Readers’ Column for the week of March 16, 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.

Attention Ukulele Players: The Tioga Ukulele Group’s next adult jam session is scheduled for March 22, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Coburn Free Library, Main Street, Owego. All levels of players are welcome to join us, from beginners to accomplished ukulele players. For more information or to receive music ahead of the jam session, please contact us at (607) 321-8815 or (607) 743-9803 or send an email to TiogaUkuleleGroup@yahoo.com.

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Firefighters of the Candor, Spencer, and Owego Fire Departments, on behalf of the Berg Family and Thunderbird Atlatl, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your incredible courage, perseverance, and dedication in extinguishing the fire that broke out in our woodshop on Feb. 19. Your swift response and tireless efforts prevented what could have been a much greater disaster, and for that, we are truly thankful. We are especially grateful that no one was hurt and that the fire was prevented from spreading to other buildings. We recognize that the extreme cold on that night made your work even more difficult, yet you faced the challenge with unwavering determination. We admire your commitment. Please know that your bravery and selflessness do not go unnoticed. With heartfelt thanks, Robert and Cheryll Berg.

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Along with many other people who have been complaining about their electric bill, mine has gone up over $100 this month, which had gone up $100 a month before that. Now it’s $200 higher! Does anyone know what number to call? When you call customer service, they do not answer the phone. So if anyone knows how to reach a complaint office about all of this, and the more people that do, the better off we will all be.

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I agree with the person who wrote into the Pennysaver about the electric car. For what purpose do we need them? Like they said, there are too many vehicles being used as take-home vehicles. 

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I would like to know why some places do not ask if you want a receipt or just give you the receipt. Many of them now don’t even offer the receipt, and you have to ask for it. What’s up with that?  

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I would just like to say hats off to the correctional guards who protested Tuesday in Albany. How much clearer can they make it to the Governor on what they really need? Health, safe working conditions, just like all of us. When we go to work, we want to feel safe, and they certainly are no different. She claims that her job is to protect the people of New York State. Well, aren’t these correctional guards people of New York State too? She’s supposed to be the governor, and she’s supposed to act like one, not threaten people. She’s supposed to handle situations. I hope she learns quickly how to do that. 

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What can be done about dogs? Dogs running loose? Stray cats, all kinds of cats, do not belong to you; they belong to your neighbors. Anything can be done about cats running loose? A cat took a swipe and caught the edge of my pants. Now I’m careful but have to watch out for loose cats and dogs. There’s an awful lot of them running around in Nichols. 

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Anybody see the news? New Yorkers are struggling to buy food. Since when do they care? Want to pay taxes, property taxes for years. Do you think anybody in Tioga County, anybody all the way from Albany down to Tioga County really cares? I have watched people lose their homes, selling them right out from under the people because they can’t afford these taxes, and nobody gives a damn about it. They’re the ones that are threatening your parents, your relatives, your friends, your neighbors, from losing their homes. All of the politicians in there now should be thrown out. 

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Someone called in a couple of weeks ago for the phone number for the Better Business Bureau. It’s 1-703-276-0100. They’re based in Virginia. 

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I’m not too sure about the rest of the people out there, but I have had it with the Snowman, the Ice Princess, and the Wind Wizard. 

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Does anyone know if there’s been a date set yet for the Apalachin/ Marshland Road yearly garage sales? Thank you. 

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Evolution is a belief system that replaces reality with the hope that there is no God to whom we are responsible, but which takes away all hope that there is a higher purpose, and life becomes meaningless. There is no evidence that life began as microbes and gradually developed into humans. It’s a big scam. Mutations are occasionally beneficial to an organism in certain environments, but always cause an overall LOSS of genetic information. Fifi’s offspring will never regain the characteristics of her ancestors, wild dogs, because of the permanent loss of information. Animals are not evolving, they are devolving. And so are we.

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Broome Library should have articulation agreements with NYPL SIBL, as well as SUNY, especially for access to subscribed databases, many of which are valuable for entrepreneurs.

