Letters to the editor for Saturday, May 10

Will the narcissistic actions of a Clinton once again prevent the Democrats from winning the White House?

As I watched Hillary and her posse attempt to spin her disappointing performance in Indiana and North Carolina as a triumph, it all seemed eerily familiar. Where had I seen this same display of fact-avoidance? Where had I seen such a shameless disregard of the interests of the Democratic Party and its chances of victory in November?

Oh, yes, it was the second term of Bill Clinton, when he decided to throw away all that he had accomplished for repeated dalliances with a summer intern.

These recklessly selfish actions were done with only one thing in mind, to protect the Clinton legacy -- at all costs. And those costs turned out to be terribly high. Rather than entering the 2000 election cycle on a high note, presumptive nominee Al Gore limped into the home stretch under the weight of all the Clinton baggage. It is easy to blame the Supreme Court for Gore's loss, but the fact is that it never should have been that close. Had the Clintons not placed their own interests over the party's, the 2000 election likely would have been a landslide in favor of Gore.

TOM JAMISON, Minneapolis

The price of gas has gone up another 20 cents per gallon. I am waiting to be soothed by the next GOP ad telling me this is the fault of the dastardly DFL raising the gas tax again. What other reason can there be?

PAT FURY, JANESVILLE, MINN.

As we try to educate the public about the realities of living with wolves, however, we stress that accuracy and objectivity will in the long run best serve the species. In this respect, Ferguson omitted a few important details that put wolf management in the proper perspective.

Of most importance is the fact that this month the minimum known population of 1,500 wolves in the West will about double, due to annual pup production. Despite widespread government killing of livestock-depredating wolves for the past decade, the population has continued to increase an average of 24 percent per year.

Ferguson's article also gives the impression that there is now a great war on wolves in the West. The reality is that the only zone open to unregulated taking is an area in Wyoming where wolves consistently prey on livestock and where only about 30 wolves live. That is unfortunate, but like deer in the suburbs and Canada geese on the golf course, wolves can sometimes conflict with human interests. I've visited Yellowstone to learn about its wolves and have lived in Minnesota wolf country for more than 40 years where, for the most part, humans respectfully tolerate their wolf neighbors.

At the Wolf Center in Ely, we believe that the best prescriptions for long-term wolf recovery are an honest, objective outlook on wolves and the preservation of wild lands where wolves can live free of conflict with humans.

NANCY JO TUBBS, ELY, MINN.;

"Minnesotans contributed to the training of game wardens from across North America" is the headline that should have been on your May 5 story. For approximately 26 years, different jurisdictions have been contributing public funds to assist their respective agency game wardens with hosting a North American training session.

Game warden duties are not limited to resource enforcement. They are also ambassadors of their jurisdiction. The NAWEOA Conference typically generates over $2 million worth of tourism to the host jurisdiction. That's a pretty good return on a supposed $400,000 investment.

The 8,000 members of the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association thank the state of Minnesota and the Minnesota Conservation Officers Association for hosting the 2007 conference. We look forward to the 2008 conference in Montana and the 2009 conference in New Brunswick.

ANDRE DESROSIERS, SELKIRK, MANITOBA

So the House wants to tie property tax to income, to make sure that those people who live within their means and have a home below what they could possibly afford to buy pay their "fair share of taxes." So it doesn't matter that I have a home of the same value as my neighbor and my income is twice his, my tax will be more.

VOLKER KIENTZLE, EDEN PRAIRIE

The difference between Minneapolis and Chicago when it comes to being mayor is very evident.

In Chicago, Mayor Richard Daley has a driver.

In Minneapolis, Mayor R.T. Rybak drives, gets a ticket, pays the fine halfway, drives on a suspended license and the media know about it before he does.

Oh, how he must envy Daley right about now.

Egad, the Hypocrisy Party is at it again. Not only do we have the "Christian" grifters, liars and war mongers in Washington, D.C., but now we have state GOP chairman Ron Carey raking Al Franken over the coals for having accounting difficulties, when in fact under Carey's leadership financial "irregularities" that include complaints of party misuse of "employee retirement money, improperly reported finances and retaliation against staff who reported problems" occurred.

Carey has called for "full and complete public airing if he (Franken) is to retain any credibility as a candidate for public office." Similar scrutiny of Carey may find that he has no credibility in his current leadership role, but unfortunately that seems to be exactly what the GOP requires.