Letters to the editor for Thursday, Dec. 20

A Dec. 15 letter writer chastised lawmakers for blaming the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the sorry state of our roads without first looking in the mirror. Actually, Gov. Tim Pawlenty's mirror shows the roadblock to transportation improvements.

In both 2005 and 2007, Republican and Democratic legislators sent Pawlenty bills that would have begun to address the problem. Pawlenty vetoed both bills because they used tax increases instead of borrowed money for funding.

No one wants to pay more taxes, but it's wrong to make Minnesota's children pay for today's transportation system.

ANNE M. HOOPS, MINNEAPOLIS

When Bill Clinton was president, Congress, a special prosecutor and the FBI spent tens of millions of dollars attempting to discover some wrongdoing in a land transaction that took place long before he held the office. It was, in fact, an expansion of the Whitewater investigation that eventually entrapped Clinton in a small lie, covering up a sexual encounter with an intern.

The Bush administration, on the other hand, has left a grotesque trail of blunders, lies, corruption and illegal cover-ups, but we can't even get a simple congressional investigation into the potential destruction of evidence. The newest attorney general, Michael Mukasey, immediately assumed the "protect-the-president-at-all-costs" role his predecessor Alberto Gonzales performed so diligently and clumsily. The administration, backed by enough members of the Republican Party to prevent congressional action, has renounced all accountability for anything and it is more than likely that the stacked Supreme Court (which resembles the toady Pakistani Supreme Court installed by Musharraf) will back them up.

Where is the rule of law? Who really cares if Roger Clemens used steroids? The American people want President Bush held accountable for using torture and otherwise betraying the principles on which this republic was founded.

Roadguy Jim Foti returned to the issue of snow removal from bus stops in a recent column. The time has long passed when we need public policy on clearing bus stops.

Roadguy provoked a timely response from the city of Columbia Heights, showing us the challenges of being a transit commuter. Columbia Heights' public works director said that snow removal from bus stops is not part of the city's snow removal plan.

For enlightenment, we only need to turn to the city of St. Anthony. Its City Council has seen the roads, bus stops and sidewalks as part of the city's transportation system. Yes, St. Anthony aggressively clears bus stops and plows all the sidewalks in the community. Bus riders are not second-rate residents when it comes to their transportation needs. Congratulations to St. Anthony, a small community on the cutting edge of transportation.

DENNIS CAVANAUGH, ST. ANTHONY

Whatever happened to curb-to-curb plowing in Minneapolis? Don't know what that is? This isn't surprising since some years ago the city gave up on plowing our streets from one curb to the other.

The other day I passed a plow tidying up 35th Street adjacent to Powderhorn Park -- vacant of parked cars for three blocks -- and it was only pushing back a paltry 8 inches of light snow and not even touching the furrow. And we're paying for this? I don't blame the drivers; it's the higher-up decisionmakers who've decided on this very shortsighted and antiresident plan. They oughta be fired!

MICHAEL KEHOE, MINNEAPOLIS

The Dec. 15 letter writer who is concerned that smokers are being demonized demonstrates a profound ignorance of asthma. I can appreciate the request that smokers move away from the door of public places.

During an asthma attack the only concern is getting enough air into our bodies to sustain life. That is why we try to avoid things that trigger an attack. Smoke is a very powerful trigger. Other triggers are any airborne particle or strong smell that the asthmatic's respiratory tract reacts to. My personal favorite is excessive after-shave or perfume. However, if I were to choose one trigger to do battle with it would be smoke because it is a health threat to everyone.

JANE KEELEY, ST. PAUL

TOM BARANIAK, NORTHFIELD, MINN.

Thank you for the Dec. 19 editorial urging a public rejection of torture. It is sadly ironic that our current government, which so righteously condemns those who use terror as a tool, chooses to encourage torture and assassination as "acceptable practices."

Of current presidential candidates speaking about the use of torture, the one who rings truest is John McCain. He knows, firsthand, how brutal and senseless it is. For Rudy Giuliani to compare sleep deprivation to campaigning shows utter lack of comprehension: Giuliani is choosing his sleep deprivation. Those tortured have no choice at all.

CATHERINE RITCHIE, BLOOMINGTON

I do not understand why the subprime loan crisis seems to be blamed solely on "shady/predatory" lending practices. Sure, there are bad brokers/lenders out there, but what about bad borrowers?

Brokers/lenders who do not properly disclose loan terms to borrowers should be dealt with accordingly. But borrowers need to carefully read what they are signing, and ask questions (or even seek legal advice) when they don't understand what they are signing up for.