Readers 'Sound Off' on various issues

Sound Off is a popular daily feature that runs in The Mercury (and many other newspapers.) Readers call in with comments on various news items or issues. The comments are transcribed and published in the newspaper. It's a way for people who don't want to take the time to write a letter to the editor to get their views published in the newspaper. Callers also have the shield of anonymity, something letter-writers don't enjoy.

Here's a sampling of some of my favorite recent comments left on the Sound Off line. You can check The Mercury's Web page daily for more.

I totally agree with the person who called into Sound Off about Jim Matthews. I have never read anything good about him. He is giving Bruce Castor such a raw deal. Castor has no way of figuring out what the conniving Matthews and Hoeffel are going to do next. They are afraid of Castor because he keeps his campaign promises and people are smart enough to see that.

Hey there, Mr. What Do You Think, the Democrats have controlled both houses of Congress for some time. All spending originates in the House of Reps, in case you don’t know. So it’s not George Bush and the Republicans, it’s Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats who passed the $184 billion for the war.

We wouldn’t be in this situation with the war in Iraq if Bill Clinton had gone after them with the first bombing of the World Trade Center and the attack on the USS Cole. He was too busy philandering. When Bush won the election, they put that man through eight years of sheer hell. So who do you want to vote for this time around?

I worked for Bethlehem Steel and lost my job — I didn’t have a choice. Now the school teachers and everybody else who works for the school district, they have a choice — they can take what they have or leave and find something else. I’m just fed up with the high school taxes. I’m on fixed income. They get raises every year and it’s uncalled for.

Fast Eddie, thanks for the gambling money. It’s only been four years. Might as well send it to the tax office because taxes are going up $300 this year.

Nobody is saying anything about why the truckers’ diesel fuel and home heating oil is so much higher than gasoline. It never used to be that way because gasoline is refined more. Why isn’t anyone talking about this?

Today I spoke with my oil man about oil delivery for the fall. He said currently oil is at $3.85 a gallon. Can you imagine what it will be like this fall if you need a full tank of oil? For 275 gallons, it would cost $1,060. Take that with the price of food, gas, property taxes and everything else and you tell me how the middle class is going to survive much longer. Contact Senators Specter or Casey and voice your concerns.

I totally agree with the comments made recently by the wise older lady and others who are against Hillary Clinton becoming president. Hillary would say and do anything to be president. She is not for the good of the American people. An honest, good lady I too would vote for but not Hillary. Enough with the Clintons. America needs a fresh start.

To the caller making fun of the sarcastic callers complaining about the little tax relief we got from the Pennsylvania gaming revenues, these people will not be able to spend the money as you sarcastically said they would do and cannot donate it to a charity either. They will never see the money. It goes directly to the school district. When they get their school tax bill, there will be a credit on there for the amount.

I’m a senior citizen and I have paid taxes all my life. I appreciate the rebate but seniors only get as much as children get. What’s wrong with that picture?

Anyone interested in taking the bus to Harrisburg for the June 2 taxpayers protest can call Gene Endress of the Owen J. Roberts Taxpayers Alliance at 610-698-0553. One bus is already full and a second bus is filling up fast so please call ASAP.