Readers’ Column for the week of December 15, 2024

You may call The Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or email comments to ReadersOP@gmail.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any messages.

If you are struggling with drinking during the holidays, AA is always available to help. Call the AA Hotline in Tioga County, N.Y. at 1-800-307-4285

~

If you observe the government, particularly NYS and the IRS, technology is being used with ever greater force as a means to rid themselves of contact with that pesky rabble, taxpayers, they are employed to serve. By this, no one is held accountable, empowered, or has the capacity to fulfill their duties for which they are paid. No one in NYS government makes a mistake. However, if you want the best salary, pension, vacation time, healthcare, etc., that is the place to be. In order to contact NYS officials, you must go through your Assemblyman, who will then connect you to the NYS agency. The Assemblyman will not provide you with any NYS agency contact information whatsoever. Now that is good government! NYS will withhold your school tax dollars if you do not comply with their naming rules. This is despite the federal constitution protecting the right to free speech of an individual or group thereof.

~

I am 74 years old. I had whooping cough when I was a junior in high school. It was extremely scary because when coughing, it felt like I could not breathe back in. I cannot imagine how scared a little child would be. My father also had it at that time and was hospitalized. GET YOUR CHILD VACCINATED!

~

Sorry that this is a bit late, but as my mother always used to say, “A thank you is never late, just be sure you say it.” The Village Appreciation Night that was put on a few months ago by the police, as well as others, was WONDERFUL! Thank you to all who made it happen!

~

The following is required by law to be on the back of every television: “This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.”

~

Hey, here is something for the Baby Boomers and perhaps younger individuals. During the era of rotary phones, dialing long distance with numbers containing 8’s and 9’s posed challenges, as any mistake at the end required restarting the entire process. A family member’s phone number includes four nines. I often recall this when dialing numbers on the phone.

~

Just to let everyone know, there are cold weather items on and near the trees that are on the porch of the Owego United Methodist Church. There are hats, gloves, scarves, and other items. Please take what you can use to stay warm and comfortable!

~

Attention Ukulele Players: The Tioga Ukulele Group’s next adult jam session is scheduled for Dec. 14, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Coburn Free Library, Main Street, Owego. Players of all levels are welcome to join us, from beginners to experienced ukulele players. For additional details or to get music in advance of the jam session, please reach out to us at (607) 321-8815 or (607) 743-9803, or email us at TiogaUkuleleGroup@yahoo.com.

~

Today, Dec. 5, Tioga County is paying $28,000 to clean up the former Foundry Street homeless camp. Meanwhile, smoke smelling like burning plastic is rising from a developing campsite on NYSEG property where Owego Creek meets the river. This spot has turned into a new dumping ground, giving the fishing area the appearance of the trash-filled Foundry site. An organization is aiding individuals in living and littering in that area, and it should be responsible for the eventual cleanup at that site.

~

If you want to go to a really nice Dollar General, big, clean, and roomy, go to the one in Campville. This store stands out as the best, and the cashier is incredibly friendly and helpful, making him the friendliest and most pleasant young man I’ve encountered. He needs to be recognized. He is so nice to his customers.

National Political Viewpoints

I was so proud of America when I saw President-Elect Trump at the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral. It should make us all proud. The Notre Dame Cathedral was built in 1163 Annos Domini.

~

Two paths diverged in the woods. America took the psychopath.

~

Yes, I am disappointed that Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter. However, he did not interfere while the trial was ongoing. And, at least that isn’t as bad as the incoming administration preparing to pardon those who rioted and were charged during the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Also, Trump pardoned Jared Kushner’s father while he was in office. 

~

So Joe Biden is in Africa, and he just pledged a billion dollars to help rebuild homes there. Yet the people in North Carolina still struggle. What’s wrong with you people? Typical Democrat.

~

With all the clowns and unqualified people that Joe Biden had in his cabinet, I think it’s rather funny that the Democrats are making fun of and challenging Trump’s choices. Compared to Biden’s, they’re all Einsteins and the greatest candidates ever.

