Archive: Opinions

In his May 10 letter to the editor, Henry Kramer urges support for Congressman Tom Reed in order to protect the rights of property owners to do what they want with their land. He also accuses Tompkins County Legislature Chair Martha Robertson of believing in government.

We can support property rights while also understanding that what you do on your own property sometimes harms others and must be limited. A property owner can’t dump toxic waste on his property and let the fumes pollute the air and the runoff contaminate everyone around him.

Sometimes your property rights have to be protected from my property rights. Then too, most of us have other things we care about in addition to property; things like jobs, children, safety, or neighbors. Martha Robertson, who is running to unseat Congressman Reed, understands that we live in communities and are both dependent on and responsible to each other.

In a democracy government by the people is how we determine those responsibilities and decide how we will live together peacefully and cooperatively. Congressman Reed, like Kramer, is part of that faction of extremists that have tried to define government as the enemy, rather than the instrument, of the people.

The last dozen years of dysfunction in Washington have shown, dramatically, what happens when government is run by people who don’t believe in government. Not surprisingly, it doesn’t work very well. Perhaps we need to go back to electing representatives who believe in what they’re elected to do.

Sincerely, Tim Joseph
Ithaca, NY

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