In John Carlson’s Op-Ed, “Barack Obama’s often-shifting policies of change” [Valley Record, July 9], a number of position changes are cited as evidence of inconsistency and inability to stay the course. Of course, unmentioned are the detailed explanations Obama has provided for each of these moves.

For example, Carlson’s flagship sample of Obama changing his mind is his decision to forego public financing of his campaign, so his campaign can spend more than the limit imposed for acceptance. Carlson is right — Obama did this because his army of supporters is on track to contribute twice as much or more than the $84.1 million spending limit imposed by public financing. This will allow his campaign to compete for votes in states that have been passed over in previous elections, because the money available had to be concentrated on winning the swing states.

If you think $84.1 million is sufficient to campaign in all the states, consider that $14 million — one fifth of $84 million — was spent just on the Washington state race for governor in 2004. But Obama has not changed his basic policy position on campaign finance reform at all. That position recognizes the present law is totally inadequate toward creation of a level playing field for candidates to campaign within reasonable funding limits. Organizations and wealthy individuals operating outside the campaigns have been abusing those rules to unfairly influence elections. They are gearing up to do it again. It takes a lot of money to deal with the politics of character assassination. The Obama campaign doesn’t plan to let anybody get away with it!

It’s a breath of fresh air to have a candidate running who has the intelligence and good sense to be adaptable when conditions change or new evidence surfaces, warranting movement on policy.

Bear in mind that John Carlson has been more than a commentator on talk radio. He ran for governor in 2000 on a right wing Republican policy platform basically cast in concrete. He sank with it to the tune of a 58 to 40 percent shellacking administered by Gary Locke — a reasonable pragmatic foresighted policy wonk Democrat!

Dave Olson

North Bend

Memorial tree

We had a tragic loss of a neighbor last Thursday night, a massive heart attack of a 45-year-old woman, Susie Moore.

I receive e-mail discounts from Mount Si Nursery and visited them today to purchase a Dogwood Kousa “Samaritan” tree as a memorial gift for our neighbor to plant in her memory. I learned at the nursery the discount did not pertain to that type of tree, which was fine. I started to tell the owner what I was buying the tree for, and without hesitation, she told me she would gladly discount the tree for me. She was so kind and caring to offer this. It makes my heart smile to know that a local business can be so wonderful and caring.

I will tell everyone I know how great Mount Si Nursery is, and urge local Snoqualmie Valley patrons to give them your business. If you haven’t been, check them out.

Tami Barber

North Bend

Great Fourth

Another Fourth of July comes to an end. It was the perfect day and temperature. It sprinkled a little on the runners and the kiddy parade, but didn’t dampen the festivities. We changed a few things by having the kiddy parade run in the opposite direction, and putting the vendors all in one place. We had pony rides, carnival games and a bouncy toy for kids, and put up a huge tent to sit under and just enjoy the day. It seemed like the changes worked out great.

We would like to give a huge thank you to Bob Gilbertson of the Carnation public works department, city staff and police department, the city of Duvall for their stage, King County Parks, all the residents of Morrison and Stewart Street, Tolt Congregrational Church, all our volunteers for the day, including the CHS Wrestling Booster Club, the Paxman family, along with some other friends that come out to volunteer every year. Thanks to Kathleen Mehrens, Dawn Board and Gary Aamodt, who preps the 5k run and after 14-plus years is retiring from that position, so thank you, Gary, very much. A huge thank you to to all the families that help, including the Pitts family, Jessica and Curtis; the Green family; our son, Joshuah, who came home this summer just to help with the parade again; my son, Gibson, who worked the parade route and then became pooper scooper along with his cousin, Henry, who came to town with his family from Las Vegas, just to enjoy the day.

Our committee consisted of Mark and Michele Padget, and Randy and Janice Stedman who work very hard on the Hot Rods and Harleys. They have been doing this for over six years. They have done an outstanding job, but this Fourth of July was their last year chairing this event. They are a great asset to the committee and will be very missed. Now they get to come to the event and just enjoy it. Nicole Pitts, our 5k run chair; Megan Crawford, the volunteer coordinator; John DeCarlo, evening entertainment; Debbie Green, vendors; Denise Crutchfield, our web designer; Theresa Tenney, secretary; Janice Stedman, treasurer; and me, Kim Lisk, chair person as well as parade and daytime entertainment chair.

To be part of the Fourth of July Committee, e-mail to kimlisk@comcast.net or visit www.carnation4th.org.

Kim Lisk

Carnation