We appreciate input from our readers, and we publish letters to the editor without charge. The letters should be written by the person who submits the letter and not be “ghost written” by someone else. While open speech and responsibility are encouraged, comments may be rejected if they are purely a personal attack, offensive or repetitive. Comments are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Orleans Hub. Although care is taken to moderate comments, we have no control over how they are interpreted and we are unable to guarantee the accuracy of comments and the rationality of the opinions expressed. We reserve the right to edit letters for content and brevity. Please limit the length of your letter (we suggest no more than 500 words) and provide your name, telephone number, mailing address and a verifiable email address for verification purposes. Letters should be emailed to news@orleanshub.com.

Editor:

The Republican “Law and Order” Party elected a known convicted felon to the Presidency.

This Republican-elected felon has carried out his campaign promise to pardon those who violently attacked police officers protecting our government. Officers Brian Sicknick, Howard Liebengood, Jeffrey Smith, Gunther Hashida and Kyle deFreytag died as a result of that attack and 140 officers were injured.

One of the attackers pardoned by the President, Jacob Chansley, (the man with the horned-animal headdress and body paint, dubbed the QAnon Shaman), stated he was now going to exercise his Second Amendment rights and buy some guns.

Another man, Daniel Ball, pardoned by the President for attacking police officers on Jan. 6, 2021 with explosive device was re-arrested in Florida on weapons charges. Republicans elected a felon who promised to open the prisons and release violent criminals to prey upon U.S. citizens. He has kept his promise.

Besides pardoning cop beaters, the felon President also pardoned Ross Ulbricht, a convicted drug kingpin. Mr. Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 of selling more than $200 million worth of drugs including heroin, cocaine, and LSD.

Mr. Trump promised last May to pardon Mr. Ulbricht while courting votes and campaign contributions from the crypto industry. So, the pardon was not a surprise nor unexpected.

Republicans knew who they were voting for last November. This is just some of the evidence that the Republicans have abandoned law and order. While loudly proclaiming they support law enforcement their actions demonstrate that they do not.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

Simple solution: We do not have to invade Panama. The All-American solution is US ports and railroads.

Rail, supplemented by water and truck, can deliver overseas freight without Canal tolls.

This also strengthens USA infrastructure.

Gerard M. Morrisey

East Gaines

Editor:

On inauguration day Trump pardoned all of the 1,500-plus Jan. 6’ers. Most of these had already served their full prison time.

But the few hundred released on Jan. 21 were the worst of the worst: Proud Boys & Oath Keeper leaders and their ilk.

Be aware that wannabee dictators always have groups of thugs that are used to intimidate any and all opposition. They are particularly needed in the early phases of a dictator’s takeover. In these early stages the wannabee will seek to damage, or destroy,  the existing system of government.

In a democracy the changes are done legally whereas the wannabee’s thugs use illegal violence and intimidation to pave the way for the changes. These thugs will not have uniforms or name tags so as to make them hard to identify. This will make it easier for the  wannabee to claim no knowledge of these acts of violence and intimidation. He will say he has no knowledge of the violence and will say it certainly isn’t his police or army doing this. Of course, after the violence and intimidation have helped obtain the takeover the wannabee changes the laws. After that the police and military will be used to enforce the new dictatorial laws.

I feel it certain  that Trump will create his own private army from these pardoned Jan. 6’ers.  Hitler’s similar groups of thugs were called the Brownshirts. They helped Hitler to gain and consolidate power in the 1920s & ’30s.

Dennis Seekins

Lyndonville

Editor:

Give me your foreign born billionaire yearning to take over the world.

Your wretched high-tech male oligarchs selling all your data hoping to be richer.

Send the faux news actors to run the country for me.

I lift my lamp to see all the gold you have in store.

Danise F. Austin

Albion

Editor:

On Monday, January 20 we replace a very confused, slightly angry old man with a slightly confused, very angry old man. There must be a better process that we can follow.

The current primary system favors extreme views, early in the process. Early primary states should have a later “Correction of Errors” phase.

Gerard M. Morrisey

Gaines

Editor:

Local Republican legislators – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, Congressman Nick Langworthy, and State Senator Rob Ortt, (all who endorsed a convicted criminal for President) – have expressed their opposition to the Green Light Law which allows for undocumented immigrants to have drivers’ licenses.

