Published December 28, 2009 12:15 am – Editor, The Transcript:

You chose to run a letter in the Dec. 20 Transcript that was very disturbing. The letter, by Nadine Jewell, said that, “GOP leadership stated they hoped” President Obama, “would fail, and that they would do everything they could to ensure he did.

Opposition to the president does not equal treason

Editor, The Transcript:

You chose to run a letter in the Dec. 20 Transcript that was very disturbing. The letter, by Nadine Jewell, said that, “GOP leadership stated they hoped” President Obama, “would fail, and that they would do everything they could to ensure he did. Sounds like treason to me

(emphasis added).”

Calling opposition to the president treason is unsettling. The founding fathers narrowly defined treason in the U. S. Constitution. In fact, it was the only crime defined in the Constitution. It reads, “Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.”

Opposition to the president does not fit that definition. Opposition to certain policies of the president is a protected constitutional right (see the First Amendment, for example). If opposing a policy of the president is treason, then I have commited treason when Presidents Bush (both), Clinton, and Reagan were in office.

Throughout history, tyrants have used a charge of treason to silence opposition, and our founders did not want political officeholders in our nation to wield such power. Alas, some on the Left in our country now favor authoritarianism to get their way, even to the extent of using charges of treason for political opposition. I pray for the future of our country.

STEVE BYAS

Norman

Below is the letter Steve Byas responded to. Great job Steve!

Published December 19, 2009 01:15 am – Oh, Bobby, what a list of complaints. Yes, we know our new president is not of your choosing. Less than a year ago, President Obama took office with the economy and deficit on the crest of an avalanche in free-fall.

Bobby, give Obama a fair chance

By Nadine Jewell

Oh, Bobby, what a list of complaints. Yes, we know our new president is not of your choosing. Less than a year ago, President Obama took office with the economy and deficit on the crest of an avalanche in free-fall. Plus GOP leadership stated they hoped he would fail, and that they would do everything they could to ensure he did. Sounds like treason to me. If he fails, what happens to the U.S?

Since the cost of the Afghanistan/Iraq war was not in the budget, the U.S. had to borrow from foreign countries. Much of the deficit went to pay no-bid contractors and profiteers who were allowed to rip off millions that should have been used for our troops. While highly paid contractors had state-of-the-art equipment, our military scrounged junkyards to reinforce their vehicles and families paid for body armor.

When the economy came close to failing, both Presidents Obama and Bush gave millions to try to neutralize our problem. Greed took over the banking and mortgage CEOs and adequate funds were not used to help homeowners or create jobs. (I’m happy to hear a lot has been repaid or was never used.)

At one time, our nation thrived with management and labor as partners. Physical labor was honored. But after WWII, the disparity between the rich and poor escalated. Being rich was the new goal. CEO lifestyles improved while workers struggled. Finally, automobile labor unions demanded benefits, such as an eight-hour work day, five-day work week and job security.

In recent years, labor called for living wages, but CEOs weren’t eager to comply. Management came up with another goal. They sent manufacturing jobs overseas. Slave labor is less costly, and the CEOs could claim more millions. Of course, this meant many hundreds lost their jobs. We are no longer a manufacturing nation. Soon other companies adopted the strategy, including communications and banking organizations.

When the job force was reduced, people lost homes and health benefits. Because insurance pools followed job loss, premiums increased elsewhere. Small businesses could no longer insure their workers. They had to chose between letting workers go or dropping healthcare benefits. Owners saw a need for healthcare insurance reform.

In the U.S, we have the best of medical personnel, but health insurance people making multi-millions from premiums often stand between the skilled and professional physicians to deny claims needed to help patients. Health insurance does not do one thing to further healthcare. In fact, if a patient dies, the company wins. That is wrong. Affordable healthcare is a right. No one should die because an insurance company denies access or because a person is too poor to afford a doctor.

Save your blame, Bobby. Give Obama a fair chance. You will have time to play partisan politics closer to the election. Making Obama a hate target won’t change war policy, reduce the deficit, or make health insurance companies more responsible.

Nadine Jewell lives in Norman.