There were too many things the columnist failed to mention

To the Editor:

I found Gene Lyons column “Going stark raving mad” (Nov. 19 Times-News) insulting and misleading. When people gathered to protest President Bush’s policy this was people exercising their constitutional rights.

When people gathered to protest President Obama’s policies he calls them “politically deranged crackpots and loons, Scrooge McDucks, froot loops and indulging lunacy.”

President Bush had a Republican majority in his first six years. At the end of this period unemployment was around 5 percent. The Democrats took control of Congress in 2006. During the next three years unemployment went to over 10 percent. Bush and the Republicans created jobs, 5 percent unemployment. The Democrats lost jobs, unemployment 10 percent.

He states President Bush doubled the nation’s debt in eight years. He fails to mention President Obama, in his first three months in office, increased the National Debt. His increase was greater than the debt incurred by all the Presidents in the history of the Country.

He talks about the banking crisis. This came about because President Clinton, President Bush and Barney Frank, chairman of the Banking Committee, pushed the banking industry to make housing loans to low-income people. Both parties contributed to this crises.

He mentioned General McChrystal saying we can lose the war in Afghanistan. He fails to mention that the general is President Obama’s pick to lead this war.

The general asked for additional troops and President Obama has not responded to this request. This delay has increased the danger for our troops.

He states “the Texas delegation was there with spurs on.” Maybe Mr. Lyons should go to Texas and check what they are doing. They have a balanced budget, no deficit and no state income tax. They passed medical tort reform and reduced the state’s medical cost 40 percent. Why doesn’t the U.S.A do this?

The reference to Mao Tse-Tung came about because a few of President Obama appointees claimed Mao was a great philosopher. A great philosopher? This man murdered more people than any man in History.

President Obama was born in the U.S.A. However, he went to high school in Indonesia. To do this he had to be an Indonesian citizen and a Muslim. He had to give up his American citizenship. You can verify this by checking his college record. He attended college on a scholarship given to a foreign national. Did he reapply for his U.S. citizenship?

It appears we no longer report the news but shape it to fit our ideology.

Jack Atkinson

Swanton