Published: September 04, 2009 01:02 am      

LETTERS: Sept. 4, 2009

Good luck to you, Andy Hampton



A huge shout out to Andy Hampton. For the loss of your used car business, I am truly sorry. This writer was one of your many fans in the 1950s and ’60s at the Sportsdrome. To be honest, since dad and uncles “Fetter Bros.’ Car” was driving by Hugh “Leadfoot” Randall, I always pulled for Hugh to win, and you for second place.

Of course, you never fully cooperated, whether Hugh or Dave Fetter drove.

Good luck with your future, Andy. You were a great competitor in the ’50s and ’60s, and you have been a great competitor at your 10th and Spring Street location.

So whatever you attempt in the future, I’m sure you’ll receive that “checkered flag” in what you do next. Maybe, you could even explain to the reading public why Randall’s nickname was “Leadfoot,” and inverted order of the modified Sprint cars that ran big Cadillac, Chevy and Mercury engines!

Andy, have a great race or whatever track you compete on next.

— Steven Fetter, Jeffersonville





Flaws and consequences of cap-and-trade



The national debate on health care has raged for several months while a bill continues in Congress that could impact our nation’s economic health. The United States Senate will be voting on legislation that would negatively impact America’s competitiveness and put a disproportionate burden on all Hoosiers.

As a geologist, I have more than a basic understanding of earth science and the processes that affect our planet. The fear-mongers, who would have you believe that man induced, catastrophic, climate change and rising sea levels are endangering the planet, are just plain wrong! It is poor science, at best, and certainly not a reason to add billions of dollars in costs to American products and home utility bills.

The proposed legislation would require businesses to lower their emissions of the so-called “green house gases” and cause utility prices to increase. Indeed, then presidential candidate Barack Obama told San Francisco newspaper reporters last year that under his plan, “utility rates would necessarily skyrocket,” which is a direct quote and you should believe him!

Here in the Midwest where 90 percent of our electrical energy is produced from coal, our electrical bills would increase by 40 percent or more! Cap-and-trade would put our nation at a competitive disadvantage with other industrialized nations of the world. Despite what seems a global movement to clean the air, India, China, and other Asian nations, have no desire, nor plan, to cut their emissions on a level with our reductions. It’s in their economic interests to see American add costs to its products while keeping their costs low.

“Cap-and-trade” legislation might be better called “Cap and-tradeoff” legislation because it will put a cap on our economic recovery and trade-off more American jobs to foreign competition. It is a terrible idea that would, if passed, devastate an already suffering economy.

— Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock, Indianapolis