Letters to the Editor: Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008
Letters to the Editor: Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008

In response to Elane Peek (Your Views, Aug. 31) and Ken Lisle (Your Views, Aug. 23): Vehicle inspections don't stop breakneck speeds or the inevitable rear-end collision. Drivers can be accused of not paying attention, but a vehicle inspection won't stop that. The majority of people don't agree with the vehicle inspection program, obviously, as no great cry was heard against ending inspections.

Our vehicles can pass inspection easily, but if mine could not, I bet I could get someone to slap the sticker on it anyway, no matter how unsafe the vehicle. True enough, many drivers are on the road who do care about their own safety, but not yours. But being a jerk has nothing to do with a sticker on your car. Pay attention to your driving to avoid needless accidents. The mandatory inspection was a stupid idea then and it's stupid now. Just drive your own car and mind your own business.

Sallie Jones, Del City

Ken Lisle (Your Views, Aug. 23) and Elane Peek (Your Views Aug. 31) wrote saying that state vehicle inspections should be revived. I agree that there are many older vehicles on our roads that are in poor condition with lights that don't work, etc. When we had the previous inspection law the same thing was true. The inspection system isn't the answer. There is no law against driving an older vehicle and an inspection system won't change that.

Lisle mentioned that the cost of the old inspection was $5. Today it would be more like $50. The people driving older vehicles won't spend that much to get them inspected and those who have a violation won't either. The same thing happened when we had the previous system; the vehicles with current stickers were the newer vehicles that didn't need to be inspected and the run-down vehicles had outdated stickers. Laws are on the books that require all vehicle lights to function, etc., but they're not being enforced. Perhaps a letter to the chief of police and the Highway Patrol would be a better solution. At least that would save all law-abiding citizens $50 a year for a useless sticker on the windshield.

K.P. Lehman, Tuttle

The fines Oklahoma City charges for minor traffic violations are outrageous. The fine for speeding less than 10 mph over the posted limit is nearly $200. More warnings should be issued rather than tickets with unreasonable fines to deter speeding and other minor traffic violations. There should be a tiered system for speeding in which the fine for speeding 1 to 5 mph over the limit would be under $50. The fine for 6-10 mph over the limit should be $100.

In many cases the officers are demanding and use their personal judgment in writing tickets; they don't give drivers a chance to say anything. Going to court to protest the ticket won't do any good in most cases as far as getting the ticket reduced. In this time of financial stress due to increased prices for gasoline and everything else, charging exorbitant fines is a further blow to an average citizen.

George P. Varghese, Oklahoma City

Mike Turpen's remarks in "McCain's pick stirs surprise” (news story, Aug. 30) were laughable. In regard to John McCain's choice for vice president, Turpen is quoted as saying, "This is John McCain's most important decision, and he picked an inexperienced governor.” Turpen describes himself as an enthusiastic Obama supporter for the highest office in America.

What qualifies Obama for the office of president? Is it some newly acquired experience that has suddenly appeared from nowhere? Sending Obama to the White House is akin to sending an ordinary seaman to fill the post of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Bob Merrill, Moore

Barack Obama and Oklahoma Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Andrew Rice are beholden to legislation that would lead to bad labor law. A bill pending in Congress would guarantee that every company becomes unionized. The bill, deceptively named the Employee Free Choice Act, would in most cases take away an employee's right to a secret ballot in a union election and give labor unions the option to have federal arbitrators set the wages, benefits, hours and all other terms and conditions of employment.

This is socialist doctrine; similar laws nearly brought Great Britain to its knees in the 1970s. Labor unions nationally and in Oklahoma have given generously to the Democratic campaigns for president and the U.S. Senate. If Oklahomans care deeply about the competitiveness of American companies and our system of free enterprise, they'll vote Republican for president and the U.S. Senate seat up for election this year.

Paul W. Matthews, Oklahoma City

Watching local TV coverage, you'd think the only people running for president are Barack Obama and John McCain. Voters in most states have another choice. Bob Barr, a former congressman from Georgia, also is a presidential candidate. That's the good news. The bad: Oklahoma's ballot access laws have, so far, kept Oklahomans from having that choice. It looks as though this year will be a repeat of 2004, when Oklahoma was the only state to have only two choices for president.

Obama and McCain represent the same big-government politics of the past. Obama has proposed more than $1 trillion in new government spending over the next decade. McCain isn't much better. I can only hope both would raise taxes on everyone to pay for their spending sprees. Otherwise, our children and grandchildren will be paying the bill.

Barr makes no promises of new government programs and more spending. He knows our government can't solve every problem with more money.

Paula Brittain, Guthrie

I agree with Lorene Spoden (Your Views, Sept. 2) in that "I would not vote for anyone who professes to be anti-Jesus.” It is, however, my observation that during an election, candidates often "profess” to a lot of beliefs not entirely supported by their actions. I challenge voters to consider that actions speak louder than words. Is it anti-Jesus to attend a church for 20 years where hate is preached but to profess that you didn't agree with it? Is it anti-Jesus to support the killing of unborn babies and profess it to be "choice”?

Unless a candidate can "walk his talk,” his words (however pretty they may sound) have no substance. I hope the American voters will realize that talk is cheap, and actions prove the faith of the candidates.

I've been a Republican all my life, but this November I will vote only in local races. I won't vote for John McCain nor his vice presidential choice. Since Sarah Palin elected to have five children, she should have also elected to be home and raise them. If she wanted a career, then she should have forgone having children. It's not fair to them to have an absent mother.

It's impossible for her to hold the office she has and give her children the time and attention they deserve. Something has to give.

Jeanne Williams, Oklahoma City

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