Letters to the editor for Sunday, March 23

I've always thought a reporter's job was to inform and educate people, and the March 16 article "Moving beyond 'more is better,'" does that quite well. It points out some of the ills of our health-care system, and informs people of an option for health care they may have not know about.

I've seen too many examples in my own life and in other people's lives of doctors recommending tests, surgeries and treatments for various ailments (mostly cancer) that may not have been necessary, or even useful. This drives up doctor's bills and costs to the insurance companies, not to mention to the patients when insurance doesn't cover all of the costs.

It is up to the patient to say "enough is enough" and stop the escalating "care" for chronic diseases or terminal illnesses, and it's great to have another choice in the health-care arena. Thank you for publishing that article.

CARLENE DEAN, Villard, Minn.

Keep up the good work Josephine Marcotty's piece was poignant and personal. It was powerful because of the policy ramifications. The online audio slideshow added to the impact.

This is important health policy journalism. We need more like it.

GARY SCHWITZER, ST. PAUL

Good doctor-patient relationships are grounded in ongoing discussions about a patient's stages of life and illness while always respecting patient and family preferences and decisions. Death is the final "outcome" for us all, so the quality of our medical care depends on embracing life and death in a dignified way. Patients and their families should shop for well-trained doctors and clinicians who understand this.

As citizens, we need to discourage current legislative health-care reform proposals that subordinate patient decisionmaking to the control of insurance companies and large medical organizations. Patient-centered care means escape from arbitrary insurance company or clinic "medical necessity" payment and service denials, restrictive provider networks and "pay-for-performance" bonuses to clinicians that are often hidden from patients and their families.

LEE BEECHER, M.D., MAPLE GROVE;

PAST PRESIDENT,

MINNESOTA PHYSICIAN-PATIENT ALLIANCE

Now it looks like the selection of the firm to build a new bridge was rigged from the get-go. And the $550,000 paid to a Pawlenty buddy's public relations firm to make the governor look good is outrageous! Why not let MnDOT bridge inspectors do their jobs and let MnDOT spokeswoman Lucy Kender give monthly updates on how construction is going?

This is government outsourcing at its worst. And you can bet that when the GOP convention comes to town, your outsourcing governor will be preening and posing by the new bridge, hoping that no one remembers his role in the collapse of the 35W bridge just last year.

JOHN DALSVEEN, BROOK PARK, MINN.

"Whatever happened to starting small?" by Lawrence R. Jacobs (Opinion Exchange, March 16) is great advice, not only for the politically minded but anyone starting on a chosen career path. I find it quite humorous, though, that Al Franken could well have been substituted for Mike Ciresi as the example of political inexperience he cites. "Former satirist and radio talk show host" don't even come close to "sterling résumé as an attorney" as far as fitness for political office, in my opinion. Even Jesse Ventura had established leadership qualities as a suburban high school coach and mayor before becoming governor.

Maybe Al could set his sights on an elected office in St. Louis Park since he was born there. Or better yet, a similar town in New York, since he spent most of his life there. Jacobs' quasi-endorsement of Sen. Norm Coleman is noted.

For voters Larry Jacobs is wrong. The last thing we need in politics is more career politicians. We need people who are focused on getting things done.

ERIC SCHUBERT, INVER GROVE HEIGHTS

A sterling résumé I agree with Lawrence R. Jacobs about the lack of political experience for someone wanting to run for U.S. Senate. I prefer someone who worked 17 years for the state attorney general's office and was mayor of St. Paul for eight years. That sure beats a comedian and former talk show host.

GARY FISCHBACH, ST. PAUL

With all the opposition to the Dream Act, I wonder: When did we begin punishing children for the crimes of their parents?

NICHOLAS DAVIS, MINNEAPOLIS

When I hear people say they think the economy is overtaking the Iraq war as the most important issue this year, I wonder how they are missing the point.

Just imagine how our economy would be doing if we were spending $12 billion monthly at home, instead of sending warmongers laughing all the way to the bank. For after all, we taxpayers know we're spending our resources, but how many of us know who the buyers are?

LARRY ANDERSON, HOPKINS

Why in this time of record trade deficits and rising energy prices, has no one mentioned reducing the speed limit to 55 miles per hour like we did in the early 1970s? This would reduce the oil demand by millions of gallons a day. It would also reduce pollution which should be a concern in today's world where being "green" is stressed every day.