Palin needs to answer the hard questions

I salute Dr. Paul Kengor’s devotion to Sarah Palin as a person of virtue who loves people and I understand the reasoning behind the story about president Reagan not letting critics get under his skin.

But what I don’t understand is how a professor of political science forgets that politics is nearly a contact sport — much like attorneys who can come to verbal blows in the court room then share a meal at night.

If McCain is elected president then that will place Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from becoming president. Critics from both parties will continue to ask Sarah Palin hard questions, but those coming from the Republican side most likely will be more harsh and be asked behind closed doors.

Sarah Palin appears to be a hard nosed politician who can defend herself, but ridding ourselves of our dependancy on foreign oil by drilling more does not add up if we consume 25 percent of the world’s oil but have only 3 percent of the world’s oil reserves. And to imply that America has the right to kick butt, especially Russia’s, a country with fresh troops and trainloads of (certified) WMDs, without considering diplomacy first is, well, not presidential.

I have no doubt that Sarah Palin can lead this country into war, but can she go behind closed doors with President Putin of Russia and emerge with an understanding for peace and an order for Russian oil to be purchased at discount?

Jim Satcher

Mount Vernon

Change is needed statewide as well

The theme of this election period seems to be “change,” and I’m for that! What we have is a governor and legislature run wild, with little or no restraint. The budget surplus we had has been turned into a terrible deficit. Spending is out of sight; taxes are skyrocketing; regulations are ridiculous; and the politicians blatantly, vigorously and continously try to take away our constitutional rights of initiative and referendum. Throw in 6,000 new state employees, the less-than-stellar education system, closed-door union negotiations and you get a very clear picture of Olympia today.  You bet we need a change! 

And we have some very good people wanting to make those changes. A few are even in Olympia now fighting against the Democrats’ excesses, but there are not enough of them. Norma Smith and Barbara Bailey are trying to hold the line, but they need help.

Certainly Dino Rossi will bring sanity and fiscal responsibility to the governor’s office. His leadership is imperative to curtail spending, prevent further erosion of business in the state and to institute open union negotiations and transparent governance.

We need Linda Haddon to replace Mary Margaret Haugan. Sen. Haugen served well for many years. I, too, voted for her several times, but not now. Too much has gone wrong, especially in transportation, which is her senate committee. It is time for new leadership, fiscal responsibility and a much more watchful eye. And that is Linda Haddon. She is an alert, intelligent, fiscally attentive woman with experience in the business world. She has shown a sincere desire to serve this state and will be a definite asset in solving the many problems the current administration has dumped on us. 

We need Linda and others like her who will address our state’s problems, not create more.

And someone better keep a very close watch on King County this election!

Anita W. Johnston

Oak Harbor