In order to obtain a Green Light Driver’s license, the applicant must apply for a learner’s permit, pass a written exam, take a driver education course and pass a road test as well as provide documents proving their identity, age and residency.

Undocumented immigrants make up over half of farm workers, according to Cornell University and they comprise a large share of construction and health care industries.

These people have families, and they drive their children to school and extra-curricular activities. They drive family members to doctor’s offices and to their jobs just like the rest of us.

Ending the Green light Law will not stop them from driving, but it will drive them underground and make driving less safe for all New Yorkers. Studies from New Mexico and Utah show that there is an increase in vehicular accidents and in the rate of uninsured drivers without the Green Light Law.

There is no evidence that the Green Light Law makes New Yorkers less safe. Our immigration system is broken and needs to be fixed, migrants need to have a legal way to enter the country, find jobs and help our economy grow. This Republican legislation of blaming others and punishment will not address the issue and shows their lack of seriousness.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

Karen Sawicz is owed tremendous thanks by all current residents of not only Orleans County but the easily connected people who routinely access the Orleans Hub from afar!

I remember conversations with her going back about 15 years ago, following the death of her parents. I would stop in to the Lake Country Pennysaver offices to pay an advertising bill to her delightful front office crew and Karen would occasionally pop out of her office for a chat.

Even then, Karen’s personal life had changed from residing in Orleans County and she did have a potential buyer for The Lake Country Pennysaver, but she also had concerns.  She loved this county and she had pursued options to not only continue The Pennysaver but to also bring Orleans County into the virtual world of what she ultimately developed to become the Orleans Hub.

We have all benefited from her concerns, her diligence and countless decisions to not sell at that time. Instead, she focused on the development of a Virtual Hub and secured spectacular staff we all know so well and by the wonderful “Letter to the Editor” opportunities for any of us.

This Orleans Hub goes all over the world instantly by a push of keyboard strokes by any of us and has enabled such healthy discourse and promotions unlike ANY of our neighboring counties!

Thanks Karen, we owe you so much … from one Karen to another!

Karen Watt

Albion

Editor:

Some of my fondest memories are from the six years I spent attending Towne Primary School.

Singing outside on the steps in the back courtyard, the awesome playground that for many years I enjoyed taking my granddaughters to!

Would it not be an impressive home for our senior residents? I can see the playground being adored our seniors and their families, children coming to the courtyard or the library for a story hour! How about a cooking class?

Our young people may enjoy the time spent with a senior. I believe there may be young people, even us older adults would enjoy learning cooking skills (a pinch of this and a dash of that) including myself!

I believe the possibilities are endless. I would love to see the building come alive. Medina has witnessed the recent beautifications of the Bent’s Opera House and the Walsh House!

I know in my heart Towne School on Bates Road could be a perfect home for our seniors.

Just an idea!

Sarah Yates Gonzalez

Medina

Editor:

Congresswoman Tenney has introduced in Congress the Red Light Act that seeks to withhold federal transportation funding from states that enact laws to provide driver’s licenses or ID cards to illegal immigrants.

Tenney goes on to say, “In New York, the Green Light Law has given licenses to illegal immigrants. allowing these dangerous individuals to roam freely in our country, brutally attacking, raping and murdering members of our community.”

What an astonishing, illogical thing to put into print, let alone introduce in Congress. Is this yet another example of Tenney’s efforts to pander to Trump, to make sure she walks in lock step to his racist rantings on immigrants?

Using Tenny’s twisted logic perhaps she would also ban buses, trains and planes. And since criminals also walk, how about banning shoes and socks?

When members of Congress are in session, they usually employ cooks and maids in their Washington homes. A large number of these people are immigrants. Perhaps Tenney employs immigrants in her Washington DC house hold staff, and if so, I wonder if are they legally in the US?

A clarification from Tenney in the Hub would be useful.

Jack Capurso

Ashburn, Va.

Mr. Capurso graduated from Albion High School in 1960.

Editor:

In a recent letter, longtime opponent of wind energy, Kerri Richardson, claimed that residents may not see many benefits from the Heritage Wind project to the Town of Barre, Orleans County, and our local schools.

