November 29, 2008 12:00 am No ordinary man No ordinary man, Ray Franz. Twenty-nine years of government experience, 30 years firefighter and medical first responder; Vietnam Bronze Star. Full-time worker-owner of two grocery stores. Campaigning, raising money, no huge benefactors or the luxury of three years to campaign. Debated with honesty. Stated reasons for actions and what he wanted to accomplish. That others put "their words" in place of Ray's words was their decision. He thought people had the right to know about "background benefactors" and have a "chance" to question motives. The messenger was shot and recipients moved on. Mary Bowen Taxpayers need help It just amazes me how these news reporters, actors and athletes who make millions can say to us how bad the economy is when they have jobs and fancy homes and cars, while my family struggles to pay bills and put food on the table -- especially when we live in a tourist town and can't find work and are relying on a second extension of unemployment to get us by. Instead of bailing banks out, why not help us, the taxpayers! I mean if a major bank can't handle their own money and business expenses, what are they doing with our money? When people can't afford new vehicles why do we need to make more? They say to go downstate or out of state for work, but who can afford the gas and hotel prices to look for work? I hope things look up for Michigan. Toby Fite Selling unsafe vehicles I am a mother who is very upset and concerned about a car dealership in Traverse City selling unsafe and defective vehicles to our young people who are just getting started in their lives, trying to do things on their own and then getting shafted in the process. What does that say about our parenting trying to teach our children about being responsible for their actions, when businesses aren't? It seems to me that it's just bringing our young people down to the point of not wanting to try to make it on their own, thinking why bother ... let's go on state aid. We as a community need to step up and do something; anything is preferable to what's going on now. Diana Lynn Walters A stab to the heart With Obama's election, the blacks of this country may have received a shot of hope, but the unborn did receive a stab to the heart. He is the cosponsor of the Freedom of Choice Act, and has consistently voted pro-death on every issue concerning the unborn. Passage of Proposal 2 opens the door for the wholesale slaughter of totally innocent, totally helpless human beings for scientific research. What else is an embryo, but a tiny human being? Any human endeavor that is not held up to high standards by rules, restrictions and regulations is fertile soil for abuses, rationalizations and evils of every sort. Common sense should tell us this is true. Human experiences from history certainly confirm the truth of it. The unborn citizens of this country suffered terrible losses in the 2008 election. May God have mercy on us for our selfish heartlessness toward the most vulnerable among us. Barbara S. Coger Shattered respect I was beginning to gain some respect for Justice Elizabeth Weaver's thoughts about Michigan's Supreme Court. This respect was shattered after Weaver's vote against shutting down her state-paid local office in Traverse City. Weaver obviously is more concerned about her physical comfort and convenience than her obligations to taxpayers in the state of Michigan. All Supreme Court Justices should move to Lansing. Most hard-working folks have to live where the job is located and are not privileged to have two offices. This privilege should not extend to any State of Michigan employee. Furthermore, the travel cost between an employee's home and office or temporary living expenses should not be reimbursed by the state. Weaver challenged the amount of cost savings but obviously fails to recognize the control of government spending depends on avoiding thousands of small costs whether it be $400,000 or $1. Weaver's vote also begs the question as to the validity of her judicial decisions. Weaver has also publicly challenged the behavior of certain fellow judges. It appears that Weaver might be just another whiner when her views are not accepted. Doug Green
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Omena
Traverse City
Traverse City
Gaylord
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