letters
TO THE EDITOR
and we were cheered by by-standers.
The short rally featured a cogent talk
by Jim Schmidt of Veterans for Peace, and
two children who spoke powerfully about
the effect of global warming and invited all
to join the Mothers Day “iMatter!” march.
It all ended with a delightful fashion show
that also featured two children, one a large
yellow banana, the other giant teeth: “We’d
Rather Pay for Organic Food than War,”
also a “Carbon Footprint” with trails of
trash attached and a “Hanford Clean-Up,”
covered by a large white baggy suit and a
gas mask for protection pushing a vacuum
cleaner, and more.
We all returned home, soaked to the
bone but with our spirits buoyed. Who
knows, maybe this small action was
effective in its own way! The event was
sponsored by WAND, CALC, Taxes for
Peace Not War, and Veterans for Peace.
Peg Morton
Eugene
BAN LOOPHOLES
So now it comes out from IRS records
that the top 400 households own 50 percent
of the wealth in the U.S. and their federal tax
averages 16 percent. Their Social Security
tax is capped at $106,000, making it less
than 0.0001 percent. And we ask why Social
Security is in trouble? Their capital gains
are taxed at 15 percent, but they pay nothing
until they take money out of the market, pos-
sibly for years! Their techniques get state,
local, gas, employment, phone, internet and
property taxes to less than 1 percent of their
wealth. Their health, home and auto insur-
ance costs are comparatively zilch.
When calculating the common man’s
taxes, even the poor pay more when
factoring in gas, employment, phone,
parking and internet taxes. All of the
loopholes benefi t them, not us. None of
this takes into consideration their offshore
tax havens where the real money is hidden.
Their businesses include the industrial
military complex, oil, coal and other
taxpayer subsidized ventures and their
investments are tax sheltered. Their
money can be translated into infl uence-
able speech which is currently shifting
the tax burden from federal to state/local,
where we, the burdened middle class, are
left to fi ght amongst ourselves over crumbs
for education and the most basic of needs.
I’m sorry but the richest man in Eugene
is not of the class that owns 50 percent of
America. The Tea Party’s efforts benefi t
this class immensely and themselves
barely but they are not alone. We are all
fools and need to wake up.
Greg Norman
Eugene
IRREVERENT EW
I have read EW to get another take
on local and international events and
politics. I may not have agreed with all
the opinions and ways things were stated,
but they seemed at least evenhanded. On
April 28 the News Briefs “New Electric
Car Unveiled” started with the sentence
“Easter weekend marked the return of
Zombie Jesus.” I was outraged. This was
a mean-spirited attack on Christians that
was not relevant at all to the article, just
insulting in an attempt to probably be
clever. Even though you may not agree
with the faith of Christians, Jews, Muslims
or any other people, treat all with respect. I
will not read this newspaper again.
David Olszyk
Corvallis
BLAME GAME
EW piles the blame on Republicans
for “this mess” we’re in (Slant, 4/14). The
R’s certainly deserve it. One of my alma
mater’s professors, David Cay Johnson,
masterfully describes in the same issue
how Republican manipulation of the tax
code contributed to “the mess.”
But you conveniently forget that this
“mess” was precipitated to a large degree
by the collapse of the housing market. That
part of the story began under a Democratic
administration (Carter) with the passage of
the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).
CRA essentially required banks to
write mortgage loans to people who could
not realistically afford them. Certain banks
took this to extremes by writing “NINA”
loans (No Income, No Job, No Assets).
One of the biggest banks reportedly didn’t
even require Social Security numbers in
some cases.
Then came the repeal of the Glass-
Steagall Act, also under a Democratic
administration (Clinton), that gave fi nancial
institutions a blank check to venture down
very risky paths with their assets, and we
all know the result.
The bottom line: If we want real,
meaningful change, we must stop sending
Republicans and Democrats back to
Washington. Neither major party represents
you and me.
Jerry Ritter
Springfi eld
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RELOCATE ORI
We have something to celebrate in Eu-
gene. I want to publicly thank President
Lariviere of the UO for suggesting that
the Oregon Research Institute (ORI) build
their offi ces away from the riverfront. A
university should consider all the latest sci-
ence for any projects near sensitive natural
areas. The habitats along rivers are critical-
ly important for water quality and wildlife.
There is no logical reason, with so
many other options, to build on some of
the last undeveloped riverfront in Eugene.
This issue has been ongoing for 20-plus
years. Other cities around the country are
removing structures along their rivers,
understanding the vital importance
of natural riparian fl ora and fauna.
“Sustainable Eugene” should keep these
areas from being developed. ORI must
build elsewhere. Thank you President
Lariviere for making a wise decision that
will be remembered for a long time.
ORI, please do what is right for now
and the future health of our community,
and make every effort to relocate your
building plans.
Pamela Driscoll
Dexter
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EUGENE WEEKLY MAY 19, 2011 7