Letters: DIFFERENT PARTIES, SAME OL' SHALE GAME

IN RESPONSE to state Sen. Vince Hughes' op-ed piece on an extraction tax in the Marcellus Shale region, I have one question for him which he probably won't dignify with a response.

Why didn't the state Legislature under Ed Rendell impose an extraction tax on gas companies when the Democrats had control of the governor's house and the state Legislature for two years?

My theory is that both sides were readily taking campaign contributions and didn't have a problem with it at the time. Stop blaming Corbett and the Republicans. You guys act like there is no revenue being generated at all.

It's time for both parties on the state and federal level to cut the crap and start working together for the good of the people.

Dan Dvorak

Phoenixville

Morning-afterthoughts

Say what you will. However, in my opinion, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was right on target, as she intervened and overruled the Food and Drug Administration. Her decision to make the morning-after pill available without prescription, to girls only 17 years of age and over, is to be applauded. Any concerned parent would want to know if their underage daughter is pregnant. There are no serious side effects from condoms, as there could be from the morning-after pill. And just in case, parents should be aware.

JoAnn Lee Frank

Clearwater, Fla.

Quality's her Signe-ture

I just wanted to thank Signe Wilkinson for two of her recent comics. They had to be two of the best she's done all year, and made my day! The occupy Philadelphia one parodying Mayor Nutter's sleepover campaign, and the one with Ackerman taking from the needy holiday-donation pot. They were hilarious, yet so true.

I always love her comics, as they are one of the best features of the DN.

Looking forward to her year-end wrapup!

Deric L. Adger

Philadelphia

Season's bleatings

BREAKING NEWS - Santa and Mrs. Claus woke up today to find hundreds of boys and girls camped on their frozen front yard. Calling themselves Occupy North Pole, the group is demanding that the Naughty-or-Nice clause be stricken from the Christmas contract. Speaking on behalf of the group, Timmy from suburban Philadelphia said: "Toys are an entitlement. So what if we were good or bad? So what if we didn't do our homework or our chores? It's not fair!"

Jim Acton

Collegeville