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The Village of Owego’s purchase of a foreign electric car is not the correct way to help make America great again. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 met the village’s size, safety, and reliability requirements, and it is manufactured in Bryan County, Ga. Second, the claim that “electric vehicles are on their way out” is incorrect. Electric and hybrid vehicle sales, by the third quarter of 2024, reached a record 21.2% of new U.S. car sales. Third, the car in question is not a “take-home car.” Fourth, the car was funded through a NYSERDA grant awarded to the Village via the Clean Energy Communities program, not from Village taxes. As far as making America great again, electric vehicles serve our common good by reducing air and noise pollution, decreasing the village’s carbon footprint, and lessening our dependency on imported oil.

 

National Political Viewpoints

Great news for the US economy led by President Trump. Taiwan Semiconductor, which produces about 80% of all semiconductors in the world, is going to invest at least $100 billion “with a B” dollars in the US for five new manufacturing plants. They have already committed $50 billion in Arizona. That’s going to be great for at least 25,000 new high-paying tech jobs to produce chips to power AI, your phone, and your cars. Great going, President Trump! 

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How about when people voted for Trump? If he did get any votes, they didn’t realize they were voting for a Russian agent. Can you believe that? He’s selling our country out to Russia. You people aren’t saying a word, just sitting back and cheering it. I remember some Republicans in this area calling Democrats communists. I wonder what they are saying now. Those same Republicans, I wonder what they think now about their man so far up Putin’s butt he can’t even see daylight. 

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Trump is a communist, just check out all this stuff that he’s doing. It’s to benefit Russia and hurt Ukraine, not to mention here in our own country. He’s got to get out of here or our country’s going to go down the tubes. 

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Why is Trump against the United States and Canada and so clearly for Russia?  

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At the White House meeting on Friday, there were no men in suits that were hammering Zelensky. He was the only man in the room with any courage, any strength, any morals. They should be ashamed of themselves, but I’m sure they’re not. 

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I am so embarrassed by Trump’s actions the other day, ganging up on Zelensky; to me, he’s the most un-American American president we’ve ever had. Anybody with any lick of common sense can see he’s just helping Russia, who’s helping Putin, and he’s going to send Ukraine and Zelensky down the tubes, mark my words. 

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This is to all the Democratic parents who have daughters. How could you support the Democratic Party when they support having biological males in your daughter’s locker rooms and playing against them in sports? There were only two Democratic representatives that supported removing biological males from girls’ locker rooms and from competing in men’s or women’s sports. I would think again when the next election comes about. 

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A bill just passed to protect women against men participating in womens’ sports and entering their locker rooms. And of course, all but a few of the Democrats voted against it. It’s kind of interesting. 

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I just watched President Trump give the best speech of his life. The Democrats have no good ideas, no brains and no heart. They stayed seated when Trump announced the boy’s Secret Service award and the young man’s appointment to West Point. That was totally obnoxious and pathetic.

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I speak for all Americans, especially the Democrats, they should be ashamed and disgusted at the Democratic display at President Trump’s address last night. Did they not learn anything from the November election? The American people do not want what they are selling. Every Democrat needs to be impeached or voted out next election. It’s clear that they are not going to change their radical ways and sadly there is no hope for them. Our country does not need what they are selling and we do not need them to further divide us. I say good riddance to the law and I hope they enjoy their retirement as they lose the election next November 2026. 

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How could you not stand and applaud and show support and empathy for each and every one of President Trump’s special guests at his recent speech? I guess I need to ask a Democrat. I don’t know why they even attended. Anybody have a clue? I’d appreciate your response. 

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President Trump is draining the swamp, and the monsters are having a fit. 

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Democrats should take their bingo paddles and start shoveling some cerebral matter and patriotism into their heads. They should be totally ashamed of their idiotic behavior and require rehabilitation, training, and an attitude adjustment. 

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I see our electricity is probably about to go up because the president is putting tariffs on Canada. So when your electric bill goes up 25% or more, you can thank Trump for it. Don’t blame Hochul because it is not her doing this. Everything else is going to go up. You people voted for him, bought into his lies, and he is going to end up costing you tons of money. Nothing’s going to come down. We’re never going to get anywhere. That guy needs to go. He is very, very bad for the country. 

