Letters to the editor for Tuesday, Sept. 4

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

Gingrich has it right

I don't often agree with Newt Gingrich, but he called it right in his Aug. 27 Opinion Exchange column. He wants real debates, not staged events. He wants debates where candidates face off, one on one, on real issues -- issues that matter to people, like health care, education, Iraq and the environment.

People don't watch the fake events anymore. Those who do come away with fake news.

It is time to dump the old formats and get rid of the scripts.

GENNA ANDERSON, ST. PAUL

A fresh approach

The idea proposed by Newt Gingrich is fresh and innovative. The thought of our political machine having to develop answers with meaning and depth is new. The "Nine Nineties in Nine" would bring back legitimacy to the democratic process we have today.

Perhaps in future elections this concept can replace the blasphemous ads that run on our television sets.

I hope the concept and format proposed by Gingrich materializes and is free of outside influence. It is a step in the right direction to move politics away from the "Manchurian candidates" and toward a more grass-roots campaign of political stumping.

CHRIS LUND, HAMBURG

health care

Take up moral test

The latest government figures are out: 47 million Americans without health insurance, nearly one-sixth of the country. These are our fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends and neighbors who can't afford the basic coverage that many of us take for granted.

The current HMO system is failing them, and it is time for our elected officials to do something. This is a situation that can be resolved, but it requires real solutions and bipartisan cooperation.

Imagine the population of Minnesota, now multiply it by 15. Hubert Humphrey once said, "... the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life -- the sick, the needy and the handicapped."

It is time for our government to take up that moral test.

NATHAN COULTER, BLOOMINGTON

LITTLE LEAGUE

Teach accountability

I didn't notice local Little League officials complaining about how coverage of the Coon Rapids team in the World Series was detracting from news of Iraq, floods, and 911 calls from the collapsed bridge -- at least not as long as the news was cheery and good. But a Little League administrator (letters, Aug. 29) now wants to blame the media for too much focus on the unsportsmanlike conduct of two of its players.

What the players did was wrong. It's too bad that this administrator and other adults now want to teach the kids lessons in dodging accountability.

JAE HUDSON, MINNEAPOLIS

DWI LESSON LEARNED

But vultures pounced

Several weeks ago, my 22-year-old son was driving home after staying out way too late. For the first time in his life he was driving under the influence, wrecked his mother's car and was then taken off to jail by the police for DWI. He was not injured, and no one else was involved. He was at fault and fully admits it. He will lose his license for 90 days, must appear in court and will no doubt pay a sizable fine.

The police were very courteous to both him and me. I believe my son has learned his lesson: Don't drink and drive. That should be the end of it. However, just two days later, the mail included 18 letters from different law firms, all addressed to my son and offering to help him beat the DWI in court! The vision which came to mind was that of a pack of vultures just waiting to pounce.

All information regarding any arrest is obviously immediately made available to the public -- including names, addresses, charges, etc. That is like tossing carrion out to the vultures. It is also a basic invasion of privacy.

There are certainly cases where an injustice has occurred and good legal help is needed to rectify the situation. In such cases, a person should seek legal counsel from a reputable firm, not be attacked by a pack of wolves trying to drag them into their lair!

JOHN A. PALMER, EDINA

REPLACING GONZALES

Look beyond Chertoff

With the resignation of Alberto Gonzales, rumors started immediately floating Michael Chertoff as a candidate for attorney general. If so, I remain amazed that the Republican gene pool is so shallow that Bush must cannibalize one important department in order to staff another. Justice is already in disarray; I can't imagine replacing the leadership of Homeland Security will do anything to improve its ability to keep us safe over the next 18 months. Or is Homeland Security only important when it is time for some political theater?

CLAYTON HAAPALA, MINNETONKA

UPSCALE 'CAMPING'

Consider the message

I was completely disgusted by the Aug. 26 article, "Campers can take the wilderness out of the experience." These people should be ashamed to admit that they spend $595 per night to sleep in a tent with butler, maid and cook services so that their children can experience camping. Katrina victims are still living in moldy, leaky FEMA trailers and having to pay $600 a month to do so.

I hope these people realize the message of privilege and selfishness they are giving their children. If this is their idea of roughing it, I pity them.

REBECCA TRANCHEFF, BLAINE

transportation planning

Get skilled leadership

An Aug. 22 Star Tribune editorial described the 1982 closing of St. Paul's High Bridge by then-Transportation Commissioner Richard P. Braun, a professional civil engineer.

The current status of Minnesota's long-range transportation and transit planning, involving as it does several light-rail transit lines and several commuter-rail lines, leads me to the conclusion that Minnesota would be best served by a transportation commissioner who is a professional civil engineer with both road and rail planning experience.

ROBERT E. (BOB) CLARKSON, ROSEVILLE

Switch from LRT focus

I read the Aug. 28 article "A cautious push for new load limits." The article mentioned that the need for more efficient shipping methods is growing. My response is that it's too bad that we didn't/can't use the money that we did use or are planning to use on light-rail transit for the more efficient shipping methods.

I'm wondering if the $1 billion that we are planning on using for the 11-mile Central Corridor couldn't be used for a more effective transportation mode.

MIKE MCLean, Richfield