Your Comments October 23, 2002February 22, 2017 FUNNY – HE DOESN’T LOOK DUTCH Judith: ‘I’m sure you’ve gotten a million emails about this, but I thought I’d point it out anyway – it’s Bruce Springsteen, not Springstein. I realize I know way too much about Bruce, but I grew up in New Jersey.’ REBUTTING AXELROD REBUTTING KENNEDY Tony Gurley: ‘While I disagree with much of what Sen. Kennedy said in the speech that you published a few days ago, Mr. Axelrod is dead wrong on a major point of his comments. It was not until the mid-90’s that ANYONE in the U.S. (incl. Pres. Kennedy, McNamara or the JCS in the Cuban Missile crisis) learned that Soviet commanders in Cuba had authority to use tactical nukes in combat on their own prerogative without getting Moscow’s approval. Had an invasion taken place, a nuclear exchange may have occurred. I cite the excellent book, One Hell of a Gamble, as a reference. The title is ironic inasmuch as no one, at that time, had any concept of just how much of a gamble it really was!’ Dara G: ‘Michael Axelrod demonstrates such dangerous ignorance about Ireland that I have to respond. How can someone who is seemingly articulate and intelligent claim that Ireland has waged and is waging a proxy terrorist war with Britain through the IRA. This claim is absolutely and patently absurd. What shocks me as an Irish citizen living in London is that such a ludicrous lie could be passed off so casually. To a citizen of a neutral western liberal democracy with some of the strongest anti-terrorism laws in Europe (specifically targeted against the IRA) and which has full and cordial diplomatic relations with the UK, this suggestion is deeply insulting. Michael Axelrod should be more careful. Even the most cursory of investigations of Irish and British affairs would reveal that his assertion is almost diametrically opposed to reality.’ OTHER THOUGHTS Paul Romaine: ‘I was surprised that you didn’t link to Paul Krugman’s cover story in this past Sunday’s New York Times about the end of the American middle class and the triumph of the plutocrats.’ Rob Myhre: ‘I can’t believe your reader, Robert A. Smith, accused the Democrats of vote buying. What was that $300 tax rebate? If that wasn’t vote buying, what is? The Republicans have a great game going. Tell the voters they’re going to let the people keep more of their money, then give most of it to the rich. The deficit goes up in the meantime, but winning the election is the important thing. Not the future of the country.’ Mary: ‘About Social Security….I wish it had been called Social Insurance. To draw an analogy, we all have to pay for insurance (on home, car, etc.) that most of us never use; we consider ourselves lucky if we don’t lose a home to fire, for instance. The wealthy should look at Social Security the same way; they should thank their lucky stars they don’t have to use it, and leave it to the less fortunate.’ FINALLY . . . Some of you may be interested in this Washington Post piece, describing Republican plans once they regain control of the Senate and have, thus, something of a lock on all three branches of government. And Dianne Moore offers this article linking to a 90-page report that describes Republican plans for, well, world domination. (Not that, if someone has to dominate the world, I wouldn’t want it to be us.)