with fully trained personnel. This alone is worth the weight in gold to me as a Town of Owego taxpayer. By the way, Apalachin also depends on us to support all of their medical efforts; EMT’s do not come cheap. I think our town is getting the finest service possible at a very reasonable cost from the Campville Department.
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Do you think the fire department should be allowed to raise their own taxes? Do you think this is not a good idea? Attend the Monday meeting and voice your opinion. If the fire department can raise their own taxes there will probably be, right away, fire tax inflation.
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Does anyone know where I would be able to buy a real Christmas tree before Thanksgiving?
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Tuesday, Nov. 3 is Election Day. Three candidates are running for two seats on the Owego Town Board. Only one candidate pledges to end business as usual: Janet Thomas! Please remember to vote on Nov. 3.
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North Avenue in Owego is a state highway. The work there is being done by the state, not the village.
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So someone is surprised that the Campville Fire Department is raising funds and thinks it is unusual. Perhaps that person hasn’t been paying attention when Apalachin has field days, Southside has breakfasts, or Owego runs their Monte Carlo night and Fill a Boot drives. Or then again maybe they are just rabble rousing.
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Six years into recovery from the Great Recession, the U.S. economy still can’t generate enough jobs to keep up with population growth. Instead of aggressively addressing job creation, Congress practices job-killing fiscal austerity. The jobs being created are mainly low-paid, part-time positions in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors. An estimated 43 million Americans are working part-time for less than $26,000 annually.
Traditionally, federal government spending stimulates consumer demand and job creation. Because of fiscal austerity, federal aid to state and local governments has been reduced, costing 765,000 jobs between 2007 and 2011. Nationwide, there are 236,000 fewer public education jobs today than in 2008. Congress is working at cross-purposes with the recovery effort. The Federal Reserve has tried to counter the harmful effects of austerity by keeping interest rates low, but there is only so much it can do. It’s up to the public to recognize that unnecessary spending cuts are making economic conditions worse. It’s time to raise the debt ceiling, end the sequester, spend more on vital public investments, and put more Americans back to work.
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If you watched the Liberal “debate”, you undoubtedly came away with the same impression I did. Santa Claus in disguise! Free this, free that, healthcare, college – you name it. Has no one noticed we are almost $19 trillion in debt? Where exactly are these Libs coming up with the money for all the giveaways to the “gimme” crowd? To the low information / pop culture crowd, this no doubt sounds wonderful. More something for nothing. Won’t it be great to have actual adults in the Oval Office, people who hopefully will put a stop to this nonsense! I mean, we’ve had seven years of irresponsible nonsense, giveaways to the undeserving in exchange for votes, from free cell phones to who knows what? Enough!
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Consider the possibility that the reason the media doesn’t report on the 220 persons per day defending themselves is because it isn’t true.
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The Town of Nichols Code Enforcement Office (CEO) should consider removing all the signs posted in the Town that imply “All Ordinances and Building Permits are Enforced”. Enforcement has been little or none.
