In order to avoid confusing the Eppenbaugh individual, I will refer to the writer as "person." Yes, the "Mrs." was a typographical error. I am not privileged to have high-speed Internet service in my area. I could carve my letter on a stone tablet and hand deliver it on foot quicker than I could send it using e-mail on my dial up service. Therefore, I must rely on the accuracy of the Times-Union staff.
Person, you were very quick to assert your first amendment rights to Mr. Shirey, yet not too long ago you suggested to another writer and me to "stop writing or at least write a letter that I agree with." Then, "How about you use the local paper to discuss local issues?" Is this how you view the first amendment, person?
Person, I am not "worried" about your job situation at all. While I dislike seeing anyone lose their job, perhaps a bout of unemployment would deliver you some much needed humility. How very lovely your jobs cannot be outsourced. I merely asked you to "imagine" someone else's misfortune, something you apparently are unable to do.
I will gladly trade you a few small children for the onslaught of damage done to my yard by farm machinery, the neighbor's lawn service using my yard as a turning around point, and most recently the highway department dumping a six-inch layer of ground asphalt along the front of my property, much of which ended up in my yard. I have no more right to physically assault these people than you do to assault children. I do hope your scope of employment at the school limits your contact with children.
I know of no small government conservative nor any regulation-loving socialist that views the Patriot Act as anything more than overt government intrusion of privacy rights. I did not support it when Congress enacted it under Bush and do not support it now. Had Obama been president at the time, I would not have supported it.
Nowhere did I say the Food and Drug Administration performs restaurant inspections so I have no idea where you were going with that. As far as Wall Street regulation, in my estimation the reason for the "tidal wave of economic growth" you describe is due to the fact the regulations, or reform, did nothing to address too big to fail and largely left Wall Street to continue to rape and pillage.
If you are expecting me to defend President Obama's policies, I'm afraid I must disappoint you. I expected change and transparency. Thus far I've seen neither.
