And The Paper Wonders Why It Is Going Down The Tube...

From: Rod Miller [mailto:remogmiller@verizon.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 1:12 PM
To: 'news@readingeagle.com'
Subject: Attn: Mr. Flippin (on Specter)

To:

William S. Flippin

I forwarded the series of email conversations i had with Mr. Homan to a few of my friends. I just thought you might want to see their perspective of your paper and, in particular, the editorial department. I included their random replies at the bottom.

Rod Miller
*********************

From: Rod Miller [mailto:remogmiller@verizon.net]
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 4:08 PM
To: 'Jim Homan'
Subject: RE: Specter

Mr. Homan,

Forget it.

My letter has just as much and more substance than the one or two recent ones I read about Senator Specter and is very much relevant. And my letter was sent in first. It’s been said that the letters have more readers than the prominent editorialists or your unsigned editorials. I’ve been a scriber to the Reading Times/ Eagle since 1960 (49 years)and have frequently considered discontinuing my subscription. You’re making my decision easier. As your circulation is dying, a letter such as mine (or any previous one) can only, in some small way, help you to survive. My letter stands as is. If that doesn’t suit your immediate interest, consider this dialog a dead issue.

Sincerely

Rod Miller



From: Jim Homan [mailto:jhoman@readingeagle.com]
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 3:10 PM
To: Rod Miller
Subject: RE: Specter

Mr. Miller,

Try rewriting your letter and tying it to one of the more recent stories about Specter (losing seniority, etc) rather than one that was published more than two weeks ago.

Jim Homan

Reading Eagle Company

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From: Rod Miller [mailto:remogmiller@verizon.net]
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 2:20 PM
To: Jim Homan
Subject: RE: Specter

Mr. Homan,

The letter to which you refer was published on April 5th. I sent it in the previous week. Today is six weeks from the date I submitted it. I didn’t know of the 5 week requirement; however, may I again submit my Specter letter for publication?

Rod Miller

From: Jim Homan [mailto:jhoman@readingeagle.com]
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 6:37 AM
To: Rod Miller
Subject: RE: Specter

Mr. Miller,

Each letter writer is permitted on letter every five weeks. Your five weeks had not expired.

Jim Homan

Reading Eagle Company

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From: Rod Miller [mailto:remogmiller@verizon.net]
Posted At: Saturday, May 09, 2009 11:00 AM
Posted To: Letters to the Editor
Conversation: Specter
Subject: Specter

Dear editor,

As noted, the below letter to the editor was mailed to you on April 30, 2009. I received no acknowledgement, nor was it printed. I did notice a political sensitive letter regarding the senator published on 5/7/09. Please advise why my letter was not suitable for publication.

Rod Miller

Letter to the editor:

Senator Arlen Specter said he changed parties because the Republican party is moving too far to the right. What! Our last Republican president, signed deficit budgets, couldn’t find his veto pen until he was a lame duck president, appropriated 700 billion dollar bailout package and gave half of it to President Obama as spending money, and finally, wouldn’t secure our borders. It would appear the Republican party has moved from the Reagan conservative posture to a more centrist position. Certainly, not to the right.

I suggest the problem Senator Specter is having is that he’s continually moved further to the left and his myopic vision is failing him. However, he has now joined his peer group, the Democrat party, and will be more comfortable in his extreme left political surroundings.

To quote Norman Thomas, six time socialist candidate for president. “I no longer need to run as a presidential candidate for the socialist party. The Democrat party has adopted our platform”.

The Senator is not driven by political ideology, but he is in survival mode. i.e. Whatever it takes to get re-elected. He sees the title of Senator affixed to his name ‘till death do us part.



Rodney E. Miller
530 Raymond St
Reading PA
Muhlenberg Twp
610-929-5476

Random comments

Unbelievable! No wonder newspapers are dying on the vine. They are making themselves irrelevant in this age of electronic communication.

I thought your letter was good. I think Specter is WAY out of line thinking that, once elected, being a Senator is a lifetime job - but they all do. We should go back to term limits - the sooner the better

I GUESS YOU NOW KNOW WHAT SHOES HOMAN WEARS!

Now that is a liberal brick wall.

Who will drop the Eagle first? I have also been contemplating it for some time.

I stopped subscribing to the Eagle over a year ago and just read what I can get online. Between the Reading Eagle site, the WFMZ channel 69 site and sites like CNN and FoxNews, I get all the info I would if I got that rag in my home. The only thing I miss is the TV Guide that came in the Sunday paper and now I found a free link to our channels on the TV Guide website.

As always, Rod, they print what they want to print - good, bad or indifferent!!!

If we only had another newspaper in this sad town.

They are contemptible.

What's this guys problem? What do you think his real reason is for not printing your letter?

Does the Eagle have a word limit on letters to the editor? I sent one in two weeks ago and it wasn't published either