Readers’ Column for the week of February 23, 2025

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.

Will you be my Valentine for years to come? We have already made it to five, but that’s not all that long. Feb. 14, 2025 – C.R. M.R. 

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Does anybody out there in New York know the number for the Better Business Bureau or somebody who can investigate those smart meters that the electric company has put in? Somebody should have this investigated. Good Lord, take a look at these light bills! Look at the electric bill and what’s happening in this state, $600, $700 people, what is happening? I’m telling you, they rigged these meters. Somebody needs to investigate. Does anybody know a number you can call and have this investigated? Put it in this column and we’ll see it next week. 

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Congratulations to the cast, crew, and orchestra for their participation in the Owego High School Musical Les Misérables. Everything was perfect. It was like they were on Broadway. The work and the time put into it was obvious. Thanks so much!

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Arby’s and Burger King give military discounts, McDonald’s does not. So, which restaurant do you think I’m going to go to? I’m so tired of hearing people say thank you for your service. It’s just a hollow thank you. 

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A couple of important details were left out of the description of last week’s adoptable cat at Gail’s Tails. The cat named Shane is a bobtail, two years old. Is orange, and white. If you are interested in adopting Shane, call Gail at (607) 689-3033. 

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I also wonder what’s happening in Owego. What is the scaffolding doing on the corner of Lake and Main Street for years now? Many businesses are closing. I’ve got to hand it to the Owego Theater, so glad we still have a theater in town, but we need to shape up some of these businesses and find homes for people that need a business place to build. 

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As a penny is one hundredth of a digit, it exists whether ignored or not. One idea is that if the penny is eliminated, cash transactions would be rounded down to the nickel, while digital pays the pennies. Unless you all just want to ignore one hundredth. Gas stations give cash discounts all the time.

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As Cornell is a Land Grant, they should move their medical school to Ithaca. There is no reason NYC should have two Ivy League medical schools. Besides the benefit to health, this would also contribute to economic development. 

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I read with interest the article about the Renewal Ranch on Main Street in Owego in the Feb. 16 edition. However, I did not see any mention of the root cause for suddenly needing so much help for so many. One would hope, whatever the underlying issue, it would be resolved soon, rather than extended and perpetuated; especially before school is out for summer and neighborhood children are walking by on the way to the renovated park/pool (and very expensive new skateboard area).

National Political Viewpoints

Donald Trump – Elon Musk: A Jr. High School brat vs. a graduate student. Who influences who? A South African billionaire taking power over America. 

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News flash for the Democrats. The president’s cabinet members like Elon Musk are, get this, not elected, they are appointed by, guess who? The president! Do you geniuses get it? Wake up. Go Trump! 

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The British are coming, the British are coming! I mean the billionaires are coming, the billionaires are coming. Well, they ought to be so proud of themselves. They cut off US aid to the poorest people in the world. All these billionaires, they’re living high on the hog. They ought to be so damn proud of themselves, especially the ones that call themselves Christians. Go on, take food out of poor people’s mouths just like Jesus would do. Well, you wanted a dictator, I believe you’re going to get one. I think times are going to be real, real hard in the future. 

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Trump and unelected co-president Musk have blood on their hands by ordering food to rot and medications not getting delivered by US aid to starving children and the elderly. It’s beyond shameful! 

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To all you people who voted for Donald Trump, I’m sure he’s grinning right now all over the place and thinking, how do you like me now? How do you like me now? 

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The new Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is beyond amazing and such a refreshing change. She is 27 years old and the most competent Press Secretary I have ever seen. President Trump’s cabinet is so far above previous cabinets that it is truly a blessing. Expect the war in Ukraine to be over very, very soon. President Trump will go down in history as the best president ever! 

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I see the latest consumer price index has been released and prices have gone up. For all of you guys that foolishly voted for Trump, he promised if you elected him he was going to immediately lower grocery prices and interest rates, he has done none of that. He needs to quit screwing around and do the job that you guys elected him for and bring everybody’s prices down on food, gas, and energy like he said he was going to do. Oh wait, he’ll never do that because he lied some more. 

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I see that inflation is up by 3%. Do you know who the president is? It’s Mr. Trump, and you know what he says? He blames President Biden. Well, is there anything that is going to be his responsibility? So much for inflation. Do you people have buyer’s remorse yet? Like Ronald Reagan says, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Buckle up, it’s going to be a rough four years. 

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Trump will not allow the Associated Press to go on Air Force One to interview him. So now the press isn’t allowed in certain areas here and there. This is my view, simply dwindling away the rights of freedom of the press. Slowly and surely, we are becoming an evil nation, and Trump is behind it all, and he’s got his muskrat working with him, and Lord knows what other departments, agencies, and bureaus he’s going to rip apart at the expense of the American people while these millionaires and billionaires eat their caviar while we’re eating bologna and spam. I think it’s time to just take back our country, and what I mean by that is the rich should not even exist in this country. We all should live comfortably, not just a few. Take it from them; they’re taking it from us.