Ms. Richardson threw out a lot of numbers but ignores some basic facts about the project.

First, the revenue from Heritage Wind is new money for our town that we didn’t have to begin with. The benefits to our town, and schools from the PILOT and Host Community Agreement revenue are significant! And the amount could have been greater if not for the constant opposition and antics of the anti-wind factions, including Ms. Richardson’s group, which resulted in a smaller project with fewer turbines than originally proposed and permitted.

The funds coming to Barre from the wind project certainly could be used to lower town taxes, as the majority on the current board have expressed that they want to do. Other wind projects across the state have done just that.

Could the money from the project be used for other town priorities? Of course! It’s no secret that the funds could be used for other projects and that it’s up to the board. And with the additional funds, other priorities could be addressed as well. The question is whether most of the funds will be used to help the residents, and that will depend on who is on the board now and in the future.

Ms. Richardson also mentioned that job creation in this area from the project will be a low number and so not worthwhile. But she forgot to include the several hundred workers who will be working to build the project, including spending with local businesses to provide supplies and services during construction.

While construction workers will certainly come from throughout the region, and not all will be local to Orleans County, any visiting workers will be spending money locally for their daily needs, such as housing, food service, fuel and supplies. During operations, the number of full-time employees will decrease but the project will still produce full-time good paying jobs for the community.

Ms. Richardson and I do agree that when we vote this coming November, we should keep in mind who we want to represent our town. But we disagree on the kind of representation. Do we want those who are stuck in the past fighting against a project that is already approved, as Ms. Richardson would advocate for? Or do we want a group that will embrace the opportunity before us and make sure the financial benefits from Heritage Wind will be used in the best interests of the town and its residents? I’d rather see a group using the money to make life better for residents rather than fighting legal battles.

And I disagree with Ms. Richardson that most of the residents are against this project. I don’t think that’s been proven at all. I would say that most people here are probably tired of hearing about it and want the fighting to stop.

The wind project is coming! It will soon be built and will be generating clean power! And the new funds coming to the town, Orleans County, and local schools will provide a huge boost to this area that will prove beneficial to all.

Christine Loss

Barre

Editor:

I was very glad to read about the change in ownership at the Pennysaver and Hub, as it appears that there will be little outward change. Don’t mess with success.

Tom Rivers is the heart and soul of Orleans Hub. When I see Tom appear at a community event with his smiling face and his camera, I know that the world will hear about something that makes us proud of our home, or something that needs to be fixed.

Tom gets the names and the details right, and can be counted on to report the situation as it stands, without bias or spin. Those of us who log in several times a day, or watch the announcements on Facebook, appreciate the oasis that is Orleans Hub in the sandstorm desert of society today.

I grew up reading the Lyndonville Enterprise, a newspaper that appeared almost by magic from a mysterious little building that is now a parking lot behind the laundromat; I will never forget the web-fed printing press that took up two stories of that building, and the mostly hand-set type.

When I was a teenager I worked in the job shop at the Medina Journal-Register, which at the time was still set in hot lead from linotype. Both papers reported on school sports, who made the honors list at high school, who was visiting from out of town, farm news, and local businesses. We used to joke that they would go to the library to see if someone had borrowed the book, and that the phone directory had a Yellow Page. Life in a small town was important, even if it wasn’t Albion or Washington DC.

We can still get some of that in Tom and Ginny Kropf’s splendid work that appears on Orleans Hub. I admire the fact that it is a free site, although I would subscribe in a heartbeat.

When I do business with a Hub advertiser, I am careful to let them know I saw their ad. With the societal changes driving conventional newspapers out of business, the Orleans Hub is more than worth preserving; it is crucial. I am very glad to learn that the ownership structure will allow it to continue and grow.

Douglas Pratt

Lyndonville

Editor:

We wholeheartedly agree with deporting felon and violent immigrants.

But, we have always needed immigrant workers from the canals, to the railroads, to mining, to farming, canning factories, service industries and even medical care. So please don’t deport immigrant farm workers. Our local rural economy and farm industry has depended upon and does depend upon immigrants, including “undocumented” (no green card) for 40 years.

Massive deportation will be very expensive. Let’s reduce our national debt and/or invest in our infrastructure. Give Americans good jobs.