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To everyone who voted for the current president because they thought he could do better, even though they didn’t like him. How’s it working out? He’s threatening our veterans, our allies; he wants to isolate us from the world, and that’s exactly what a dictator does. He wants to control us all, and that’s why he calls himself the king. Wake up people, and get rid of this guy before he totally destroys the US more than he already has. 

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Everyone who loves trump and musk is sick.

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Trump and the Fox Propaganda network are trying to blame Biden for King Donald stock crash and job losses. Add the flip-flopping on the tariffs, and our economy is crashing. If King Donald had done nothing, we would have 4% growth; instead, economists predict -2.8% loss. Let’s go, Brandon, indeed!  

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So the Democrat Party can’t stand and clap for a young boy that survived cancer and wants to become a cop, but they will stand and clap for a boy who wants to become a girl. Pretty much sums up the Democrat Party today. 

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All of a sudden, we’re having a big thing over the Social Security office being closed; who’s going to help you? Has anyone noticed that for the last two or three years, nobody’s been there? You can call and call and call and call, and it just rings. You don’t get anybody. So I ask you, what the hell has really been different here? I don’t see too much difference, other than the government finally saving some money. 

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Somebody wrote in the readers’ column, “Trump is smarter than he looks.” I think someone needs a pair of glasses. 

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Last week, Trump and Vance attacked the President of Ukraine in the Oval Office. Since then, he has called Zelensky a dictator, cut off aid to Ukraine, and is no longer sharing intelligence with them. Trump said Putin is bombing the crap out of the Ukraine, as they should. Would it surprise anyone that due to Trump’s own personal grudge against Zelensky, he would allow Ukrainians to die and be injured and force them to give in to Russia? That is some good negotiating, isn’t it? Reagan would be so proud. 

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I’ve noticed the difference between Trump’s first presidency and his second; in his first presidency, he wasn’t talking about taking Gaza and Greenland and Canada, and all this stuff. And also, his first term, he was trying to avoid war. It seems like in the second term, he’s trying to start trouble with all these other countries, even our own, he is gutting our government now. He didn’t do that in the first term. What has changed? 

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Watch your 401K disappearing.

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“Don’t worry about inflation?” Can I send my electric, water, and gas bills to the White House? Trump does not pay any of these bills. Inflation to him is when burgers go up at McDonald’s. Wait, wait… we pay for that too. Does he personally pay for anything?

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James Fenimore Cooper opined that democracy was right and good, but it depended on people, and people were not always to be trusted: they must “be watched in this country, as in other countries kings and aristocrats are to be watched,” lest they escape sensible control and become tyrannical. Prof. Lewis Leary’s (Columbia Univ.) introduction to Home as Found.

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Once upon a time, there was a man named Ronald Hump. Ronald was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He learned early on that because his daddy had a lot of money, Ronald could say and do pretty much anything he felt like doing. Ronald could buy, lie, cheat, steal, and threaten his way out of situations that would land the common man in prison. Ronald’s brain realized that he could buy his way into politics. He didn’t need to have any knowledge about what was good and proper. He just needed money and a bunch of like-minded rich men to twist and pervert the laws to meet their own greedy desires. Yes sir, Ronald Hump had it all figured out.

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I always thought the one thing all Americans could agree on is that Vladimir Putin is a despicable man who tortures, gases, imprisons, and poisons his own people when they disagree with him. It is a sad day in America when the president of this country sides with the dictator who invaded a neighboring country just because that democratic nation asked to join NATO for protection. And if Donald Trump is such an amazing deal maker, why does he keep flip flopping over tariffs?

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The best way to save the SSI is to remove the income cap of $175,000 and tax all the income, simple as that. About the Federal Budget, we’re trillions in debt, and they want to give the wealthy and big businesses tax breaks and cut benefits to the low-income individuals that need the help. Where is the logic? Also, all budgets should be frozen or reduced, including the Pentagon, which can’t pass a simple audit. Reagan’s trickle-down effect didn’t work then, and it won’t work now.

