Netlets for Sunday, Aug. 19

Debra Morse-Kahn ("A measure of who we are," Aug. 12) gushed that we in Minnesota are a breed apart.

When tragedy strikes, our brave and compassionate community response is unlike any other in the nation. That's so true -- had it been written 19 years ago when my family and I first moved here.

This used to be a special place. Sure, taxes were higher. But for all our complaining, we took great pride in our nationally ranked schools, parks and health care system. Like the weather, we bore our burden with pride. I loved being a Minnesotan.

But something changed. Our sense of community got smaller. A new breed of politicians moved in. Taxes were somehow cast as a moral issue along with God, guns and gays.

And our community get even smaller. Taxes morphed into user fees. I'll pay for the roads I drive on, but not your transit. I'll pay for my fishing license, but not your library. Our school district asks if you live less than 2 miles from school. If you do, pay $200 for the bus, or your kids walk.

Are we becoming a community so tiny that it takes a bridge to fall down to get us to respond as we once did? As Morse-Khan asks, "Who are we, indeed"?

ZOL HEYMAN, ARDEN HILLS

Immigration and Customs cranks up the merry-go-round

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is apparently going to go after employers who receive notification that their employees do not have legitimate Social Security numbers, giving them 90 days to fire them or face enhanced fines ("Countdown begins on illegal immigrant crackdown," Aug. 11).

The practical effect of this effort is that employers will comply with the firings, then unwittingly hire replacements who also have false Social Security numbers. These employees will last until the next round of notifications, when the process will repeat itself. So what is the bottom line? Increased training costs for American businesses, such as food service, construction and lawn service, and no reduction in the number of illegal immigrants working in the United States!

Whoever thinks this will make a dent in the 12 to 16 million illegals in this country must be having hallucinations. Let's spare American business the cost of this merry-go-round.

ARTHUR E. HIGINBOTHAM, MINNEAPOLIS

Aaron's legacy is secure

Barry Bonds' home-run record this month has not diminished Hank Aaron at all. On the contrary, it has vaulted Aaron back into the public eye in a manner not seen since he retired 30 years ago.

The incredible ovation Aaron's video tribute to Bonds received from fans at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Aug. 7 was evident of the respect and adoration fans will always reserve for him.

Millions of baseball fans who were born after Aaron retired now have had the opportunity to learn who this great man is thanks to the attention given Bonds' pursuit of the record. If not for Bonds, this would not have happened.

Like Harmon Killebrew, Aaron's accomplishments and legacy will never be diminished just because someone happens to hit more home runs.

KARL KLASSNER, RICHFIELD

Egge was way off base about Edina

Reading the Aug. 12 Business section article about the rise and fall of money manager Jeff Larson, we could not help but react to Macalester Prof. Karl Egge's gratuitous slap at Edina students, whom he characterizes as driving Saabs to school with apparently no money problems.

When we think of the Edina students we know, including our own four offspring, who worked part time all through high school and college, we are surprised that a Macalester professor wouldn't know better. Edina and its students, including those currently at Macalester, deserve an apology.

JOHN AND NANCY BURBIDGE, EDINA

A major outbreak of political incompetence

The Aug. 12 front-page article on Carol Molnau was another example of the problem with political leadership today. Federal and state elected officials and their appointees are not qualified for their positions. Let's forget about campaign slogans and start electing people for their demonstrated competence.

In your article we were reminded that the person leading the Minnesota Department of Transportation, a 4,500-person, $2 billion organization, has no college education and a background in farming and arm wrestling. Pardon my sarcasm, but we now know Carol's selection criteria was simply one-dimensional based on supporting the "no new taxes" position of the governor. The article goes on to show the many ways she is not qualified for the job based on results and feedback from the professionals who do the work at MnDOT.

In Washington, we have a president surrounded by incompetent people who get him to foolishly take us to war. That same president hires a political ally to lead FEMA who can't respond adequately to a national disaster and the president responds "good job, Brownie." Is Alberto Gonzales competent as attorney general or is he there due to loyalty?

Now we have a governor who responds to a bridge disaster by saying that "Molnau is doing a good job." Does that appraisal suggest we have an incompetent governor in light of the facts coming out about the financial handcuffs on MnDOT?

It's not just Republicans. The new Democratic leadership is not showing much competence either. How can Democrats control Congress and our state Legislature and still not get done what they were elected to do? How can Molnau be on the job since 2003 but not have been confirmed or dumped by the Legislature? The only answer is political incompetence. In the case of the Democrats it is simply not knowing how to play hardball with elected leaders who have hijacked the Republican party for their own personal gain.

This country needs competence in leadership. Voters should demand it. Political appointment should no longer be synonymous with incompetency. Forget party labels of liberal and conservative and vote for the party that starts providing competent candidates.

RONN WILLIAMSON, ST. PAUL