VIKINGS STADIUM

Talk of delay is just another intimidation

Fear and threats — that's the recipe for getting the stadium built ("Bond sale, stadium face delay," Jan. 13). As a taxpayer who's on the line for this huge debt, I'm a little miffed. What Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen is looking for is a bridge loan in order for the stadium to open as scheduled. Let's think hard on this and determine who has the $23 million now needed, as well as the incentive to step forward and save the day. The Vikings owners? Apparently, they don't want to help out, even though they're going to be getting the benefit of a half-billion-dollar bond issue.

Quit threatening us.

RICHARD BREITMAN, Minneapolis
HEALTH CARE

A commentary writer responds

I am grateful for the letters to the editor regarding my Jan. 8 commentary critiquing "The high cost of 'free' medical care."

I am a strong advocate of universal health insurance. My critique was that managed rationing of "free" care failed to control costs for decades; more of the same through a more powerful version in Obamacare is only more economic nonsense. But worse, the new corporate cartel system threatens each patient with profiteering through bedside rationing of care — a legalized corruption of the professional delivery system's covenant of loyalty to the patient first.

How ought our nation achieve universal health insurance?

Medicaid has not lived up to its goal of care for the poor, especially in the hands of managed-care bureaucrats making budget ends meet by creating barriers to access — for example, paying for services at less than cost, a disastrous result for hospitals and especially primary-care doctors. I have campaigned to give money directly to these families (with a debit card) for first-dollar care. Bypassing the expensive corporate middleman works in the private sector — why not the public sector?

As a distinguished Minnesota economist, Joseph V. Kennedy, has written: "Government policy is far more effective when it channels market forces than when it overrides them. … Ownership of resources is the path to a decent life free of poverty and dependency: a goal for all Americans."

This is a good start to a better way.

ROBERT W. GEIST, St. Paul
ADOPTION

Why go overseas? Here's one way to look at it.

A foster parent recently wrote wondering why adoptive parents need to go overseas to find children with so many kids in the United States needing homes (Readers Write, Jan. 11). My wife and I adopted from India about 20 years ago. I'll try to answer this question.

The many waiting children foster parents see are older and problem kids. Most of us adopting kids have no children when we go into the process because we can't have kids in the usual manner. We aren't heroes trying to save the world; we just want to have a family, like others. Furthermore, when we start the process, we haven't been parents yet. We don't know how good our parenting skills will be. We don't know if we could handle the difficulties of raising kids who come from a troubled home.

When we looked into adoption, we discovered that there were very few babies available in this country. We heard stories about five-year waiting lists, and even then the mother had to choose you. It is also true that these foreign children need a home just as much as the children in this country.

MARK V. ANDERSON, Minneapolis
CHRISTIE ATTENTION

Speaking of leaders setting a tone …

In response to the Jan. 10 Letter of the Day ("Maybe Christie didn't do it, but he must have set the tone"): One does not need to go back as far as the Nixon administration for examples of individuals' taking it upon themselves to further political interests. Recently disclosed government activities, such as the IRS selectively targeting groups that had names such as "Tea Party" and "Patriot," the State Department's "Fast and Furious" program and the federal government's phone-tapping of the Associated Press all appear to have been instigated by individuals following the Obama administration's "tone" without any "personal" involvement from the president. I find all of these "uncomfortably remindful of President Richard Nixon's 'enemies list.' "

MARK PLOOSTER, Plymouth
TARGET

Could we dispense with the euphemisms?

I accept the apology of Target president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel and the explanation of what the company is doing regarding the card breach, but I wish Target would stop referring to me as a "guest." A guest usually receives something from a host, such as food or drink, without paying for it. A customer is someone who pays for goods or services. Thank you for your consideration.

DONALD OFSTEDAL, Minneapolis
CORRECTION

A Jan. 11 editorial incorrectly stated that the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce is a member of the Move MN transportation coalition. The St. Paul chamber has not yet decided whether to join the organization.