Click here to subscribe today or Login.
I would like to comment on a letter to the editor written by Dale Eastman (“Obama haters got it wrong,” Jan. 18). In this letter, Mr. Eastman made some questionable comments that I decided to research for clarity.
Mr. Eastman disparages Fox News, yet my research shows this channel dominates when it comes to viewership, in every age group and every time slot. Fox News seems to be a reliable source and any conscientious viewer can double-check the news on a multitude of other news reporting groups. I suspect Mr. Eastman just doesn’t agree with Fox’s conservative theme.
He also talked about the low gas prices. I’m unsure if he is talking about gasoline or natural gas. Either way, he doesn’t mention that President Barack Obama restricted the exploration for gas and oil on federal land. Yet, the exploration on private land, which Obama could not stop, resulted in a surplus of oil and gas. We all remember the Republicans mantra, “drill, baby, drill,” which the Democrats mocked. Because of all the private drilling, we are now benefiting and rejoicing! Meanwhile, the president is trying to take credit for lower energy prices, yet vetoes the Keystone Pipeline bill, which will increase our energy independence and create good union jobs. Win-win.
Mr. Eastman states the unemployment rate is now at 5.9 percent but fails to mention these pertinent facts: Many people have dropped out of the workforce; they gave up looking for a job in this difficult economy. Median household income declined 4.6 percent during Obama’s first five years, and nearly 5.5 million more Americans were living in poverty last year than before he took office. Many people have been forced into low-paying jobs, the only jobs available. Does Mr. Eastman realize the U.S. Congress has sent 46 bipartisan jobs bills to the Senate, only to have Sen. Harry Reid, Democratic leader of the Senate, refuse to consider them for a vote? Shouldn’t Mr. Eastman be condemning Reid for the lack of good jobs?
Another statement from Mr. Eastman claims Obama is not sending our troops “off to war.” Yet in 2010, Obama sent 33,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan as part of the “surge.” Under former President George W. Bush, 575 American soldiers died and fewer than 3,000 were wounded in Afghanistan. Under Obama, at least 1,405 soldiers have died and nearly 15,000 additional soldiers have been wounded, which means 70 percent of the deaths and nearly 80 percent of the injuries in Afghanistan have occurred under Obama’s watch.
One last statement from Mr. Eastman needs to be addressed. He claims we haven’t been attacked since Obama took office. I’ll assume he meant within our borders and by Islamist extremists. Let me list the more well-known attacks in our country.
June 1, 2009: Little Rock recruiting office shooting by Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad. One killed and one injured.
Nov. 5, 2009: Fort Hood shooting near Killeen, Texas. 13 dead, 33 injured.
April 15, 2013: Boston Marathon bombings. Two brothers, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, reportedly planted two bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The blast killed three and injured at least 183 others.
Oct. 23, 2014: Zale H. Thompson, also known as Zaim Farouq Abdul-Malik, attacked four New York City policemen in the subway with a hatchet, severely injuring one in the back of the head and injuring another in the arm before being shot to death by the remaining officers, who also shot a bystander.
Dec. 25, 2009: Christmas Day airplane attack.
Oct. 27, 2010: Washington Metro Stations bomb plot. Terror suspect arrested.
Feb. 24, 2011. Saudi student bomb plot. Terror suspect arrested.
There are more I am not listing.
It seems Mr. Eastman was speaking more from his wished-for ideals than from the actual facts. Thank you for letting me clear up things.
Bill Dress
Wilkes-Barre