Suresh Kulkarni

Science versus politics

As an engineer at Thiokol Corporation, I learned from "the school of hard knocks" that it was very challenging to accurately predict how a rocket motor, particularly a new design, would perform in a test on the ground or in flight. It would take many tests, both small scale and the actual size, to finally be able to say the design was "flightworthy." We always had a schedule to meet when the tests should be over and production would begin.

When I started my career in 1972, we were using slide rules and fairly simple models. When I retired in 2003, the understanding of how a rocket motor works had developed from rocket engineering to rocket science. The knowledge had leap-frogged into very sophisticated predictive computer models.

What has happened to us?

I used to wake up every morning thinking "we are all going to be okay." But these stressful last few weeks of reading about and watching the polarization amongst our leaders in Washington, I am not sure anymore.

Rather than solving our problems, Congress has become the problem. The credibility of our nation is now in question worldwide, and this is a real tragedy. America matured and grew over the years built on civility and compromise amongst leaders. But now we have a group that is willing to take us into fiscal disaster.

Can Pakistan leaders be trusted?

Now that Osama bin Laden has been killed, Pakistani leaders are struggling with whether they should take cash or credit for his killing.

As the documents seized from OBL's hideout are examined, more information may become available about Pakistan's duplicity or complicity. The years of denial by their leaders that he was nowhere in Pakistan has proven to be a lie.

Pakistan is a terrorist state. Our leaders in Washington are beating around the bush by not declaring it as such. Every terrorist of importance in the world today has either come from there or trained there. It is a Mecca to them.

Improve -- not repeal -- health care law

I met a University of Utah physician. He commented "It seems like we don't cure patients anymore. We take care of insurance and pharmaceutical companies."

Shortly thereafter, I read several articles in the Standard-Examiner:

Will the rhetoric tone down?

The recent massacre in Tucson has reignited the debate in several areas: gun laws, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI ) effectiveness, political rhetoric, news media accountability, and personal responsibility.

The debate will go on and then die down just as it did after previous shootings in schools, colleges, shopping malls, restaurants, etc. The shooting at Virginia Tech on Sept. 16, 2007 by a deranged individual claimed 33 lives -- more than in Tucson and yet nothing changed. The Standard-Examiner posted a cartoon in the Jan. 17 issue showing the various shootings in the past several years.

Tell us what you will do, Senator Hatch

I read with great interest Sen. Orrin Hatch's Viewpoint article, "Washington has attention deficit disorder" in the Nov. 12Standard-Examiner. When I read that "Congress has to change their big spending ways," I was ready to read a list of very specific items that Hatch would identify for reducing the deficit.

But I found that the entire article was the usual finger-pointing, blaming the Democrats and repealing the Health Care Act. It seems like all the Republican leaders chant the same "mantra" as if they have been attending a madrassa that teaches them to regurgitate the same phrases. Didn't they get the message from the last election? A) We want jobs. B) We want the two parties to work together to solve our problems. Every poll taken shows jobs is the single-most important issue for about 65 percent of the electorate. The wars, repealing of the Health Care Act, immigration reform, etc., are a distant second with about 5 percent each.

What should a voter do?

I am just as perplexed as many others are about who to vote for in the upcoming November election. In my 40 years in the United States, never have I witnessed a time when we as a nation were plagued with challenges so immense that they threaten our way of life if not dealt with properly. I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican.

The people vying to be elected to public office are not clear as to how they will tackle the problems. The media is using scare tactics to form public opinion. Extreme viewpoints are offered on just about every issue. I believe that Fox News is detrimental to national integration and is doing far more damage than good. One characteristic of scare journalism is that we feel so helpless and depressed.

To build or not to build

The Standard-Examiner Editorial Board took a bold stand in this conservative state on Aug. 19 by writing an "Our View" editorial titled "Obama is right on mosque." I am sure it was taken to task by many. And just below the editorial was one by Susan Skordos, a member of the editorial board, entitled "Going Muslim!" She described the interesting experience of her daughter shopping at Gateway wearing a Muslim veil.

Senators, please rise above the muck of bipartisanship

When I retired and moved to Perry city five years ago, I decided to do something that I hadn't been able to do while working: give back to the community by getting involved in a variety of projects that would help Perry city as a whole.

Perry politics are very divisive, just like they are in Washington, D.C. I vowed that I would not vote for anyone who pointed fingers rather than admitting a part in creating the problems.

Reaching out

When reasonable adults need to solve problems, they don't try to tear each other down. If only our leaders in Washington had learned that there is much they can achieve if they just reached out to each other in cooperation.

Bennett clueless on how to lead

I worked at Thiokol (now ATK) for 31 years as an engineer and went through many ups and downs. When I read the Sunday's Viewpoint article by Senator Bennett, "Obama Wrong on NASA," I thought, "He's always blaming somebody else." Instead, Bennett should point the finger at himself and Congress for this mess, because they approve NASA's budget as well as the appointment of its chief. Bennett has been in Congress for 18 years. Where is his leadership to protect our capability and workforce?

Immigration reform -- it's doable

News reports are buzzing that immigration reform is on the horizon. Once again our leaders in Washington have the opportunity to work together to make this happen. The question is: will they again politicize an issue that is of immense importance to this country or do the right thing? Will they again pander to the lobbyists and self-interest groups or rise above the muck, educate us about what they are doing as to how reform will make our lives better, our country more secure and solve the multitude of issues that are entangled in this reform.

Hawkers amongst us

This past week we heard Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana announce his departure because he is sick of bipartisanship in Congress. Then we heard Tiger Woods confess about his transgressions. I was thinking -- is there a connection? After much thought, I came to the conclusion that I could make that argument. They are both greedy hawkers.

It's time for term limits

Just look at the disasters inflicted upon us by our legislators in Congress and the Senate! They represent corporate America because corporations and self-interest groups bankroll their elections. They supported elimination of rules and regulations on Wall Street, causing the biggest financial meltdown around the globe; supported the unnecessary invasion of Iraq, leading to many of our brave young people killed and maimed; and continue bickering and resisting coming together on just about any issue, which causes unrest and divisions in our society.

Health care reform warrants consideration

The health care debate is generating a tsunami of misinformation which is unfortunate.
A noble idea to improve coverage and reduce costs for everyone is now in real danger of being squashed. Irresponsible talk by the following: Sean Hannity, "Become part of the mob;" Rush Limbaugh, "The health care symbol is similar to the Nazi symbol;" and Sarah Palin, "It is an evil program with care being decided by a death squad," is adding fuel to passion and turning civil debates into rowdy confrontations. South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint said "Let's break Obama and make this his Waterloo."
The Standard-Examiner has been running "Viewpoint" commentaries that are informative. Hat's off to the editor. I wish news channels would do this rather than presenting mostly "he-said she-said" versions.

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