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President Musk is determined to purge every department, even though he’s not American and has lived and worked here. 34 departments are investigating Musk for a multitude of reasons, and it’s not political. However, in his excessive purges, he has tried to purge the Energy Department and then discovered that those are the people who have the nuclear codes, the nuclear plans, and they’re working on nuclear energy. Oh my, what a shock. Maybe we should find somebody who can read and understand each department and proceed slowly. Trump is just a puppet of Musk, signing those executive orders. Musk is our president. I did not elect him.

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The anti-Trump buffoons are apoplectic with fear that the gravy train has left their station. They’re unhinged song singing, yelling, and cursing will hopefully lead to their total destruction. These pitiful losers need to seek medical help, or at least a brain transplant.

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It’s wonderful to put the news on and see that our hostages are coming home where they belong. Something that Trump has done in a matter of days, and Biden couldn’t do it in four plus years. Would someone please explain that to me? Thank you. 

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I wonder if Biden ever thinks about the families of the prisoners that he took off from death row. He thought it was just not a good thing to do. Well, I don’t think he thought about the people involved in the vicious crimes that they created. My next point is that our president may be acting too soon, but it looks like he knows the world better than most, and at least he’s doing something. I wonder if Democrats and Republicans ever think about what their jobs are. They should be helping our country instead of fighting with each other, and they should think about that like everybody else should.  

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Trump ran on lower prices for the average American. Over and over, he said the price of groceries was too high. Only he could fix it. Reality is the only thing he wants to do is to give a huge tax break to the richest one percent. Get ready for massive cuts to services for low- income Americans? Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP benefits, Head Start, Social Security are all on the cutting block. Special education services are 95% funded by the Fed. If you have a disabled child, I sure hope you didn’t vote for Trump. 

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As a taxpayer, watching our government be cut by Elon Musk and Trump, I guess he’s the president, I have to wonder how much Trump’s stunt at Daytona cost flying over Daytona on Air Force One, circling the track with his cars, waving to everyone. He is like a little emperor and we need to watch out. 

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Elon Musk’s rants and raves about government waste, cutting whole programs, and firing vital employees with no explanation. Musk, Tesla, and SpaceX companies have taken over $20 billion in government welfare. What is more wasteful than funding a trip to Mars while cutting funding for research on cancer and heart disease? 

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This morning’s news stated that our “silent” President Elon Musk claims that he has already saved America $88 billion. Where did all that savings go? Will income, property, school, and state taxes be reduced? Will our Social Security, a large part of the national debt, be paid? As a matter of fact, Social Security is a large share of our national debt because there are people in our government who have gotten their dirty greedy fingers on it more than once. My opinion is Democrats have spent that money on social programs which are questionable. Will we the people ever see evidence that the savings will benefit the country or will just the wealthy ones benefit? I am concerned about our president too. He looks almost haggard, and Elon Musk appears to keep capering about like he’s a teenager. Money means power, and Elon Musk’s money makes Trump’s money look like Trump is a pauper. 

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Okay, all you liberal Democrats out there, here are your talking point words of the week: Constitutional Crisis. Okay, everybody now, Constitutional Crisis, that’s what you’re saying. Got it? Okay, thanks a lot. Remember, the Constitutional Crisis. 

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Sorry, Trump haters. In 1866, the Supreme Court ruling in the case of The State of Mississippi vs. Johnson President, the court ruled that courts CANNOT enjoin the President in the exercise of his official duties. Article ii of the U.S. Constitution, which outlines the powers and responsibilities of the Executive branch, DOES NOT GRANT DISTRICT COURT JUDGES THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE INJUNCTIONS AGAINST THE PRESIDENT. 

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Mr. Trump has sought to eliminate any DEI programs in the government and in all U.S. companies. This is because he believes positions should only be filled based on merit. Any woman, Black, gay, or member of any minority he believes is inherently less qualified than a white male. Meanwhile, he has nominated the most unqualified group of individuals to fill his cabinet that we may have ever seen. Their merit is based solely on signing a personal loyalty pledge to Mr. Trump, regardless of whether it runs counter to the U.S. Constitution.

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A convicted felon is signing executive orders. Is this a late-night comedy? Is this even legal? 

