Readers Write (May 2): Wal-Mart, stadium, health care, big shoes

Bribery is the mother's milk of the Mexican economy, and Wal-Mart de Mexico is no doubt part of the pay-to-play world ("A little greasing of the wheels is good for a local economy," May 1). But it's a stretch to agree with Steve Chapman that greasing some palms is the mechanism to a "better life" for Mexicans.

The consequences of bribery are seen in compromised building codes, weakened environmental and workplace rules, tax avoidance, and disrespect for police and the rule of law. The teenager-worthy "everyone does it" rationalization enables simple bribery to be the gateway to larger-scale corruption.

If it works in Acapulco, why can't it work at home?

ROBERT SCHIESEL, MINNEAPOLIS

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Chapman's argument that the United States shouldn't try to enforce its ethics elsewhere raises a few questions. So, the U.S. shouldn't have interfered in Libya and shouldn't be involved in Syria, North Korea, Iran or the Balkan states, and shouldn't continuously call out China on its human-rights policies? All for the sake of U.S. corporate profits?

Ethics fall under the general category of "values." The United States has been trying to expand its values, as expressed in our Bill of Rights, since its inception, both at home and abroad.

And, if bribery is good for another country's local economy, why isn't it good for us? Because it's just such corruption that led us into a devastating recession and political impotence.

KEVIN DRISCOLL, ST. PAUL

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Finally, a Star Tribune columnist has shone a light on the central issue in the stadium debate. In her April 29 column, Lori Sturdevant wrote, "The professional-sports business model now demands facilities that generate megarevenue."

This is a business model that is fundamentally broken. We are endlessly asked to support a private, for-profit industry whose business model includes the general public being coerced to underwrite half of the infrastructure and a significant portion of the operating costs without any expectation of a return.

We are frequently told that in capitalism the free market demands a business model where expenses and revenues are properly balanced. If the model does not achieve the proper balance, that business will be destined to fail.

If we're not going to demand this sort of business model, we might as well just admit that the professional sports franchises are going to be allowed to reach into our pockets whenever it suits them, regardless of whether we are consumers of their product.

TOM MOONEY, MINNETONKA

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People should not be mistreated by payment collectors in any situation, most especially when needing medical care ("Even in the ER, bill collectors," April 29). However, the excessive attention and even outrage is misplaced.

Where is the outrage directed at a society-enabled government that eliminated private insurance for people 65 and older with the implementation of Medicare? Where is the outrage against a system that shifts costs to taxpayers and other privately paying health care consumers?

Where is the outrage against a system that provided a tax benefit only to employer-provided health insurance, discriminating against individually purchased insurance?

Where is the outrage against the health insurance coverage mandates in Minnesota that make insurance less affordable and limit access to it?

Where is the outrage over the mandates known as EMTALA and COBRA for shifting the cost of medical care to the innocent taxpayer and private payer for the care of those who have not taken personal responsibility for their care?

PAUL HYLAND, WOODBURY

I feel bad for the 7-foot, 8-inch man who can't find properly fitting shoes ("Donors foot the bill for mega shoes," April 28). However, I'm baffled that the only solution mentioned is to get a large manufacturer to make a one-off pair using laser technology.

In the past, shoes were handmade to a person's measurements. Mass production did not take over because it made better goods but because it was a way to make goods more cheaply in large quantities.

If you want a custom item, why would you look to a large corporation? Believe it or not, there are still some people making shoes, as well as many other items we only think of mass-produced, by hand.

One place to find such artisans is on etsy.com. The prices are higher than at Wal-Mart but are competitive with "designer" mass-produced goods.