Published: July 14, 2009 08:27 am      

LETTERS: July 14, 2009

Reader questions Hill on energy support

Baron Hill, 9th District Congressman from Indiana, was one of two Indiana representatives to vote in favor of the bloated, 1,201 page colossus largest tax increase in history, the American Clean Energy and Security Act. But at home?

I recently asked Baron Hill’s representative, Adam Dickey, if Rep. Hill is supporting Liberty Green Renewables LLC’s 28-megawatt woody biomass-to-electricity plant, just outside the impoverished small town of Milltown, in nearby Crawford County. The plant would bring 40 to 50 badly needed, high-paying green jobs to this small Indiana town that has lost all of its major employers. Adam Dickey told me that Congressman Hill had not, and would not be taking a position for or against the plant.

I find it interesting and distressing that Baron Hill can support a bill that will change the economy of our nation for the coming century, but he cannot take a stand one way or the other in his own district. Could it be that some very misguided, but vocal residents of the Milltown area, who oppose the green energy plant, would cost Baron Hill some votes in the 2010 election?

Congressman Hill, if you are willing to vote for a huge tax increase for all of us, and to vote for a bill that you did not read, then why can you not take a stand for green energy in your own district?

— Kelly Roggenkamp, Georgetown

Reader sympathizes with child support writer

I read the letter from Becky Northern, of New Albany, about child support and believe me, I know what she is talking about. My grandson’s dad is one of the deadbeat dads. I think he owes around $55,000, maybe even more. I lost count.

You would think that if a person commits a felony, they would go to jail or, at least, get yelled at by a judge — wrong! Child support is put on the back burner a lot of times.

My grandson is 9 years old now. My daughter has hired two attorneys and also paid the $25 fee downtown for them to help. We have given addresses where he lived and places where he worked and they would call me all the time looking for him. I would tell them, “Remember, he doesn’t live here. We gave you the information about where he lives and works.”

Last year, right before the election, I wrote to the governor about what was going on. Then in January, my daughter received a letter saying she was getting child support for a few months. The last one was, I think, April 12. He was drawing unemployment, so the state took it out of his check. And then the unemployment ran out. No more checks. She did receive his tax check for the first time this year.

All of this has been going on since my grandson was 11⁄2 years old. I have often asked, “How do they pick and choose whom they go after on back child support?”

I have a nephew that goes to jail at the drop of a hat if he is behind. Yet, my grandson’s dad has never been in jail — not one time.

Keith Henderson, Floyd County prosecutor, won’t help. He’s too busy with David Camm. I don’t know, maybe he’s thinking about running for a different office and he thinks child support won’t further his career. I’m sorry, but don’t expect any help from Floyd County courts. Try writing to the governor. Who knows, he may help out. It’s worth a shot.

And to all of you deadbeat dads out there, this money is to help your children. The funny thing is my grandson’s dad filed that he wanted to pay child support. You know, do the right thing. Well, as you can see, that didn’t last.

— Debbie Eason, New Albany

Reader: State needs mental institution

We Hoosiers need to get a state mental institution for the mentally disturbed and for the Dr. Jekylls and Mr. Hydes who cannot function on their own.

I’m not sure why Madison state hospital closed down. If enough people were to band together, we could go up to Indianapolis and hold a protest outside the Capitol and tell Gov. Mitch Daniels that we need a state mental hospital for those who cannot make it on their own, and they need to be able to function and those people are among their kind of people.

The Jeffersonville Police Department has done a great job coming over here to Clark Arms several times responding to a call abut a girl who lived here, who desperately needed to be in a mental hospital. She was on medication. I don’t know if she took her medicine or if her medicine was a high enough dosage.

Since I don’t have enough money in my pocket to buy the whole JPD a banana split at Dairy Queen, I will say kudos to the JPD for making many runs here and to the soup kitchen for helping this young lady.

Yet, JPD does not have enough manpower, and they don’t have enough hours in the day to always come over here and every place else. (I hope I scored brownie points with Chief Tim Deeringer?)

And they are not rightly equipped to handle such cases as Dr. Jekylls and Mr. Hydes. They have other things to do, and rightly so.

I don’t know how exactly the Hoosier Medicaid works over in Kentucky, but someone should be responsible for the mentally disturbed people.

We really do need a state mental hospital or someone may wind up dead on the street somewhere.

— Ron Stewart, Jeffersonville

Reader believes freedoms are being eroded

We have just celebrated America’s victory over tyranny and remembered those patriots who gave their lives for this freedom.

These freedoms are now being eroded by people under the guise of improving our country, as they give government control over every facet of our lives — the food we eat, the fuel we use, the vehicle we drive, even minor things such as gift cards we either use by a certain date or they are confiscated by the government.

Wake up, America. Even well-meaning people that we elected to office have become complacent and aren’t paying attention to new and restrictive laws hidden in important bills that they rush to pass.

Meanwhile, we sit and wait for someone to do something. The someone is us, the time is now before it’s too late. Let your officials of both parties know we will not stand idly by and watch the erosion of freedom under the guise of taking care of us because they are so much smarter and know what we need.

— Betty Rinker, Clarksville

Move to big government needs to cease

The big government takeover has to stop. Ever since liberals claimed power, it’s been one bureaucratic scheme after another.

Their newest target, health care, is the most dangerous intervention yet. Politicians, special interests and central planners should not come between patients and their doctors.

We shouldn’t have to wait for Washington to tell us if we can have the treatment we need. We shouldn’t have to wait in long lines because hospitals are overrun and doctors are in short supply.

But that is what could happen if the Obama/Pelosi health care plan is allowed to go forward. Patients must come together now to make sure that our voice is part of the process, before we are forever silenced in the halls of power in Washington.

— Larry Curts, Clarksville

  

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