Readers Write for Monday, Aug. 10

The protester who told the Star Tribune that he trusted only himself and his doctor ("Democrats getting an earful on health during recess," Aug. 6) omitted an important player in the health care reform discussion: the insurance company that stands between him and his doctor.

The insurer's goal is to limit or delay the care provided by our doctors because that is how insurance companies make a profit. Any one of us could lose our employer-provided insurance and have to fight alone with private insurers for needed care. If we say no to reforms, we will all continue to pay higher premiums for less coverage. That is why many of our doctors, including the American Medical Association, support health care reform.

We need to have a serious, factual and civil discussion between legislators and the public on how to reform health care. In order to do this, the scare tactics and the efforts by a few bullies to silence debate must stop.

MARY ANDERSON, MINNEAPOLIS

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Michael Smerconish claims in his Aug. 5 commentary that the birthers pick up where the Bush bashers left off, and we all suffer for it. He says the culture of viciousness toward President Obama was started during the previous administration, as the "hate-Bush movement was on display nightly each time Keith Olbermann would launch into one of his caustic rants," and this is why the "birthers" are hounding Obama over his birth certificate. He calls for an end to name-calling and constant antagonism.

Fair enough, but what Smerconish fails to understand is the big difference between the criticisms of George W. Bush and those being aimed at Barack Obama. The charges against Bush that he cites -- such as doing nothing to avert 9/11 despite clear warnings and lying to get us into Iraq -- happened to be the truth. The criticisms of Obama -- such as that he attended a madrasa as a child, didn't respect the national anthem and the alleged lack of a birth certificate proving he was born in the United States -- are lies.

WEYERHAEUSER, WIS.

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So let me get this straight. The protesters at Rep. John Kline's office are "left-wing extremists" (Readers Write, Aug. 7) while those disrupting town meetings are "average guys."

I hate to break it to those average guys, but if they were so representative of mainstream political opinion, they wouldn't have been whipped so badly in the last election.

DAVID TUFFORD, MINNEAPOLIS

Minnesotans should not report "fishy" e-mails to the White House. Rather they should show Washington that we will not sit idle as health care reform is decided by bureaucrats.

Get out to your county fair and the State Fair and engage politicians at any other forum that crops up during August to have your voice heard. It is time to stand up, get on your soap box, and inform politicians that apathy is dead.

CHRIS LUND, HAMBURG

It's too bad the term "cash for clunkers" is currently being used to describe the automobile industry, for it certainly would have been a fitting motto for the Minnesota Twins organization.

The front office and roster have been sullied by clunkers -- namely individuals who have cost the team victories due to incompetence, laziness, lack of leadership or a good old deficiency of talent.

Like those run-down and beaten-up vehicles being left with dealers, let's hope the Twins' clunkers soon end up on the scrapheap, as well!

JASON GABBERT, APPLE VALLEY

I question the relevance of a recent article highlighting the drug-related charges of the brother of Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan (Star Tribune, Aug. 5).

Would the media give the issue as much attention had it been the brother of anyone outside law enforcement or politics?

The personal decisions of Chief Dolan's brother should not detract from his capacity to be police chief. If anything, Chief Dolan should have a higher degree of understanding and empathy in dealing with drug related crimes.

ABBIE GUDMUNDSON, LAKEVILLE

It is disappointing that state Sen. Larry Pogemiller has questioned the alignment of the Central Corridor light-rail line through the University of Minnesota at this late date ("Washington Avenue rail route is wrong," Aug. 5). The years invested in development of this project resulted in a plan to send the train through the heart of the campus because that is where the people are. There are significantly fewer people who would benefit from LRT if it were to be routed along the northern edge of the campus.

The university's consultant estimated that daily ridership would decrease from 42,000 to 36,000 per day if the northern alignment were selected.

Building LRT on Washington Avenue though the university will be a change for the better because many more people will have the option of using efficient rail transit for more trips, while using their cars for fewer trips.

I hope that decisionmakers who believe that the alignment on Washington Avenue is a change for the better will prevail over the senator's defense of the status quo.