Letters to the editor for Thursday, Aug. 14

Your Aug. 11 front-page article stating that I feel "duped" regarding the future of Hwy. 60 provided an interesting transportation perspective, but it was wrong. Our new transportation law is crystal clear, and there is no room for misinterpretation.

As your article stated, the law directs MnDOT to first expend funds as necessary on road projects in southwestern Minnesota that meet certain criteria. Only Hwy. 60 meets the qualifications.

House Transportation Chair Bernie Lieder, as well as Senate Transportation Chair Steve Murphy, signed a letter to MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel reiterating that our new transportation law provided "direction and necessary funding to MnDOT to complete the studies needed and finish the expansion of Hwy. 60 through St. James," and urged him to help get this critical project underway.

Hwy. 60 is a dangerous roadway that has claimed several lives over the past few years. Our transportation chairs, as well as the majority of the Minnesota Legislature, recognized this problem and passed a law that addresses it.

Despite the confusion now being brought forward by some lawmakers, there is no debating what the law says. And when all is said and done, I expect MnDOT will follow the law and rebuild Hwy. 60.

REP. ROD HAMILTON, R-MOUNTAIN LAKE

Integrity demands it How can one have any level of trust in government officials and agencies when we see stories like that concerning Hwy. 60?

Finally, we have MnDOT, an agency claiming to be terribly squeezed financially. Yet it selects the highest bidder by far and the one with the longest timeframe to build the new Interstate 35W bridge. It's pretty easy to see where $50-plus million of the $85 million to make Hwy. 60 four lanes could have come from.

Please treat Minnesotans like intelligent people, stop the posturing and start speaking sincerely. Credibility in government goes a long way toward citizens having pride in our state.

MARK JURKOVICH, ST. ANTHONY

John Edwards' lack of marital fidelity is not relevant to our presidential politics. By all accounts, George W. Bush is a model of fidelity. Unfortunately, he is also the worst president the United States has ever had.

Until the American voter begins to value competence over personal morality, we will continue to be plagued by inferior candidates and presidents.

Let the voters know Why can't the Democrats and Republicans settle previous affairs or "coming out" prior to conventions? John Edwards' situation almost upstaged the Olympics. To all candidates running for Congress, U.S. Senate, president or even current office holders, "Did you or didn't you stray from marriage vows?"

ROGER DUBois, Minneapolis

The skirmish in Georgia seems to have reawakened Cold War thinking at the Star Tribune offices (editorial, Aug. 13). Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, apparently suffering from delusions of grandeur, launched a military attack against Russians. The Russians retaliated, the Georgian troops retreated and Saakashvili started whining. Georgia started the war yet Russia is accused of brutality.

It would be a terrible mistake to bring Georgia into NATO and put the United States in a position of having to militarily defend inane decisions of leaders like Saakashvili. Doing so could get us in a shooting war with Russia. It is also unlikely the other current NATO countries would join in an attack against Russia. All Putin would have to do to cool the ardor of western European hotheads is turn off the oil spigot and let them freeze in the dark for a few nights.

Like it or not, Russia is a powerful country with immense natural resources. Georgia is in the Russian sphere of influence and there isn't much to do about it except through diplomacy and propaganda.