Readers write for Monday, Jan. 11: Feuding Republicans

The Minnesota Republican Party is lucky to have an advocate and leader in Ron Eibensteiner. He has served the conservative movement in our state very well. However, as Republicans near what will be a passionate intraparty endorsement contest, we should also be mindful of Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment: "Thou shall not speak ill of fellow Republicans" ("Norm Coleman for governor? No. It's best for him to sit this one out." Jan. 8).

I respect Ron's right to back whomever he wishes in the upcoming GOP endorsement battle. He would be a powerful ally to any of the gubernatorial hopefuls.

But Republicans must be disciplined during this contest, and we should focus our individual activism solely on supporting our candidates of choice. I do not believe it is at all productive to criticize other Republican contenders on the pages on the Star Tribune.

I have not yet decided whom I will support for governor. What I do know is that a Republican must win in November. During the Republican endorsement contest this winter and spring, we conservatives must be careful how we speak of one another and be mindful of the ultimate challenge looming in the fall.

ANDY BREHM, WAYZATA

I have much respect for former Gov. Al Quie. However, I must take exception with some of his comments in his Jan. 7 letter critical of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for allowing noncelibate pastors in homosexual relationships to be ordained.

First, members who approved this policy were not caught off guard. The vote at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly had been scheduled and prepared for several years. It was not a surprise.

Third, as a former participant in the political process, Quie should understand that governmental officials are called to make decisions on behalf of their constituents. The rank and file in the church have the right to be heard but final decisions need to be made by informed leaders. This was particularly the case in the Churchwide Assembly where discussions were periodically interrupted for prayer allowing the Holy Spirit to guide the work of the representatives.

ALLEN W. MOEN, ROCKFORD

One problem that confounds experts in Minnesota and other states is how to deal with the dichotomy seen in the prescribing practices of physicians for narcotics to treat pain ("Targeting painkiller abusers," Jan. 7).

On the one hand, physicians have a tendency to overprescribe these drugs to patients who may not really need them, yet underprescribe them to patients who do, patients with cancer or other painful conditions where these are the drugs of choice.

My concerns match those of Dr. Miles Belgrade, the pain specialist at the University of Minnesota Medical Center interviewed for the article, that some Minnesota physicians who might otherwise prescribe narcotics may refrain from doing so because of a false belief that this might subject them to regulatory or legal action. While this is unlikely to affect the prescribing practices of oncologists and pain specialists who prescribe these drugs daily, family practice physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants may refrain from doing so, for the wrong reasons.

LEONARD LICHTBLAU, EDINA

I am hoping that all of the Democrats who were calling for the head of Minnesota Emergency Management Director Sondra Morphew Pitt use the same energy to oust Michael Leiter. Leiter, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, did not cut short his ski vacation after the underwear bomber nearly blew up an airliner on Christmas Day.

I would hate to think there was any political bias in the anger toward Pitt.

ROD SHOBER, PLYMOUTH

Marty Seifert is a rural Minnesotan with a record of leadership and integrity. I was immediately pleased when I heard the announcement that this House minority leader would be running for governor.