LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Obama fails on climate
Editor: Whatever one may think about it; regardless now of how
history may assess President Obama’s actions as president, it is
obvious by now that the Obama Administration has utterly failed to
take on global climate change. Despite recent trips, first to
Tuscaloosa, AL and then to Joplin, MO to express his sympathy to
tornado victims, President Obama is guilty of taking a powder when
it comes to making any effort to slow global climate change.
As a recent New Yorker article (“Storms brewing,” by Elizabeth
Kolbert, June, 13 and 20) pointed out, “The President sat on the
sideline in 2009 and 2010 while congressional leaders tried to put
together majorities in favor of climate legislation.”
Former Vice President and climate expert Al Gore recently took
the president to task for backing down on all of his 2008 campaign
promises regarding taking substantive steps to slow down global
warming.
Absolutely none of the present GOP presidential candidates
offers any hope on this critically important issue. The rise to
power of the so-called “Tea Party” seems only to push even the most
intelligent Republicans further to the right; more in favor of
doing nothing and preventing any positive change. Meanwhile,
“global carbon dioxide emissions last year [2010] rose by a record
amount, to almost thirty-one billion metric tons.”   
Locally, dire predictions are being made by wine growing experts
about the fate of Sonoma County’s leading industry.
Awk! Choke, choke, gasp, gasp!
Frank Baumgardner
Santa Rosa
Senior health important
Editor: Our community hospital, in partnership with the City of
Sebastopol, the Sebastopol Area Senior Center, West County Health
Centers and the Palm Drive Health Care Foundation, demonstrated at
the recent Senior Health Fair and Town Hall at Palm Drive Hospital
the importance of our senior population. Sebastopol has a growing
senior population, and providing this group adequate medical
services and health care information is increasingly necessary.
Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey was the special guest speaker at the
Town Hall and spoke about her readiness to retire to an overflow
crowd. Her message to the attendees was to keep working on the
issues that are important to them and talk to their elected
official.
The messages for the day: Stay informed about senior issues,
particularly in Medicare and Social Security; be self reliant and
strive to remain independent and maintain a healthy lifestyle; and
be part of a safety network of neighbors and friends who can give
or receive help when needed. We hope all the senior citizens rely
on their community hospital to aid and assist with care and
services, along with the many other agencies of this community.
Palm Drive Hospital, West County’s community hospital is
celebrating 70 years of service. It’s the grand senior citizen of
health care in the area, and is an important part of the senior
safety network. They continue to show their compassion with caring
for all in need.
Councilmember Kathleen Shaffer
City of Sebastopol