Planned Parenthood does believe that women who choose to terminate a pregnancy have that right, and 1 percent of Planned Parenthood’s budget funds those services. Because planned pregnancies are rarely terminated, Planned Parenthood should be considered an abortion preventer, as they help untold thousands of women avoid unwanted pregnancies. Everyone concerned about abortion should answer […]
Nathaniel Batchelder
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Not our war
The Assad government is ruthless and has killed thousands of civilians, but the Obama administration said poison gas used by government forces would be the “red line” for action. A United Nations finding published by Reuters showed that poison gas was used by rebel forces, not government forces, so that line has yet to be […]
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No time for pipeline
A major concern is the huge contribution tar sands oil is projected to make to global warming and climate change. Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that the primary cause of atmospheric warming is the rising level of greenhouse gases, including CO2 methane and others. NASA’s leading climate scientist, Dr. James Hansen, has called the […]
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What about the public good?
Corporate executives were once proud that their enterprises produced jobs and wages for employees as well as products and services. Today, the system seems to consider labor a commodity to be purchased at the lowest price. And whereas CEOs once averaged salaries equal to 60 times what their hourly workers made, today’s CEOs commonly earn […]
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Sound off, voters!
In 2012, Barack Obama was reelected with 50.5 percent of the popular vote and 332 electoral votes. He wants to restore taxes on the wealthiest 2 percent to the level before the Bush tax cut, but protect the bottom 98 percent from a tax increase, including households and businesses with incomes under $250,000. Sixty percent […]
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Go ahead, secede
Becoming two separate nations would reduce political tensions and permit Southern states to govern themselves as they prefer. It would also reduce the U.S. budget, as half the spending in some of those states is federal money, and most are home to U.S. military bases. —Nathaniel Batchelder, Oklahoma City
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Voting for peace
It is shocking that candidates on the national scene express commitment to giving more tax cuts to the wealthy and addressing the deficit only by cutting social programs serving America’s most vulnerable. They would repeal the Affordable Care Act, removing health insurance from some 30 million qualifying people. They would privatize Medicare with vouchers. They […]
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Cutting taxes is not an answer
I wish those fortunate enough to be able to pay taxes would reflect on public services that are often taken for granted but make for a civilized society: police and fire protection; sewage treatment and water treatment facilities; public schools and teachers; family services for lives that have run off the rails. Tens of millions […]
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Lankford and the Bush trifecta
U.S. Rep. James Lankford’s absolute opposition to any tax strategy locks in place the irresponsible and immoral trifecta of G.W. Bush’s first term: Backed by a Republican-controlled House and Senate, President Bush launched two foreign wars and cut taxes, rather than levy a tax to pay for the wars. Mr. Bush inherited a balanced budget […]
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‘Just asking’
While I do not consider love between any two people a sin, nor do I believe that God intervenes for or against nations or individuals, I challenge anyone fearful of God’s wrath to ask whether LGBT issues are really God’s top concern. What about America’s consumption of natural resources at rates far exceeding other developed […]