Justice: Since the 1986 obviously impractical law (made it illegal to hire undocumented workers), which we rarely enforced until about 2005, we allowed about 5.5 million mainly Mexicans and another 6 million immigrants to outstay their Visas and work for our society, especially in the food industry.

They came in families or to families often, have also developed families and had millions of children, who are American citizens. Many, through no fault of their own, have not even been able to get a green card. We know one highly successful Mexican, who has spent $35,000 in legal fees, trying unsuccessfully to get a green card. He’s hiding from no one, known to the immigration courts and establishing three businesses. One won the Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award.

To deport them now, 2/3rds of whom have been here over 10 years, many as long as 30, most of whom are hard, reliable and valued workers, would be not only impractical but unjust to them and farmers.

Congress has had three bi-partisan bills, that would have helped correct the 1986 law, but failed to pass. Former GOP House Speaker John Boehner (2013?) called some of his fellow Republicans “blockheads” and resigned in frustration. It failed to pass the House, although passing the Senate with approximately 2/3rds majority. That’s what we need to do. Pass one of those 3 proposals or something similar.

Life: To deprive children of a parent(s) and bread-winner is cruel and anti-life. To expel whole families, including American citizens, to unknown and most likely difficult situations in their native lands, is likely life-threatening and certainly unjust. If we care about children in our society, then we have to care about the millions of children of immigrants, including their nutrition, health care and education, all life issues.

Respectfully submitted,

Robert E. Golden

Kent

Editor:

President Joe Biden often talks about building the economy from the “middle-out.” I thought that was just an advertising slogan, but it is actually a branch of macroeconomic theory.

Middle-out economics is rooted in economic science that economies are complex, adaptive and ecosystemic, that is there is a feedback loop found in ecosystems. It is centered around consumer spending as a key ingredient in job and economic growth. It maintains that a thriving middle-class is essential to economic growth and not the consequence of it.

This theory is in opposition to Reaganomics, or trickle-down (also called supply-side), economics. There are multiple academic peer-reviewed studies supporting middle-out economics as opposed to trickle-down economics. There are also real-world experiences that demonstrate the failure of trickle-down economics and the positive effects of middle-out economics. The most prominent real-world experiment demonstrating the failure of trickle-down economics was the Kansas experiment.

In 2012, Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas signed legislation, supported by Arthur Laffer, a key architect of President Reagan tax policy, cutting the state taxes which he described as “a real live experiment,” in supply-side economics, and it would be a “shot of adrenaline into the heart of the Kansas economy.”

However, the tax cuts did not produce job growth. Private sector job growth was lower than its neighboring states. Moody’s Investors Service and Standard and Poor’s Rating downgraded the state’s credit rating, making borrowing more expensive. Education took the biggest hit with increased class size, eliminating art programs, laid-off janitors and librarians, and rising fees for kindergarten.

The Kansas Department of Transportation announced they were “indefinitely delaying” road projects  while roads deteriorated because the state took funds from the highway department to balance the state general budget. The Kansas experiment was deemed a failure.

Despite the economic failure of supply-side economics Republicans remain committed to it. For example, in Mr. Trump’s first term in office the Republican’s signature legislation was the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA). Which was supposed to stimulate the economy, create job growth and increase federal revenues.

According to the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), the tax cuts were largely responsible for increasing the national debt by $8.4 trillion. (In contrast, Mr. Biden’s legislation including the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure legislation, the Chips and Science Act, the Pact Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act added only $4.3 trillion).

While the economy remained resilient during most of Mr. Trump’s first administration the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that America lost nearly 200,000 manufacturing jobs under Mr. Trump’s administration before the Covid-19 pandemic. Under Mr. Biden’s administration more than 700,000 new manufacturing jobs have been created.

Job creation does not occur when there are abundant profits but when there is abundance of customer demand. Thanks to President Biden, his economic agenda created a strong economy as evidenced by strong consumer spending this past holiday season.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

There appears to be an intriguing and frightfully dangerous development evolving within The Former President’s post election enthroning of his primary confidants. I speak of course of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is a Kennedy in name only and Elon Musk who apparently loves to name everything he has as “X”; how ingenious!

