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Netlets for Monday, Sept. 15

September 16, 2008 at 2:13AM

Another fairy tale, this time about oil prices Exxon Mobil posted the highest profits ever for a U.S. corporation, $11.68 billion, in the second quarter of 2008. Yet we are invited to believe that environmentalists who oppose drilling in protected areas are causing high gas prices.

The U.S. Gov. Department of Energy has published a report saying that drilling the protected Outer Continental Shelf "would not have a significant impact on domestic crude oil and natural gas production or prices before 2030." Our tax dollars paid for the report, so go read it (google EIA offshore 2030).

Is this John McCain's version of the Iraqi WMD fairy tale?

Instead of waiting for futile drilling we should offer American families a tax credit to help purchase an efficient vehicle funded by a windfall profits tax on the oil companies. A 50 mile-per-gallon car could cut most families' gasoline bill in half today! Not save pennies in 2030.

Or we could continue to open our wallets and let the oil companies "Drill, Baby, Drill!"

JON FREISE, MINNEAPOLIS

Is McCain lying his way to defeat? Lies, lies, lies. I'm so sick of lies. I've grown accustomed to their distortions, their exaggerations, their disregard, their fallacious thinking.

No, Barack Obama did not call Sarah Palin a pig. No, Obama did not advocate teaching sex education to kindergartners. No, Obama did not inject racism into the campaign. No, John McCain did not always lean so far to Rush Limbaugh's right. No, McCain has not drifted away from George W. Bush more than 10 percent of the time. No, Sarah Palin has not refused earmarks from the rest of us. No, Sarah Palin is not fiscally responsible having left her community millions of dollars in debt. No, Sarah Palin does not have any international political or economic experience.

We've had lying presidents; look at what lying has done to America: bankruptcy, disrespect abroad, illegal war, high unemployment, lack of adequate health care, lost pensions, bailing out of large corporations, and the list goes on. If this is the America you want, you know who to vote for. If not, vote for real change!

WILL MARWITZ, ST. JOSEPH, MINN.

Will anyone advocate real health care reform? I don't understand why nobody seems to care about health care.

The Republican plan will not improve anyone's health care. In fact, it will cause harm, because disadvantaged people will avoid preventive care, given the up-front costs. This will lead to people only seeking care when they are truly, undeniably sick, and that will lead to higher health care costs as a percentage of GDP.

Every other "civilized" nation in the Western world recognizes health care as a human right, up there with education. Why not this country?

Sen. Norm Coleman's recent assertion that universal health care coverage would lead to health care a la the DMV is absurd. A single payor doesn't lead inevitably to single, government-run providers. There is nothing wrong with our current provider system; it works as best it can under the crushing regulations related to documentation for billings' sake. And there is absolutely no reason that we can't keep the same competitive model we have today if we turn to a single risk pool or single source of payment.

Many argue that we'll end up with a two-tiered system. I agree that that's wrong. But I am a nurse working in the system and I can tell you without a doubt that we have a two- (or even three-) tiered system today! Those who live in poverty and rely on Medical Assistance simply don't have the options that people with employer-provided insurance have, and none of us have the options of the independently wealthy. In other words, the poor have no options, the middle class have some options, and the wealthy have no limits. Is this any way to run a health care system?

KATE PORTER, NEW BRIGHTON

Still some hope for the Vikings, thanks to Zygi As a season ticket holder, I am some-what at peace with Sunday's Vikings loss and am tenaciously grasping three shred of hope.

First, following this Vikings loss, someone in that front office will have to see WHY they lost, and WHY they have only scored 1 touchdown in 120 minutes of play. Clearly, something has to change (QB, play calling, coaching, offensive system, clock management, etc). If they had won, the coaches would say "a win is a win" and take this three-wheeled cart into next week. I'm excited to see what changes for the Carolina game.

Second, I am a hopeful fan because Zygi Wilf is the owner. He did not become a multi millionaire (billionaire?) by being complacent or stupid. I doubt he will tacitly stand by and watch his $100 million investment get flushed down the tubes. I don't think he will turn into Jerry Jones over night, but you can bet he has exchanged words with coaches at Winter Park today. He, like me, is from the East Coast. He doesn't mince words and he doesn't resort to Minnesota passive-aggressive communication. Cut to the chase. Something has to change and Zygi will demand the change(s) going forward.

The last shred of encouragement I retain comes from last year's Super Bowl Champions, the New York Football Giants. They lost their first two games and ended up winning the Super Bowl. And their Manning couldn't beat the Vikings (sans Adrian Peterson) at home under perfect weather conditions. They were not perceived (nor did they play) as some knock-'em-dead powerhouse, and yet they still won "the big one." This is the NFL, where anything can happen on any given Sunday.

LAURA ERMINI, ST. LOUIS PARK

They dropped their politics, and pedaled for Minneapolis parks On Sunday we had a much needed respite from politics. No overheated rhetoric, no partisan bickering. Instead, we joined several thousand bicyclists on the second annual Bike Tour of Minneapolis. We rode 37 miles through neighborhoods, parks, and greenways as a fundraiser for the Foundation for Minneapolis Parks.

From the stunning view down Victory Memorial Drive where majestic trees shade markers honoring our war dead, to the prairie flowers around Lake Nokomis, the strong park system is a benefit for everyone.

Thanks to all the smiling volunteers, traffic officials, and patient drivers who made this a great event.

Your stance on Obama or McCain? Forget it -- the Minneapolis Parks were the big winners yesterday.

MARY DOW RYERSE, MINNEAPOLIS