Letters to the editor for Monday, March 3

Nick Coleman's Feb. 25 column about the illegal immigrant who crashed into the school bus last month pointed out how quickly in the wake of a horrible tragedy many like to turn things political to push their own agenda. He noted Gov. Tim Pawlenty's statement about cracking down on illegal immigration, and argued that this should only be a time to think about the victims and their families.

The time must have passed quickly because in the same column he decided to push his own political agenda, how illegal immigrants should have the right to obtain a driver's license. You can't have it both ways, Nick.

MIKE NIELSEN, DELANO

Different set of rules Let me see if I have this right. An immigrant sneaks into this country, basically saying "I don't have to follow the rules -- those are for other people. I'm special." He then moves to Minnesota and goes to the driver's license bureau and says, "Hey, I'm an illegal immigrant, give me a driver's license so I can pay insurance just like everyone else."

If Nick Coleman believes this will happen, have him call me; I have some real nice swampland for sale.

MIKE RICHARDS, BROOKLYN PARK

I'm writing as the husband of a hard-working teacher in the St. Paul public schools to comment on your Feb. 26 article "St. Paul teachers examine health insurance options." The lack of competition in the St. Paul schools' proprietary HealthPartners insurance plan has sent rates so high that families are unable to afford premiums. That's why only 25 percent of teachers are enrolled in family plans. It's not due to a lack of interest as insinuated by Wayne Arndt, the district's employee relations manager.

I laud the efforts of Mary Cathryn Ricker and hope they result in decent and affordable health insurance for hard-working teachers in St. Paul and across Minnesota.

JOHN SIMMER, ST. PAUL

Your Feb. 27 editorial on charter schools fails to mention that public school districts are forced to subsidize transportation for charter students, since the state only reimburses districts about $250 per pupil, and often the attendance areas include the entire school district. The locally elected school board has no control over that. Isn't that taxation without representation? It makes me want to throw some tea in the river or something.

ROY HALLANGER, MINNEAPOLIS

I find it disturbing that a Feb. 27 letter writer would resort to such distorted and inflammatory language about a man who has done so much for us. Ralph Nader's candidacy has nothing to do with ego, and everything to do about getting on the table issues like single payer national health insurance; cutting the huge and wasteful military budget, promoting solar energy, aggressively cracking down on corporate crime and opening up the presidential debates. These important issues are not being discussed by any of the presidential candidates.

Nader's honesty and courage speak to many voters like me, and I am not an "anti-establishment zealot" but a retired woman who hopes to have a chance to witness and hear other voices debating the crucial issues that face our country. Let's not sneer and revile candidates like Nader and Dennis Kucinich, who believe America's dream of health, education, housing and peace in our time is possible for all of us if we work together to make it possible.

BARRETT NEWHALL, MINNEAPOLIS

IRV a better system I agree that Ralph Nader will not be a likely winner, and he may even "steal" votes from a potentially successful Democrat. The problem lies not in his decision to run, or in the voters who choose a "nontraditional" candidate, but rather the system in which they are forced to participate.

In an instant run-off system, where voters rank rather than simply choose, a majority will always select the candidate, and voters can choose a third-party candidate without feeling the pressure of costing a potentially similar major-party candidate votes.

SAM KAMIN, MINNEAPOLIS

A little quick math shows that if he and his wife make less than $150,000 and have two kids, they will get around $1,800 from the federal tax rebate. In order for the state to "steal" his rebate by eventually adding 8 cents per gallon, he will have to buy 22,500 gallons of gas.

Here are some solutions for him: buy a more fuel-efficient car or move closer to work.

DAVE MACKMILLER, MINNEAPOLIS

I was saddened to read that Minnesota has lost its last independent brick factory, which could have been saved if the University of Minnesota hadn't decided to build its new football stadium with bricks made from factories outside the state (Business, Feb. 20).

One of the unique features about the Minnesota factory was the intense loyalty your article described between the owners and the workers.