Letters to the editor for Friday, March 27

With Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's new proposal to buy up bad assets, the Obama administration has thrown its lot in with the very people who created the economic meltdown. Essentially it is socializing the debt and privatizing the profits.

The proposal is simply a rehash of what was termed "cash for trash" that the Bush administration first proposed under Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. We, the taxpayers, heretofore known as chumps, will bear all of the risk, but the rewards will go to the Wall Street players and hedge fund tycoons who share the blame for this mess. An investment scheme with essentially no risk. It is for this very reason that we saw the stock markets rally after hearing the news of Geithner's plan. Is this a great country or what? You create a problem and then you are paid to try and fix it, but if you can't fix it you walk away scot-free. Corporate capitalism is alive and well in the Obama White House.

PATRICK O'CONNOR, MINNEAPOLIS

It never ceases to amaze me. We have a state deficit to deal with and all we get from our elected officials are sound bites, tidbits and gobbledygook.

Democrats, like it or not, you have to come back into the real world. We have a deficit, our economy is in the dumpster and people of all income brackets are hurting. Do these facts add up to tax increases? Cut a bit from all state-funded programs -- it's the only thing that makes sense.

Republicans, get serious about working with the Democrats on a real solution to this problem. Quit squabbling over ideals and put the needs of the people in this state ahead of your own political interests.

To the general public who favors a tax increase: Get a job. I'm tired of Health & Human Services, Education (aka the teachers unions), etc., crying because they aren't getting enough funding. You are getting plenty -- use the money more wisely.

MARK FOLLMER, PLYMOUTH

State Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer wants to prosecute Sara Jane Olson for voting (Star Tribune, March 25). A pretext, of course -- Kiffmeyer actually means to persecute Olson for her former revolutionary politics.

A nobler Republican permitted no reprisal against an entire rebel army. Abe Lincoln undertook repatriation "with malice toward none, with charity for all."

Kiffmeyer is no stranger to abuse of power, having been bounced from secretary of state for politicizing the office. Toward the eugenic improvement of the electorate Secretary Kiffmeyer applied cull and winnow. She never met a voter she didn't suspect. The secretary went about her functions constantly dismayed to find democracy going on.

If Rep. Kiffmeyer wants a prosecution, that's enough for me. I'm against it. With all due respect to Ms. Kiffmeyer, I have no respect at all for Ms. Kiffmeyer.

Every time a child comes home from school bullied or harassed we collectively lose a little more of our humanity. Every malicious action could be the seed that germinates into a tragedy such as those experienced at Columbine, Red Lake or Cold Spring. The evidence of the harm that bullying does is overwhelming and irrefutable.

The environment in which we raise our children must evolve. It is time we all support legislation such as the antibullying bill authored by Sen. Scott Dibble in the hope of developing a more humane educational environment for all our children. Children grow where they are planted, and children treated humanely grow up to be humane adults.

KELLEY LEAF, MINNEAPOLIS

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I read your March 25 editorial, "Protecting children from each other," twice. One paragraph stands out: "And while no state rules can completely stop children from being mean to each other, laws can help adults recognize various forms of intimidation and take steps to prevent it."

This relates to another subject: the issue of being different. We are preparing for a census in a few months. We will spend an enormous amount of money and energy to identify tens or hundreds of differences found in our society -- are we adults contributing to the problem with new listings of "different people" every 10 years? Why don't we simply determine how many more than 281,421,906 (2000 census) Americans we have as of 2010? It might be a start!

RUSS PAUMEN, MAPLE LAKE, MINN.

Norm Coleman is planning to take his bid for a U.S. Senate seat to the Minnesota Supreme Court with the hopes of winning on appeal. Norm, you lost your appeal a long time ago.