Respect for office of president goes both ways Re: “President Obama deserves the nation’s respect,” From Readers, Sept. 15
Am I the only Examiner reader who sees the irony in the letter beseeching you to give President Obama and his family a break because the writer “respects the office of the highest elected official of the United States”?
If Mr. Smithman truly respected the office, he would want to see it occupied by someone who also respects the obligations and honor that come with it.
Ben Arnold
Centreville
Council members broke promise to sunset energy tax
Re: “Energy tax considered to save MontCo construction projects,” Sept. 13
I noticed Rachel Baye’s article about Montgomery County tax-increasing officials’ desire to reverse their pre-election stance of letting last year’s huge energy tax hike sunset next year as scheduled. Prior to May 20, 2010, the county residential energy tax was $0.0052 per kilowatt hour. Starting July 1, 2010, it went up to $0.0133 per kw/hr. — or 2.56 times as much.
This 256 percent increase was after a public hearing where the subject was a 63 percent increase in the energy tax. The hearing was attended by only four of nine County Council members.
Thankfully, an online petition (montgomerypetitions.com) that can be printed and signed by voters is addressing the problem. Our charter amendment will limit future energy tax increases to the rate of inflation unless there is a unanimous council vote. It will likely be on the November 2012 ballot.
It is sad when elected officials promise to sunset big tax increases before the election and do exactly the opposite after the election. Our online petition offers a remedy for their prevarications.
Robin Ficker
Boyds, Md.
Medal of Honor recipients represent America’s finest
On Thursday, President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to former active duty Marine Sgt. Dakota Meyer for his courageous attempts to rescue U.S. and Afghan soldiers under intense enemy fire in Afghanistan on Sept. 8, 2009. Meyer is the third living Medal of Honor recipient to receive America’s highest military honor for bravery in combat while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On behalf of my fellow Medal of Honor recipients, I salute Meyer along with the two other recent recipients: Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry and Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta. All three received their medals as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Medal of Honor, a historic milestone marked by commemorative coins to emphasize the values of courage and selflessness embodied in the American spirit.
Meyer, Petry and Giunta, as well as the men and women serving in combat today, are members of the new “Greatest Generation” who exemplify the same spirit of courage and selflessness as their predecessors. They are truly magnificent! Semper fi.
Retired Marine Col. H.C. “Barney” Barnum Jr.
Reston
