Readers write for Saturday, Sept. 5

Imagine the audacity of President Obama wanting to talk to schoolchildren to encourage them to do well and stay in school! Who does he think he is, anyway? The educator in chief? I, for one, feel safer knowing conservatives are out there protecting us from this evil plot. We certainly cannot have our children believing that education is important.

KATY DANIELS, MINNEAPOLIS

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I was shocked and disheartened to hear the governor of Minnesota object to the president of the United States addressing public school students. I was under the impression that the president of the United States represents all of the citizens of the United States. I was unaware that our country's highest elected official needed the permission of anyone to speak to our children in a public education setting. When did it become necessary for the president of the United States to have his speeches approved by any political party before that speech can be given?

I wonder if a President Tim Pawlenty would feel the same way?

MICHAEL HICKMAN, GOLDEN VALLEY

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DAVE DVORAK, MINNEAPOLIS

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When my wife heard that President Obama was going to be beamed into our children's classrooms, she had one question. "What color will their kerchiefs be?

MIKE TIERNEY, BURNSVILLE

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What in the world is happening to us as a nation? What kind of educational message is being sent to the youth of this country when some parents object to President Obama addressing their sons and daughters? What kind of message is being sent by those persons in leadership positions in the schools if they knuckle under because of the narrow-minded opinions of some parents?

These actions can only be described as polarization and partisanship gone amok!

CHUCK OLIVER, BLOOMINGTON

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There are many reasons why some of us don't want the president to speak to all the nation's schoolchildren. His strong-arming of Congress to get it to pass a massive health care bill before the recess. His "successful" cash for clunkers program, which now leaves showrooms empty of customers and dealers wondering when they will get paid. Or the almost 10 percent unemployment rate.

The projected $50 billion shortfall in funding for the state's transportation needs should not come as a surprise. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has advocated "no new taxes" for nearly seven years, and there were no increases in the gas tax for nearly two decades. The failure to plan ahead and fund future needs is shameful. Now that Pawlenty has announced his retirement from the governorship, the crisis will fall on someone else's watch.

ROGER HARROLD, EDINA

Bullying has long been a difficult problem in our public schools, but most of us believed it was between students. It is shocking two teachers would tease and harass one of their students. It is reassuring to know that right now they are no longer in the classroom. Perhaps they should consider a different occupation.

RETTA LECKEY, FERGUS FALLS, MINN.

The Sept. 3 front-page story about the pharmaceutical companies' payments to doctors is in reality part of a super scam that puts other scam artists to shame. The drug companies spend millions of dollars hawking their prescription drugs on television telling the viewers "Ask your doctor." They can feel confident because they have already paid for the answer. Not only that, they can also take a business tax deduction for the money they paid the doctors and for the money spent on the television ads.

In response to the Sept. 3 reprint of the Rochester Post-Bulletin editorial "No coal, but then, no stimulus?": We cannot forget about our country's dependence on foreign energy sources. As we come out of this economic malaise, there will be renewed calls to utilize a known commodity -- clean coal.

The Powder River Basin project is alive and well and bringing coal trains through southern Minnesota. It may take a little more time than originally thought, but it will happen. A DM&E Rail spokesman said so just last week when asked if the project was still moving forward. Of course it is. Why else would Canadian Pacific spend millions of dollars to purchase a struggling rail line if not for the potential the PRB offers? The city of Rochester needs to be prepared.

We need a regional rail solution to provide for the long-term economic viability of southeast Minnesota. The Southern Rail Corridor will give Rochester that security, while also being a first important step toward improving our transportation infrastructure.