Letters to the editor for Thursday, Aug. 28

Hillary Rodham Clinton's supporters would rather vote for an old white Republican, who voted with Bush 95 percent of the time, than vote for a younger black Democrat, who voted against Bush 70 percent of the time. Why? Because they're angry that their candidate lost fair and square.

Get over it! Get on with the business of bettering this country. That cannot mean four more years of the same policies that got us into this mess.

JAMES MATHEWSON, FARIBAULT, MINN.

•••

I expected to hear Sen. Hillary Clinton attempt to unite fragmented delegates. Instead we heard her plugging her 2012 presidential bid. That is bad for Obama but good for McCain. Thank you, Senator!

JIM WIZIK, LINDSTROM, MINN.

•••

When historians review presidents, those with the most experience in Washington are among the lowest rated. It's not too tough to compare a man who put himself through college becoming head of Harvard's Law Review who chose to work with community organizers rather than take a job with a high-paying law firm. John McCain had a lackluster high school career, getting appointed to the Naval Academy because his father and grandfather were admirals. Graduating in the bottom 1 percent of his class, he got assigned to flight school, which is unheard of given his status at the academy. He crashed three planes before getting his wings and one more before his plane was shot down. A history of risk taking and mistakes in his personal and professional life hardly demonstrates command judgment.

BILL KAPLAN, ARDEN HILLS

With the Democrats convening in Denver, and the Republicans coming to St Paul next week, it's interesting to note that one topic is hardly even being discussed: the war in Iraq.

Since the 1st Brigade of the Minnesota National Guard (the Red Bulls) returned home last summer from the longest Iraq deployment of any unit, Iraq has made incredible gains, both in security on the ground and in the political process. Now instead of arguing over whether or not we should stay in Iraq, the question of the day is the rate at which we can bring most of the troops home.

So as you watch the conventions, keep in mind that Minnesota soldiers and their families played a part in keeping the conventions free of the rancorous Iraq war debate.

How disappointing to see the Star Tribune write an editorial regarding the Employee Free Choice Act that is so uninformed. "Proposed labor bill has fatal voting flaw" (Aug. 27) wrings its hands about this new thing called a "card check," when in fact, card check as always been part of the union organizing process.

Really. You can look it up.

What the act does is allow a card check tally of over 50 percent in favor of a union to stand as an actual election. In the past, the card check tally (yes, the card check that has always been required) could only authorize a subsequent, secret ballot election. This extra, unnecessary step allows employers to delay the election and harass employees who have already filled out their cards for a union.

If the card check tally is less than 50 percent but more than 30 percent, then a traditional secret ballot election would be required. The act simply allows workplaces where more than 50 percent of the employees have already publicly expressed the desire for a union to have one without jumping through more hoops.

JOHN ROACH, MINNEAPOLIS

The "Bowlers" ads seemed to imply that Minnesotans are a bunch of smart-mouthed rubes. The ad with Mrs. Coleman suggested that Minnesotans have never heard of computer-generated imagery, and want our senator to play at being a hen-pecked husband. The new spots featuring a precocious little girl who thinks it's easy paying taxes in multiple jurisdictions insult our intelligence on innumerable levels.

Since Coleman comes from the East Coast, has only ever had public employment, had a fancy education and has a lot of rich new friends, he may regard Minnesotans as a bunch of hayseeds in flyover-land. Hick though I may be, I'd like the senator to explain to me why I should re-hire him for another six years on our payroll.

Coleman should leave the comedy to the comedian in the race.