RFK Jr. is to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services, an absolutely critical Cabinet position for which he has absolutely no educational or medical/health-related experiences – none!

During and since the Covid pandemic he spoke loudly and often against the vaccine, regardless of the fact that according to the CDC of the nearly one million Americans who died of Covid-19 one half could have been saved had they been vaccinated.

But by following the “wisdom” of RFK Jr. and The Former President their chance of survival was in fact greatly diminished. Further, the National Center for Biotechnology Information has documented that worldwide the Covid-19 vaccine prevented an estimated 14.4 million additional deaths.

How is this man the least bit qualified to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services?

To the best of my knowledge neither of these men have ever held an elected governmental position at any level; which is to say that they are not certainly “of the people or by the people”! They do not represent a cause or promote an agenda which is in the best interest of our nation yet they dance around The Former President as if he is the second coming of … well, you know – himself!

It is all too obvious that these positions are being used solely to reward their financial support of The Former President and the Republican Party.

At a time when The Former President and his minions in the Republican Party are touting less government, a new Cabinet level position, the Department of Government Efficiency, has been generated so that Elon Musk may be elevated to save us from our own demise.

Obviously in the case of Elon Musk he knows all too well what $227 million can buy you in Washington DC these days; a seat “in the room where it happens”! Only the Republican Party would believe that the best way to reduce the size of the Federal Government is by adding to it. It appears that some Republicans may have missed a few math classes along the way.

Historically speaking, some might be inclined to think of The Former President, RFK Jr. and Mr. Musk as the First Great American Triumvirate modeled after Caesar’s First Roman Triumvirate (60 B.C.E. – 56 B.C.E.) They being guided by the belief that they will expand the glory and power of the American Empire in a worldwide crusade of their own bravado and conceit, meanwhile at the expense of any semblance whatsoever of our proud democratic heritage and ideals. They may want to be reminded how this all worked out for Caesar!

In his “The Praise of Folly” in 1509 the renowned Dutch philosopher and humanist Erasmus wrote what appears to be perfectly appropriate for today; “The less talent they have, the more pride, vanity and arrogance they have. All these fools, however, find other fools who applaud them.” How could Erasmus have known that over 500 years into the future Americans would be proving him to be amazingly prophetic.

Doug Miller

Albion

Editor:

I am sick of Santa!! Even while living in the village of the original Santa Claus School, I am SICK of Santa Claus!!

I mean no ill will toward the ole guy, and yes, of course, I believe in him. However, I believe even the founder of the Santa School, Charles W. Howard, would be appalled at the way the idea of Santa has overshadowed the Birth of Jesus Christ as the true meaning of Christmas in today’s world!!

Netflix, Max, AMC, Amazon Prime, and all of the others, including Pure Flix to some degree, and many other industries have all focused chiefly on Santa rather than the Christ Child for which the holiday was named “Christ”mas!!

They fail in redirecting the over merchandising of the holiday from selfish hedonism to some spiritual feeling of goodness and “good will toward men” because they exclude the true meaning!!  No amount of “Santa Claus-ing” or Christmas Caroling, or gift purchasing or gift giving will ever suffice as a foundation for Christmas cheer and goodness.

Only through establishing the true reason for the season will we regain acquisition of its inherent Joy and fundamental truth and goodness, Godliness, Righteousness and Hope! So, I suppose I should clarify. I am not sick of Santa personally; I am sick of the way people, communities, and industries have placed him above the true meaning of Christmas… (Sorry Santa… …coal?? Krampus?? Yikes!!! No! What I mean is…) The true meaning of Christmas!

The miraculous and immaculate birth of the Christ Child! God! Incarnate! Come to Earth as a Baby to experience humanity first hand, to show humanity how to live, how to have a true relationship with God, to impart the hope of Heaven, then to pay the price of sin for all who believe, and then to rise after conquering death to demonstrate the Power of God and the truth of His Word.

As if all of this was not enough, He gives the gift of His Holy Spirit dwelling in all those who believe, His purchased possession, so that we may truly live in and project the Image of God who created us! (It’s in His book, just look!!)

This is God’s gift to us! The best gift Santa could ever give is to point to Jesus and rejoice in His birth, the gift of Heaven.

Merry Christ-Mas to All…

Doug Egling

Albion