Letters to the editor: public raise, national debt, Second Amendment, more

A 5 percent raise — really?

I would like to respond to an article on Page 2, Oct. 16, 2013.

David Barnum and his 5 percent raise makes me wonder, what is this board thinking? A 5 percent raise makes him perfect. I don’t think so. I got one of those at RMWD some years ago and had it taken away with the explanation that “nobody is perfect.”

I believe hard work makes you a good employee and I know many who deserve that 5 percent before he does. These people are the ones who have worked hard to get the funding. They are there when everything needs to be fixed at 2 a.m. They are the ones who take all the calls from angry people. I have been there. I know.

I also know who actually got the funding that his laurels are riding on.

I pat you all on the back because you have been doing it strong while others take the credit.

Stacey Riordan

Former fire inspector

Ramona water districtThis nonagenarian is ‘mad as hell’The United States of America has borrowed over $16 trillion. We even have trouble each year to make payments on the interest only. In fact, we have to borrow more to make these payments.This is just the beginning of our problems. When will we start making payments on the principal, the $16 trillion we owe?The only way I see that we can start making payments is to cut the amount appropriated to each section of the federal government.I know this would be a very difficult action to take, but I am sure the people could bite the bullet and accept these reductions, if they thought Congress was serious about reducing the debt.The American people are tough as hell. They could go along with tough times if Congress was reasonable and honest in their actions.I don’t make these suggestions lightly. I’m 90 years old and mad as hell.Congress does not even talk about the principal.

Donal Russell

RamonaGovernment on a debt bingeThe United States of America is a republic. Groups like the Tea Party highlight that this is the ideal form of government. If it was a democracy, we would be in danger of losing our individual freedoms with majority rule.It is apparent that Ms. Harwell is no fan of the Tea Party. From her idea that it was a movement spawned by people she likened to bored housewives, it is apparent she has no clue what the Tea Party is about. The only thing remotely tied to sipping tea is that in the 1990s some disgruntled citizens started to send their government representatives a tea bag as a sign of their disapproval. The Tea Party is a far cry from tea and crumpets.As a grandparent I am very concerned about our future generations having to bear the 17-trillion-dollar (and growing) burden of our burgeoning government. It really is hard to find the words to describe the true horror of the national debt. The U.S. government has been on the greatest debt binge in all of human history, and a day of reckoning is coming that is going to be so painful that it is going to shock America to the core. I, like millions of other concerned citizens, decided to become active in trying to change the disastrous course of our government’s out of control spending. We elected people like Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Mike Lee. They listened to their constituents and had the courage to stand up and represent against the “good old boys” establishment.Concerned and caring people like those in the Tea Party are the warp and weft of the fabric of America. This is what makes us strong. We do not need to “fundamentally transform” as our current president would have us do. But we do have to make sure that our elected officials follow our Constitution and stand up for the people, instead of wielding their power and spitefully locking our precious veterans out of their own memorial, or punishing the citizenry by closing parks and monuments that were historically never closed during the previous 18 government shut-downs.We must demand they work for us, not the other way around. I am in agreement with Mr. Halstead and Mr. Byrne. Citizens, stand up for your country, take interest and take action, send in your tea bag and most importantly — vote!Respectfully and proudly, I Am Citizen!

Susan Leukhardt

RamonaOver the top statementI was appalled to read a quote by Assemblyman Brian Jones in a story in the Sept. 26 Ramona Sentinel titled “Crowd turns out for assemblyman’s 2nd Amendment Awareness Event.” I wrote the assemblyman about his extremely offensive remark, so I would like to share that letter withSentinelreaders.Dear Assemblyman Brian Jones:A quote in the Ramona Sentinel (9/26/2013) was attributed to you at your 2nd Amendment Awareness Event that, if true, paints you as a pandering, violence-provoking individual. The quote was, “You never know when you will need it (a gun) to fend off a criminal or a tyrant.” OK, by tyrant you must mean a government official. I cannot believe you would use this type of language no matter how much you love guns.You would actually support gun nuts using a gun against a “tyrant,” which by definition is some sort of government official. You do know, don’t you, that many of your gun loving friends consider President Obama a “tyrant?”This is not something an educated representative of the people should be saying in public. I am angered by this, embarrassed by it, and you should be, too. You have gone over the top, assemblyman, and need to watch what you say in the future.

Mike Cannone

RamonaGarden club thanksRamona Garden Club would like to thank Albertsons’ director Kent Lunak for the use of their store front this past Saturday for our annual fall plant sale. It is due to this support that we have a successful event to raise funds for our scholarship and community programs.With much appreciation,

Debbie Gomez

Ramona Valencia

Co-chairs

Fall Plant Sale.Sponsors contribute to Oktoberfest successOn behalf of the Ramona Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest Committee, I thank everyone for their support to make this year a very successful Oktoberfest.Cash Donation Sponsors included: Title, SDG&E; Beer Garden, Ramona Disposal; Music, Ramona Family Law Center/Robert Krysak; Entertainment, Barona Casino; Pumpkin Patch, Mike Clark/Ramona Self Storage, Country Wine & Spirits, Carol Fowler/Stage Presence Homes; Festival: Ramona Family Dentistry, Traction Tire & Service Center, Kimi’s Dress Shop, BeeBee (Wilson) Massage, CM Services, RussAnn Zazas/Mary Kay, Santa Ysabel Casino, Grant Liske, DDS, El Michoacan Mexican Restaurant, Dart Trucking Equipment, and Kirk’s Bike Shop; Harvest, Get Savvy/Lezley Knott, Paralegal Services/Helene Armand and Kitchen Barn; Pumpkin, Sally Westbrook/C-21 Award, Flash Electric, City Barber Shop.

In Kind Sponsors (services and/or goods donated): Laurann Volk/Hurricane Poway Fence Co.; ChuckAlek, Manzanita, Stone & Lightning Brewery; B.J. Rentals; Sharon Davis, Kahoots, all Ramona wineries who contributed, Jewelry World, NuLite, TerraLyn Hartman, Petals the Clown, SQR Promotions, Tasting Glasses, Bonnie Wan, Harbour Farms, Andrew Bridgeman, Gary Lockyer, BeeBee (Wilson) Massage, Ramona Journal, Ramona Sentinel, Valley News, Ransom Brothers, Ramona Cafe and Bake Shop, Kamps Propane, Dart Trucking & Equipment, VFW, Big Bear Oktoberfest Committee.

We also thank JoAnn Bryant in the chamber office for being our constant anchor, and all the frauleins and the muscle men behind the scenes.

Charlotte Jensen

Oktoberfest chair