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Opinion

  • The perils of bipartisanship

        It’s hip to be “bipartisan.” It has been for quite some time now. But is it really all it’s cracked up to be?

        During his successful run for the presidency, Barack Obama got a lot of mileage out of talking about both parties “working together,” politicians in Washington abandoning their “old ways” and “getting things done” for the American people.

  • Mr. Magoo climbs a ladder

        I am not fond of ladders and an experience last month didn’t help matters.

        It was a beautiful sunny Saturday and I decided that it was a perfect day to take care of a task that I had been procrastinating on for several months. Maybe I should have procrastinated a bit longer as I just got new glasses the day before and this task involved a ladder.

  • Letters

    It’s always about the teachers

        I am writing in reference to the letter in your March 11, 2009 edition submitted: By David Goode “Limited Confidence.” While I agree with Mr. Goode and the point he is trying to make, I do take exception with how he goes about it.

        The problem is with one line in his letter stating “Increase Top Management salary while neglecting those who do the real work (Teachers). While I do believe our teachers need to have salaries equal to the surrounding areas, but what about:

  • Where is the accountability?

    At some point there is going to be an accounting of all the money now being spent by our government. Let’s hope that accounting doesn’t come too late.

  • Bipartisan victories in the House

    I’m pleased to report that last week, Congress took swift, bipartisan, and decisive action to protect taxpayers. After it came to light that insurance companies who had taken billions in bailout funds had paid or intended to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in “retention” bonuses to the very executives who got us into this financial mess, the House put together a plan to block them.

     

  • The American people deserve their...

    Last month the House of Representatives rushed to consider the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” – the so-called stimulus bill.  The Democratic Leadership revealed the final text of the legislation just ten hours before the House began consideration of this enormous bill.

  • Internet killing off big newspapers

        In Seattle, Washington, it’s affectionately known simply as “the P.I.” The city’s daily newspaper, the “Seattle Post-Intelligencer,” has announced that it will cease publication and convert to an “online only” newspaper.

  • Where does he find these guys?

        Last year, Barack Obama promised the most competent, ethical administration ever. While I admit that it’s still early, the Obama administration is falling short of this lofty promise.

  •
    The hike

        The missionary leading our trip gave out the warning: If you have any reservations about taking this hike, don’t take it. A Philippine woman from the area had stated: “Tell the big ones not to go.”

        I went anyway.

  • Shedding light on government

    ?ast week’s admission by the Bedford County School Board that it could have better handled its disclosure — under the Freedom of Information Act — of its hiring of  Dr. Doug Schuch as its new superintendent sheds light on the issue of why FOIA exists in the first place. The people have a right to know what their government is doing; as much as possible government’s actions should not be hidden behind closed doors.

  • Letters

    School

    superintendent appointment

        Based on what I read in the Bedford Bulletin I find myself in the minority in siding with Talbot Huff who recently resigned from the Bedford County school board and Shirley McCabe who cast the only descending vote.   

  • Strengthening our Constitutional...

    The First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides in part that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...".  Protecting citizens’ rights to voice their opinions and ideas was so important to our Founding Fathers that they listed the freedom of the press in the First Amendment to the Constitution, along with the freedom of religion, the freedom to peaceably assemble, and the freedom to petition our government.

  • Obama stem cell order was correct

        The Obama administration sent a clear signal last week that science, not a mixture of religion and conservative political ideology, will be its guide in all matters of public policy.

        The president signed an executive order that reversed Bush administration rules on embryonic stem cell research, opening the way for more federal dollars to be used on activities that could lead to new methods of treatments for Parkinson’s Disease, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and other ailments.

  • A retirement home for al-Bashir

        The International Criminal Court charged Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir with crimes against humanity on March 4.

        While some people are applauding this action, all the evidence so far is that this action by this “court” is a farce. Al-Bashir reacted by expelling 13 aid agencies from Darfur. Other African leaders reacted by rallying around him.

        Al-Bashir continues to rule Sudan and live in luxury.

  • The school board should reconsider...

    Sometimes perception is more important than reality. That very well may be the case in the compensation package being proposed for the Dr. Douglas Schuch, the Bedford County School Board’s choice as its new superintendent.

  • Letters

    Bouncing checks

        Written to Senator Mark Warner, Virginia

  • We must work together to reform...

    This last week President Barack Obama hosted a forum on health care at the White House.  The forum included Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, representatives from the health care industry including various medical specialties, hospitals, doctors, nurses and technicians, the health insurance industry, the business community and most importantly patients, the health care consumers who must be the focus of this process.  I am encouraged by the fact that so many individuals representing such diverse interests were able to come together to discuss the goal of providing

  • Conservatives ripping into each...

        All Washington was abuzz last week over the dust-up between new GOP national chair Michael Steele and Rush Limbaugh, the self-styled king of right-wing talk radio.

        The only thing larger than Limbaugh’s ego is his religious devotion to conservatism. He showed that this passion means far more to him than even the fate of his country when he stated that he hopes Barack Obama fails.

  • The terror of an activist presidency

        Whether an activist presidency is a joyful thing, or a fearful thing, depends on what that activist president wants to do.

        The greatest American president of the 20th century once said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

  • Welcome Dr. Schuch

    ow we know who Bedford County Public School's next superintendent will be. Dr. Douglas R. Schuch was introduced to the public at a press conference on Friday.

        Although Dr. Schuch is taking command at a difficult budgetary time, he will face a better situation than Dr. James Blevins faced when he came 11 years ago.

        For one thing, Dr. Blevins is leaving while in the good graces of the school board. Back in 1998, the school board was about ready to tar and feather Dr. John Kent and ride him out of town on a rail.