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How depressing, discouraging, and disappointing to watch the juvenile, disrespectful, undignified, and cold-hearted antics of the Democrats during the President’s speech. They showed their true colors. They couldn’t even acknowledge a little boy with brain cancer whose greatest ambition is to support law and order and protect the public? How petty and intentionally hurtful. And what was with the signs that looked like paper plates glued to popsicle sticks? Sigh.

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Did you know that the illegal gun running from the US to Mexico hugely contributes to the growth of well-armed cartels in Mexico that distribute fentanyl to the U.S.? Around 250,000 guns are smuggled annually, and 70% of guns at Mexican crime scenes traced back to the U.S. The Mexican President is now demanding action to curb the flow of American firearms into Mexico. By all rights, Mexico should be putting tariffs on U.S. goods to stop this huge illegal gun trafficking.

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I’m trying to follow the program cuts in Washington and wonder what impact those cuts are going to have on Tioga County and the villages and towns in Tioga County, especially Medicaid, since they are paid by property taxes in New York.

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“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” — James Madison

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I was watching all these old hippies protesting President Trump’s strategy of trying to end the Ukrainian/ Russia war. Its kinda funny, these are the same hippies that spit in the face of us returning vets in the 60’s and 70’s for being warmongers. I think President Trump should give all you anti-peace protesters what you want, bring back the draft!

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Social Security was established by a federal act in 1935. The first taxes were collected in 1937 and the first payment was made that year. Regular monthly payments began in 1940. Social Security numbers are not reused and are not erased. Therefore, there are names of people on the Social Security registry who may have been born 150 years ago, but it does not mean that the person is still collecting benefits.  

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Trump fired everyone in charge of airplane safety, and a week later, planes started crashing into each other.

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“You can say that Trump is wrong in his analysis of the world. You can say that Trump’s methods are abominable. But you can’t say that American power is sufficient to meet its current commitments on the trajectory that we’re on.” — The historian Stephen Kotkin on Trump, Russia, and Ukraine

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“Everyone knows Donald Trump prefers his leaders shirtless and on a horse.” — Jimmy Kimmel

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Didn’t Trump run on inflation? Trump and Elon only need time. They inherited a mess. I disagree; the mess has only gotten worse! Last fall, retail was on fire. Restaurants were full. Today, they are dead. Do you think the 170,000 people that lost their jobs are spending money? How good was the market the last two years? Twenty percent plus returns! The market isn’t that cheery today. What amount of time do we give to get the GREAT back?

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The blood of Ukranians killed by attacks from Russia is on the hands of the Trump administration – Trump and the emasculated Republican Congress. Putin is taking advantage of the fact that the Trump administration has halted the sharing of intelligence with Ukraine which affects their defensive operations. What a great deal maker – Trump gave away all the US leverage before negotiations, nothing is asked of Putin. 

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Fascism noun. An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing government and social organization. – (In general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practices. The term Fascism was first used in the totalitarian right-wing nationalist regime of Mussolini in Italy(1922-43); the regimes of the Nazis in Germany and Franco in Spain were also Fascist. Fascism tends to include a belief in the supremacy of one national or ethnic group, a contempt for democracy, and the insistence on obedience to a powerful leader. — Oxford Dictionary of English

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So, Canada is threatening to stop sending electricity to the US because of the tariffs. As far as NY is concerned, this blame goes to Hochul, Cuomo, and all the climate challengers that forced the shutdown of the coal plants, refused to add gas-powered plants, and shut down nuclear plants in NYS. We wouldn’t have to rely on others if those people would butt out.

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Why do we need Congress when King Trump can govern by Executive Orders? Who cares what the Constitution says or any laws? The judicial system is also being threatened by Co-king Musk; he wants to impeach any judge that dares to not support the King.

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From the 45th president: If the Dow drops 1,000 points in two days, the President should be impeached immediately!