Readers Write for Friday, Dec. 18

The news from Copenhagen is edging toward disastrous. The most important issue of this century, the future of our planet, the only home our children and grandchildren will ever know, is in doubt.

The United States should make unconditional commitments to 75 percent greenhouse reductions within 20 years. We can ignore the posturing of China and India. They have no options. The melting of the Himalayan glaciers will cause severe drought in both countries. Coastal India and China will be inundated. Every country must act decisively for their/our best interests. Action is urgent.

BRUCE D. SNYDER, MENDOTA HEIGHTS

Before the Dems wimp out with watered down health care reform, they ought to instead actually fight for the millions of uninsured. There was no filibuster this week. There was a threat of a filibuster.

If Joe Lieberman or any other senator opposed to health care reform is ready to talk nonstop about the evils of offering all Americans health care, then let them actually do so for the weeks on end that a filibuster could last.

This should be broadcast live so all can see the depths to which some will go to impede progress.

It would shine some needed light on the current cancerous state of political debate.

JIM COUSINS, EDINA

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Throughout history, divide and conquer has been a winning strategy, and never more so than in today's health care debate. We now have Democrat against Democrat with a fury that only a few short months ago was aimed at the outgoing administration and the Republican Party. "Independent" Sen. Joe Lieberman is leading the charge to put the Democrats in disarray, and one can only guess at his motives. Polls show his approval rating among Connecticut voters at 38 percent and dropping, so with those big insurance companies based in Connecticut, perhaps his golden parachute has already been assured.

But why all the fuss? It would only take one Republican senator to defect and the Lieberman issue would be resolved. Instead of aiming our wrath at the "no" party, Democrats are shooting at each other and at the Obama administration. We must keep reminding ourselves that no president has ever been able to reform health care, and we still remain the only first world country without universal coverage.

In reality, the objections of the "centrist" Democratic senators we keep chastising are meaningless compared to the prospect of not passing a bill at all. And right now all the money you can imagine is being spent to do just that. The Republicans are watching with glee as the prospects for regaining power get brighter and brighter.

I see no school in Minnesota could crack the U.S. News and World Report's list of the top 200 high schools in America that came out last week. Quite a statement on why Minnesota kids need five years to graduate from college.

JON OESTERREICH, MINNEAPOLIS

This week's headlines, as usual, are nauseating: "Two Iraqi cities hit by bombings," "Bombing kills 33 in Pakistan" and "Car bomber kills 8 in Afghanistan." On every day of the past eight years Middle Eastern Muslims have been maimed, suffered from their wounds, or killed.

Not a single bomb has brought back to life one of those killed on 9/11. Since then the American invasion has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. Millennia-long theological differences have been stirred to life -- and death. The struggle between the Muslims resisting occupation and those under the pay of the invader has vastly escalated a terrible kind of warfare: the suicide bomber, a tactic born of desperation and drenched in degradation.

It's getting worse. More troops, more mayhem, more bombers desperate to repel America from their homeland. Somebody should tell President Obama.

Unlike 3M, Medtronic, General Mills and the rest of the large corporations in Minnesota, the Minnesota Vikings and the National Football League really expect the state of Minnesota to build their factory for them.

I think that for every dollar spent by public entities on the new stadium, the Vikings should donate a dollar to our schools, roads, mass transit and public welfare.

DAVID ABRAMS, MINNETONKA

On Dec. 15 I read on page B3 that the Minneapolis City Council has voted itself a 2.75 percent pay increase for 2010 while the city is laying off employees. The panel had no discussion about this issue.

As a supervisor losing five valuable staff members, and as a city resident, I am disgusted, infuriated and completely baffled as to how any of these council members can believe this is a good thing! The Star Tribune should publish this story on the front of the paper to show city residents just what their elected officials are doing with their tax money.

The House just passed the new job stimulus bill for $174 billion. This money is again being directed to highways and highway trust funds, teachers, summer jobs and other local government or semi-governmental intuitions. Should not this money be spent directly by the consumer?

With our population of 350 million, it is equal to $500 for every man, women and child. Why not send this money directly to the consumer by temporarily lowering the income tax?

The increase in earnings would be felt in their next paycheck. This money would then be spent to lower the excess inventories at retail stores. Jobs would be created now: more retail clerks, healthier retailers, wholesalers expanding with the demand, mortgage payments on time as well as less delinquent taxes. Hallelujah, our economy is on the road to recovery.