Published: August 09, 2009 12:53 am      

LETTERS: August 9, 2009

Reader thanks helpful Southern Indiana resident

I am writing this letter to let people know that in these difficult and troubling times that there are still some good people in this world. I believe that this particular person deserves more than the thanks I can give them.

You see, on Saturday, July 25, it was the last weekend my wife and myself were going to be off work at the same time, so we went out to do some shopping. When we went to come home, our car would not start. I am no mechanic and I was on the phone with relatives to get some assistance. As soon as I hung up the phone, a young man by the name of Albert stopped by and asked, “What kind’ve car trouble I was having and if I need to jump start it?”

He told me that he worked on cars a lot, as he hooked the cables up, and within a couple minutes I was up and running and he told me what the problem was. He even made sure that me and my family made it to the auto parts store. I offered him what few dollars I had on me to say, “Thanks!” He said that “I owed him nothing,” and that “he enjoyed helping people and was glad he could help.”

Most people just drove by, but Albert stopped and turned around and took the time to get me and my family going again. You don’t meet many people like Albert who was ready to go the extra mile for me and my family. So, Albert, if your reading this, thanks! I hope I can return the favor one day.

— Brandon Doss, New Albany





Group predicts consumer backlash on ‘Cash for Clunkers’

As new car dealerships ramp up advertising to attract motorists to the showroom using “Cash for Clunkers” as an incentive, we anticipate a consumer backlash once reality replaces the hype and car owners realize that Cash for Clunkers is nothing more than a clever slogan for a program to spend $1 billion of our tax dollars to fund a government-subsidized vehicle trade-in to help new car dealers sell cars. Consumers will soon learn that they are simply trading in their vehicle and will still have to jump through all of the hoops to qualify for and purchase a new vehicle.

The much-heralded fuel efficiency and environmental benefits of purchasing a new vehicle could easily be achieved through better maintenance of an existing vehicle or trading up to a newer used vehicle. Any savings from improved miles per gallon will be lost from the costs involved in destroying and disposing of the clunkers. We continue to strongly oppose Cash for Clunkers because it prematurely destroys vehicles with many more years of useful life, denying consumers more affordable used vehicle options.

— Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO, Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, Bethesda, Md.





Reader: Rep. Hill needs to talk to voters



My wife and I contacted Indiana 9th District Congressman Baron Hill’s office on Aug. 4 to inquire as to when and where he would conduct the regular August recess town hall meetings necessary for him to hear, in person, the opinions of his constituents regarding the many important issues awaiting debate and vote before the U.S. Congress.

Among these are cap and trade, government takeover of the health care system, hidden tax increases, government takeover of private industry and the ever-increasing government debt.

We were told in no uncertain terms that there would be no town hall meetings this August.

Let us all remember this in November 2010.

— Kelly Roggenkamp, Georgetown