Readers write for Thurs., March 17

Expanding on the comments of Susu Jeffrey (Readers Write, March 15), I, too, was active in protesting against nuclear energy in the 1970s, primarily because of the need for safe permanent storage of waste and because of the costly federal legislation for taxpayer-provided insurance of privately owned plants should a disaster occur.

Neither of these issues have been resolved or have changed over time. However, at that time it was barely registering among activists that something called "climate change" could also become an issue.

Now that most of us understand this, it is not so easy to dismiss the use of nuclear energy, as we see that fossil fuels are as much of a threat to human life and the planet as is nuclear energy gone bad.

So, taking a cue from mediators for any conflict, we must transform the issue of "one thing is better than another" to that of laying out the pros and cons of all energy sources. Such a matrix at least helps to define the full issue.

There will not be one answer for all areas of the country, but using the best options where they make the most sense would be a more rational approach then we have today.

KATHLEEN LAURILA, CRYSTAL

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She is plainly interested in keeping the insurance industry's profits rolling into her coffers from the money the Legislature allocates to have the industry "manage" costs on low-income patients.

But she says that "good public policy can help manage costs." Indeed!

That's why I support recent bills in the Legislature that put aggressive controls and strict scrutiny on health insurance operations to correct a decades-long lack of transparency.

Better yet, Connecticut recently mandated that the insurers be cut off from "managing" taxpayer dollars for poor patients.

That state is anticipating significant cost savings by simply paying doctors directly. No more hiding of how many taxpayers dollars are kept by the "managers" instead of paying for treatments of low-income patients

DIANE J. PETERSON, WHITE BEAR LAKE

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Neal St. Anthony's marvelous column on the value of early childhood learning and the necessity of this becoming part of the state budget (March 7) points out the value of budget-balancing via commitment to the future vs. a slash-and-burn approach that may yield short-term balance with the painful long-term results.

The Minnesota Early Learning Foundation (MELF), headed by former Republican Senate leader Duane Benson and backed by key business leaders, is requesting that the state commit some $400 million to this project of helping undernourished children achieve an opportunity for success.

That should be a top priority in any budget regardless of the deficit. Faulty outcomes are where the costs are, and they come about from inadequate approaches to prevention.

ARNE H. CARLSON, PLYMOUTH

The writer was governor of Minnesota from 1991 to 1999.

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I think few would argue that teachers are the heart and soul of the education enterprise, so I don't understand how we can attack and denigrate the profession without doing damage to the institution.

Can we do better? Should we do better? Of course. The status quo is never good enough.

Punishment generally is not very effective if someone is already trying to improve. Recognition and encouragement are far more powerful tools.

In my 30-plus years of experience, I found teachers eager to learn new ideas and methods that resulted in increased student achievement. If what we want is better education for our children, shouldn't we all be on the same team?

How will attacking one another in any way help us to achieve our common goal? My hope is that people will, in the end, define teachers not as money-grubbing union mobsters but as those you know -- those who taught you and who are currently teaching your children and grandchildren.

That is the real face of the education community.

EDDIE RYSHAVY, PLYMOUTH

Republican legislators seem determined to follow the disaster in Wisconsin with a matching one in Minnesota. Fortunately, Gov. Mark Dayton will veto any legislation to punish educators.

It would be far more constructive if legislators looked for ways to improve education in Minnesota. How about, for example, a state tournament promoting the arts and sciences?

ROBERT VEITCH, MINNEAPOLIS

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If the United States, United Nations or NATO do not act to save the protesters in Libya, the following will happen:

2.) Other dictators in the region will learn that populations that demand democracy can be cowed by violence.

S.N. HASAN, MAPLE GROVE

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