~

I heard on Inside Edition TV show that Hunter Biden owes $300,000 in back rent to his landlord of a several million-dollar house he rented. Also, on the news, Biden gave Africa a billion dollars. As bad as we need it for the poor people affected by the hurricanes and wildfires that lost their homes, he gives Africa a billion dollars. That’s terrible!

~

The Democrat agencies are now trying to sign contracts that say they can work at home for the next five years. Seriously? What won’t Biden and the Liberals do to try to obstruct progress. If you are unwilling to go to work, then you shouldn’t have that job. Either go to work or don’t go at all. Working remotely is no longer an option unless there are certain circumstances, understood? 

~

Does anyone besides me question Trump proposing billionaires – nine to be exact, yes nine, to fulfill his promises made to us working-class Americans? It is impossible for these billionaires to understand the numerous hardships we face. What is Trump doing for us regular Americans? Nothing now or in the future with these prospective appointments. The wealthy will purposely get richer and the rest of us will become poorer. Trump’s decisions harm real individuals.

~

The hypocrisy is astounding but not unexpected. Anyone who voted for a 34-time convicted felon complaining about Hunter Biden receiving a pardon after two years, couldn’t find any fault in an ongoing congressional investigation. I simply don’t understand people’s thought process. Would you want that individual in your home? A convicted felon accused of sexually assaulting a woman, driving small businesses into bankruptcy by not paying their bills after completing work? No rational person would want to work with or do business with someone like that. Unfortunately, people often believe it will never happen to them, but I’m afraid we’re already witnessing the downward spiral of the U.S. and the world because of all the things that are coming in January.

~

So let me get this straight. Donald Trump was impeached for investigating all the crimes that Hunter Biden just got pardoned for. Huh. It doesn’t make sense to me.

~

Well, folks, there’s your evidence that no one is above the law, unless you’re a Biden Democrat, perhaps. Our children are sitting in New York State prisons all over the place, and they’ve done a lot less than what Biden has done. So tell me where justice is fair. He’s walking the street, and our children are still packed away in the prisons. My buddy has a son who got caught with a sawed-off shotgun and drugs. He didn’t harm anyone, he just had it. They packed him away in a prison. My buddy’s son is sitting in prison. While Hunter Biden walks free now? Where’s the justice to all this crap? My buddy tells me about it. I said, well, if you changed your name to a Biden you’d probably walk out. Don’t ever tell me justice is the same for everyone because it’s proven a lie. Just a big fat lie!

~

Americans are so dumb in this country. I mean I cannot believe how stupid we are. You supposedly put Trump in office, which I have doubts about the authenticity of. And then he says he wants to cut Social Security. To all the elderly individuals, I trust you do not object to experiencing a significant reduction in your Social Security benefits. By the way, have these billionaires told you which health insurance company you should get and how you’re going to be paying more, but they’re going to watch out for you. The richest people in the world are telling us how we should live. What a joke! What a ridiculous, sad day for America. And by the way, what’s the big deal about Biden pardoning his son? There is nothing in the world wrong with that. Every single parent in this whole country would go through the same thing for their kid. I want to hear just one person write in and say he wouldn’t pardon his son honestly in this area. So, please print this comment.

~

So many are now worried about retribution, fearing that President Trump may bring it about. Well, they need to stop worrying; Trump will not do it. He’s too classy. But their fear tells me that they now realize just how wrong they were in putting President Trump through all that nonsense at the expense of the taxpayer.

~

Well, there’s a puzzling fact about the election. They claim Trump won because of the young people’s votes, but the stats are out. Harris won the young people by about 7 points. She won the women’s vote by a lot more than that, and retirees voted for her hands down. So how come Trump won by more than 20 million votes, roughly? And are there 20 million fewer votes than Biden? I think there’s a little bit of scandal here that nobody’s looking into because they’re afraid it will divide the country even worse. Well, if that’s what it takes to get an honest election, we need to do it. There’s something fishy going on here.

~

They’re pushing a bill to propose Supreme Court Justice term limits. Also, while it’s up there, let’s also do term limits for every politician. It’s time to get rid of them. They don’t do anybody any good, and the longer they’re in, the more corrupt they become. It’s time to replace them. Let’s impose a term limit on all of them. I believe that could improve the entire system.