Letters

Parent dissatisfied with Higher One
As a parent of a PSU student, I feel that the students are being forced to do business with one specific company ("Boycott!" 10-21-04). There appears to be no freedom of choice here. The University should issue its own ID cards, student privacy should be respected. As for the name Higher One…does it mean From God…or Higher Interest rates? Being forced to do business with one company will only breed revolt and resentment. I will not do any financial gifting to PSU until this policy is revoked, and encourage other parents to withhold gifts as well.

Johan van Gelderen
Portland

PSU advisor better than OSA organizer
Hiring a PSU advisor is a much better idea than the current process of changing OSA organizers every 6-12 months ("ASPSU budget: What’s in a name?" 11-30-04). This position is always changing – not because it has to but due to excessive turnover with OSA. Last year, this person quit in the middle of the year, not very effective. The new advisor position will help provide some much needed stability to ASPSU. ASPSU would be much more effective in their campaigns if they didn’t have to re-start with a new staff (Students) as well as an OSA advisor each year.

Chase LoGreco
Student

Election fraud could lead to doom
["Don’t give up hope," 11-12-04] was a good summation, but there is even more evidence out there that solidifies the fraud allegation as well. But does the "mainstream" media talk about it? Any of it? Of course not – Minister of Propaganda Karl Rove and the rest of the "Fourth Reich" has gotten to them. It’s frightening to think that 1936 Germany may be happening all over again.

The methods used to cheat, mostly involving electronic voting machines and electronic vote tabulation of other types as well, will ensure invisible, illegal vote fraud – and bogus elections – for generations to come. If the election debacle of 2004 is allowed to be considered legal in spite of the mountain of evidence of fraud, then quite simply – America is finished.

Richard Mallery
Los Angeles, CA

["Happy Holidays, Visa," 12-3-04] is very true. I ran up over $3000 of credit card debt my Freshman and Sophomore year. That was a big mistake. I had to get help from my parents to pay the bills. Now I just use a debit card so I know I can’t spend more money than I have.

I don’t want to debate all the details of the new debit ID card from Higher One, but the fact that it is a debit card that lets you control your spending is very important, especially for college students with a limited income like me.

John S.

Gonzalez’s "Torture Memo" deserves more scrutiny
Since Alberto Gonzalez is receiving a scrutiny-filled third degree in his confirmation session, it’s sad to think that the release of the "Torture Memo" is going to play out as only a small factor since his confirmation’s all but approved in a Republican-majority Congress. His quid pro quo entrance to the Bush Administration will remind me even more of its unilateral stance toward interrogation instead of service and protection.

Additionally, upon hearing of John Ashcroft’s resignation and Gonzalez’s subsequent nomination, fellow student Dems. openly praised the ousting of the old in far too quickly a fashion. We can all stand to be reminded that it is easier to anticipate the actions of an enemy you know than those of an enemy you don’t. For the next four years, the new A.G. will be turning the blinding lights upon us all asking from the shadows the question, "How many lights do you see?"

Patch Adam B. Perryman
Portland

Dems should protest Ohio vote
Please call a Wendy’s restaurant LOCAL to you and tell them that you will not go to their restaurant ever again UNLESS they can get their CEO to get a revote in Ohio by speaking to Kenneth Blackwell the secretary of State of Ohio ("The donkey that refused to kick," 1-7-05).

Similarly call an Outback Steakhouse local to you and tell them you will not go to their restaurant ever again unless they get their CEO to get a revote in Florida by speaking to Glenda Hood, the secretary of State of Florida.

Dennis Baer

Dems should leave Ohio vote alone
Screaming that this is not a conspiracy theory doesn’t change the fact that this is a conspiracy theory. Whenever these "facts" get discussed on radio or TV, they get blown away with little effort. Wake up and smell the coffee. Bush won. If you want to challenge his policies, you must do so without a tinfoil hat on your head to be taken seriously.

Scott Malone