Letters to the editor for Tuesday, Oct. 7

Last week Congress passed the $700 billion financial bailout supposedly to avert a financial crisis on Wall Street. Now it turns out that the real reason behind this legislation was $110 billion in pork barrel legislation.

The crucial part of this bill, it seems, wasn't helping Wall Street but giving tax relief to the makers of toy arrows and a tax rebate to the makers of Puerto Rican rum. Once more the U.S. taxpayers have been had by their own government.

ROGER HARMON, EDINA

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Hooray that Wellstone's Mental Health Parity legislation has finally been passed! But guess what happens with many of these attachments? They are used for fodder in future attack ads for politicians who would not normally have voted for the bill.

Because of this practice, my finger is developing callouses from pushing the mute button during hateful political ads!

KAY NELSON, RICHFIELD

President Bush says, "We have acted boldly to help prevent the crisis on Wall Street from becoming a crisis in communities across our country." But he and this bailout beg the question of how this will be done.

The essence of the crisis is housing. So why do we seek to pass a bill that aims at raising home prices when they are still too high, and when, without those funky interest-only instruments, those in the middle class, the backbone of the economy, are in no way able to afford making the payments, let alone buying these expensive homes here and now?

KEITH KRUGERUD, BROOKLYN CENTER

On Thursday, Minneapolis Superintendent Bill Green announces that the Minneapolis School District didn't meet four of five academic goals (the one academic goal met being the "graduation rate" of students who didn't meet the first four academic goals). And Green wants Minneapolis citizens to "Vote Yes" on the upcoming $60 million referendum? Does he think we're idiots?

DOUG DAGGETT, MINNEAPOLIS

The cases of Troy Davis and many other death row inmates need to be reviewed by the Supreme Court, so that innocent lives are not lost in a miscarriage of justice.

AILEEN LARSON, MINNEAPOLIS

Enough is enough! Sarah Palin and John McCain need to stop inciting fringe elements of our society in order to reverse their fortunes.

When Palin accused Barack Obama of "palling around with terrorists" on three separate occasions Saturday, she may have set the stage for the increased chance of the far right perpetrating violent action against a good American because of her irresponsible rhetoric. Assuming guilt by association because Obama served on the same charity board and lives in the same neighborhood as someone who was a member of the radical Weather Underground 40 years ago is an obvious attempt to destroy Obama using McCarthy-like tactics of the '50s.

I hope the McCain and Palin will apologize and change the tone of their campaign.

An Oct. 6 letter writer mistakenly mentioned that bicyclists should not use their right arms to signal a right turn. The Minnesota Drivers Manual says it's OK: "Bicyclists use the same hand and arm signals as other drivers use but they may also hold their right arm straight out to indicate a right turn."

I drive a car and ride a bike and I don't see many road users regardless of the number of wheels following the laws. Stop signs have become "slow" signs. Speed limits mean nothing unless there's a cop around. Crosswalks are a place to put your car until the light changes.

Pointing the finger at bicyclists is misguided -- the problem is that most road users think the laws are for others.

ROBERT RIGGINS, MINNEAPOLIS

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The other day I stopped for a stop light on a one-way street. A Minneapolis police car pulled up on my right. On my left a biker came up and went through the intersection on the red light.

What did the police officer do? Nothing! Bikers are a real problem; law enforcement is supporting the problem.