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“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democrat answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.” — John F. Kennedy

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One-half billion dollars of food is spoiling on the docks because of the freeze on USAID. USAID is less than 1% of the U.S. federal budget, not 30% as many people have erroneously said. USAID buys $2 billion of surplus food from U.S. farmers. This will hit them hard. In 2023, the U.S. spent $72 billion worldwide on initiatives including women’s health in conflict zones, clean water access, HIV/AIDS treatments, energy security, and anti-corruption work. If the HIV/AIDS work stops, cases in the U.S. will increase for both heterosexuals and homosexuals. USAID helps build alliances around the world, reinforces diplomacy, and counters the influence of China and Russia in the developing world. In fact, the U.S. military has stated that USAID helps with their efforts. 

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I hope not to see any Canadian license plates here this year. If they aren’t willing to give up their universal healthcare and other advantages to be governed by two egomaniacs in the executive branch, a feckless legislative branch, and a Supreme Court that is most interested in who is going to pay for their next trip, our neighbors to the north can just stay home and spend their $20 billion in Canada, or go somewhere like Costa Rica for a warm vacation.

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Trans activists Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Rivera were key figures in the Stonewall Uprising. Acknowledging their contribution, one protester held a sign that read, “NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: YOU CAN’T SPELL HISTORY WITHOUT A ‘T’” Former Republican operative Stuart Stevens had a different take. He posted, “When I see the sexual orientation hate coming out of the Republican Party under the pretext of just being anti-Trans, I am very tempted to name the Republican operatives and elected officials who are closeted gays. It’s not a short list.” — Heather Cox Richardson. Feb. 14, 2025

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Does the Federal Government need to be cut back? Yes. Are the methods being used by Presidents Trump and Musk the way to do it? No! Making across the board cuts without knowing the function of the positions being eliminated can make the situation worse. For example, cutting FAA probationary staff, who require years of training, is like shooting yourself in the foot. The same goes for other positions being cut without considering the impact to the ones that remain. Are you cutting the ones that produce at 110% or the ones just putting in their time? For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, how many have to suffer for your slash and burn approach?

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To the person who wrote last week wondering why a lot of businesses are closing down or leaving, please send that question to Governor Hochul. She won’t tell you it’s due to choking regulations, such as not being able to install a natural gas appliance in 2026, even though she uses natural gas in her mansions. She won’t tell you it’s because of increasing taxes to cover expenses for illegal aliens’ credit cards, housing, education, or additional police overtime for police to ride the subways; she won’t tell you it’s because of high utility rates which will be going up to cover her $75 billion charge to energy companies to combat carbon emissions. She won’t tell you it’s because of high crime rates, shoplifting, and theft from stores. She won’t tell you it’s because criminals get a pass out of jail due to ‘no bail’ rules; she won’t tell you it’s due to a crumbling education system controlled by the unions. She won’t tell you these things because they are true, and she knows it, but wants to hide behind Eric Adams’ issues in NYC or by blaming President Trump. 

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Fiscally responsible? Sorry, red hats. Trump spent an estimated $20 million to attend the Superbowl. Trump then left early. Maybe Musk’s DOGE could start with his boss. Can you imagine how many Carolina homes and businesses could benefit? You could build houses with the investment returns alone! Better yet, you could close the budget gap in your ICE program.

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The repaving of Route 17 through Tioga County was part of the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. Since being elected, President Trump has canceled the infrastructure act, and the repaving of the eastbound lane of Route 17 will not be completed.

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There is a widespread misconception that the US is a democracy and that the majority rules. Thankfully, we are not. If we were, the population of big cities and all the coastal areas, which comprise about 10 percent of the landmass, would totally dominate ordinary people who live on the remaining 90 percent of the land. Instead, we are a Representative Republic, which protects the rights of the minority population (us) from the will of the majority (them). The incredibly conceived controlling document, our glorious Constitution, which makes this happen, ensures equal RIGHTS for everyone. It’s why the US is the greatest country ever, and why people worldwide want to move here legally or sneak in illegally. We are NOT a Democracy — Ponytail Scott

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No more Biden inflation; Trump and Republican administration policies own the economy now! Inflation surged in January for gas, rents, and groceries. Egg prices rose by 15%.  With the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, prices for cars, trucks, appliances, and rebar for construction will rise. Republicans submitted their budget resolution for funding the government. Cuts of $2 trillion to mandatory spending, which includes Social Security and Medicare. Republicans expect to cut food aid for more than 40 million low-income Americans; the House Agriculture Committee is eyeing about $150 billion in cuts to supplemental nutrition programs. Did you know that the Trump tax cut for the top 1% is permanent, but the middle-class tax cut needs to be renewed? The budget proposal calls for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations and an increase of $4 trillion in the debt ceiling.

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Dismantling a whole federal agency without knowing anything about the agency, who it affects, and all the details is a real stupid move. This “person” needs to know the details for each agency. Why not try “New and Improved” methods, check out the progress in four months, and tweak it again?