Letters to the editor for Monday, Dec. 22

As the CEO and president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities, I know that now, more than ever, the young people in our communities need us to reach down in order to lift them up -- to celebrate their development and to brighten their future. All young people need someone to encourage them to dream big, and in these tough times, we need to do even more.

The good news is ours is a movement with a role for all citizens. There are many ways to support what our movement achieves -- results that make a real difference in young people's lives, increasing the chances that they will succeed in school, solve problems without violent behavior and avoid engaging in illegal activities. In addition to those who get involved as Big Brothers and Big Sisters (mentors), the movement also includes corporate partners, event volunteers, professional advisers, private donors, board members and others willing to do what they can to provide support.

Next month is National Mentoring Month, and we invite you to join our movement. You can do so by simply recognizing a citizen you know who is helping children increase their sense of confidence, competence and caring. Go to Big BrothersBigSisters.org and give a local unsung hero an opportunity to be recognized nationally by nominating him or her for the Big Citizen of the Year Award. This honor recognizes that helping children make good choices takes family members, teachers, religious leaders, coaches, neighbors and so many others who want to help our children grow up in America. While nominating your favorite Big Citizen, you also will be able to select from a number of ways that you can do your part to make a difference and encourage others to do what they can as well.

You can make a big difference in our community by helping us to provide hope and friendship to young people across the Twin Cities. We can't easily change the world children grow up in, but we can work together to change the way the young people in our community see their world and how they interact with it. Today, you can be the force of change our children have been waiting for.

GLORIA LEWIS, ST. PAUL

Mark Dayton says our roads and schools are drastically hurt by lowering the state taxes on the rich ("Fixing Minnesota [miracle not required])," Dec. 15).

The only state tax that has been lowered in the last 20 years is the income tax, which has gone down a whopping 65/100ths of a percent. A mere $6.50 on $1,000. Almost nothing.

He says that Gov. Tim Pawlenty's high approval rating is solely because of lowered expectations. Could it actually be because Minnesotans like the job he has done?

Minnesota's budget problems are due to basing expenditures on the best years with no provision for bad years. Minnesota's problem is not due to its failure to tax its residents.

JAMES W. COPELAND, WAYZATA

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Sen. Mark Dayton's commentary hit the nail on the head. The Republicans have ravaged this country with their trickle-down Reaganomics. Now it is time to backtrack and go back to the wonderful state that we used to be. Let's all do our share to make this a great state again.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty's recent trip to Israel to discuss bringing "next-generation energy technologies" back home to Minnesota beautifully illustrated all that's wrong with the Republican Party today. Misplaced priorities based on ridiculous premises resulting in wrong conclusions and disastrous policies fill the minds of many in the party's ranks.

First, why was the governor in Israel anyway? If my suspicions are correct, it was to elevate his standing with certain elements in the Republican Party whose adherence to perverted religious fanaticism dictates policies based on a symbiotic relationship between the United States and the modern state of Israel. These ideas have led to a United States that seeks an aggressive role in the Mideast. The animosity caused by said involvement and the response to that animosity have resulted in the greatest expansion of state power in two generations, undermining the liberty of Americans in every facet of life and society.

Bragging about bringing back "next-generation energy technologies" is all well and good, but only if it is done naturally by free people. What Pawlenty and his ilk have in mind is to artificially create it with and prop it up by the power of the state. It's not the purpose of the state to constantly manipulate every aspect of society and the economy so that the phony-baloney results desired become manifest.

If the Republican Party would just eliminate these liberty-limiting losers, they might again be favored by the public. The way to electoral success is standing against the state, not for it as they have the last eight years.