Letters to the editor for Sunday, Nov. 9

During the past several years I've been wanting to see more flag waving and a patriotic America. Not for a certain political idealism, but just plain grateful patriotic spirit that exemplifies being an American.

After viewing Grant Park in Chicago on Election Night, I believe that patriotic spirit has been reborn. The emotion and surrealism shown on the many faces that night gave me a great sense of pride, and I didn't vote for Barack Obama.

Many who always felt outside of the system now feel proud to call Obama their president, and so do I.

JOHN GIESE, GOLDEN VALLEY

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The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863; the Voting Rights Act in 1965; the first African-American president elected in 2008. This has been a 145-year journey from slavery to the presidency. It does give me hope that both our Constitution and our democracy are dynamic, real and evolving to a higher plane.

WILLIAM S. SEELEY, MINNEAPOLIS

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words ring so true today, that a man will be judged not by the color of his skin but by the strength of his character. We can truly shout, "Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty we are free at last!"

WILLIAM MEDELLIN, PARK RAPIDS, MINN.

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Stay engaged whether your candidate won or lost. Volunteer in your community. Give money to your favorite charity or organization. Our elected leaders are faced with unprecedented challenges and need our help. It is time to unite for our children's future.

BETH POTTER, MINNETONKA

We are now offered the likes of George W. Bush, Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann -- all of whom I consider national embarrassments.

As a believer in the two-party system, I hope that the GOP will start promoting moderate, intellectually curious candidates I can support.

MIKE WOLSTED, PLYMOUTH

Bachmann's reelection We have a little cabin in northern Wisconsin, and we really enjoy every opportunity we can to get to our magic little oasis. We typically drive up Interstate 35 to Hwy. 70, and then head east into the beauty of the St. Croix Valley that is the ultimate image of living in the North Central part of this beautiful country.

Our dilemma now is how to get there without having to spend too much time (and no money) in the Sixth District of Minnesota. The idea that some of these people actually voted for Michele Bachmann is beyond comprehension. There's conservative and then there's blind. We see a huge difference.

Coleman shows colors Shame on Sen. Norm Coleman for attempting to blame a necessary recount on Al Franken. It clearly demonstrates a desperate "win by any means" character on the senator's part. Additionally, shame on the Star Tribune for supporting such a character with its endorsement.

RUTH MAKINEN, OWATONNA, MINN.

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Norm Coleman's call for Al Franken to forgo the state-mandated recall is right out of the Rovian playbook.

John McCain's remarkably graceful call for bipartisanship is a great example of what will hopefully be the new direction both parties will take in trying to solve our nation's many problems. It is obvious that Coleman won't be playing on McCain's team, but will continue to be part of the nasty, obstructionist partisanship that has plagued Washington in recent years.

The state constitutional amendment to fund clean water, land acquisition and the arts passed thanks largely to the tireless efforts of Star Tribune columnist Dennis Anderson. Without his persistent, thorough coverage of this story, it is doubtful enough people would have understood the issues, let alone become engaged in seeking a solution. Thank you on behalf of future generations of Minnesota citizens who will benefit.

M.D. KELLEY, MINNEAPOLIS

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"Is taxophobia fading?" (letter, Nov. 6): Not really.

I'm one of the 44 percent of Minnesota voters who voted against the conservancy tax. Let the employees and public servants of Minnesota learn to live within the budget they've already taken from our wallets the same as every other Minnesotan. If they need more money, make and present a business case, not make an end run around accountability.

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Regarding "Next step in sales tax issue: Deciding who decides who gets funds" (Star Tribune, Nov. 6): The state, or supposedly the environment and the arts, think they are going to reap an additional $275 million per year. Let's look to the past to see how "dedicated funds" do.

The Legislature couldn't decide how to fund bridges and roads, so it chose to 1) increase the gas tax, and 2) dedicate sales tax from cars. The price of oil skyrocketed, people drove less, car sales tanked, and MnDOT said it did not have enough funds.

The "user fee," or whatever the governor called it, of 75 cents per pack on cigarettes to get money for education: People quit smoking, and how many referendums were on the ballot this fall?

The state won big bucks from the tobacco companies, and those funds were for stop-smoking programs. Those funds were taken to help balance the budget a few years ago. The 2 percent provider care tax on health care providers, meant to fund MinnesotaCare; those funds were taken to help balance the budget. And perhaps the biggest travesty of all, the Social Security trust fund that doesn't exist.