Letters to the Editor
I.V. Little League ‘07 awards due June 20
From Darlene Anderson
Selma
Illinois Valley Little League regular season is fast nearing its conclusion with Closing Day Ceremonies set for Wednesday, June 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Jubilee Park. Trophies, recognition pins and awards will be given.
The public can attend the closing ceremonies to honor those who helped to make this one of the best seasons.
The league has overcome many obstacles this year with a board of rookie directors. Scheduling of games, providing umpires, field preparation, manning the snack bar, and providing authorized league equipment were challenges met by the board.
With the help of generous sponsors, we hosted games for 14 teams. Three T-Ball teams, three Coach Pitch teams, two Minor Player Pitch teams, two Major teams, one Juniors team, and two Girls Softball teams were joined this year for the first time in many years by a Senior Little League team.
I.V. Little League provided positive entertainment for students from 5 years of age to 18 with 168 kids participating in regular season.
The league is operated with volunteers who donate their time, energies and, in many cases, their money in support of participation by players. Without their assistance, it would be extremely difficult to complete a season.
As we meet in closing ceremonies, we will thank our generous sponsors, volunteers
and parents for a successful season. And we look forward to All-Star play that will begin at the end of June.
Is Paris (Hilton) burning? Or are we delusional?
From Iris Shaw
Selma
All this major media coverage of poor, rich and spoiled Paris Hilton makes me want to vomit. Does anyone truly care about this?
Why are we inundated with story after story of her bad behavior, incarceration, release and re-incarceration? All this with color photos and TV coverage, plus solemn intonement by the talking heads of TV, plus print columnists commentary. It’s enough to shake your faith regarding the intelligence of our citizens.
But wait. Maybe we’re just trying to avoid dealing with the real issues: Iraq for one. Terrorism. The national economy. Relations with China and Russia.
Paris Hilton is an idiotic diversion, and we should all know better.
Federal Real ID Act: Uncle Sam or Big Brother?
From Rep. Dennis Richardson (R-Central Point),
District 4
The Oregon Legislature has a decision to make. Should we join the five states -- so far -- that officially have refused to comply with the federally mandated Real ID Act? Your answer to this important question will be requested below.
The Federal “Real ID Act of 2005” is a federal mandate for each state to revise its driver license issuance system to conform to federal requirements. It was passed without Senate hearings and without debate as a rider to emergency spending legislation.
The Real ID Act requires all American drivers to personally take, to their state DMV, birth certificates and other original proof-of-identity documents. These will be scanned and become part of the state’s DMV database on that driver. The cost to implement Real ID for America’s 245 million drivers is $11 billion to $23 billion, yet the federal government has allocated only $40 million to do the job
The Oregon Dept. of Transportation estimates the cost for Oregon’s compliance to be $65 million.
On Friday, June 1, the Oregon House voted to pass House Bill 2827. I voted against it, based on concerns I expressed on the House Floor during the debate. The hours spent researching this newsletter have only confirmed my angst over the Real ID Act. Once implemented, the Real ID Act will provide digital access to every American driver’s personal data --including the original documents -- to all 50 states and the federal government.
In short, the Real ID Act creates a national identification card system. Making such personal data available to state workers (and talented computer hackers) through tens of thousands of computer terminals across America has serious “unintended consequences.” Victims of domestic violence, witnesses who have testified in criminal prosecutions, and consumers who would prefer not to have their personal information data available to ingenious marketers all have something to fear from the Real ID Act.
The federal government will flex substantial muscle against any state that refuses to implement the Real ID Act. By the end of 2009, the feds will require a “Real ID Card” to enter post offices and all other federal buildings; to qualify for Social Security, Medicare and other benefits; and for permission to fly on a commercial airplane; and even to open a bank account.
Notwithstanding federal threats, after considering the high cost of this unfunded federal mandate and its many serious consequences, Washington, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Maine as well as Idaho, Georgia and several other states, are taking unprecedented and decisive action by just saying “No” to the Real ID Act.
When I see an encroachment on personal liberties, personal privacy and state autonomy by the federal government, I get concerned. I am one legislator who joins with conservatives and liberals, from Red and Blue states across America in questioning the act.
I believe, if implemented, it will set in place a national identification card system enabling an intrusive database of private information that ultimately may be used to track the goings, comings, purchases and finances of 245 million U.S. citizens to an extent never conceived of in the history of our nation.
To me, the benefits gained by such a system are far outweighed by the risks inherent in such a pervasive violation of our personal privacy.
Should Oregon comply with the Real ID Act? Based on my research and the concerns expressed above, I say “No.” To vote: Should Oregon comply with the Real ID Act? Visit http:www.surveymonkey.coms.aspxsm=RJ4psOo5YaylFz5LeGYn1Q_3d_3d
