Readers Write (Sept. 13): Social Security, Vikings, 9/11, Finnish schools

I take issue with parts of a recent letter about Social Security. It said that if I die, my family is paid death benefits. Somewhat. I'm single with no wife or kids. If I die tomorrow (at age 48), the money I contributed is gone. I can't "will" it to my mom or dad or whomever. I can with a private plan.

When my grandmother died, my grandfather didn't get her Social Security checks along with his. Why? Because if you received more than your spouse in Social Security checks, you don't get squat except for the continuation of your check.

If you don't receive more than your spouse in Social Security checks, you get the amount that your spouse got. Not theirs plus yours. If you die and leave a child as a survivor, they receive your Social Security check until turning 18.

In these cases, the government gets the windfall. All of these silly excuses that arise regarding Social Security are moot. It is what it is -- a Ponzi scheme.

MARK DURAND JR., LONG PRAIRIE, MINN.

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A reader writes that America's competitors in the global economy charge corporate tax rates ranging from zero (United Arab Emirates) to 30 percent (Germany), compared with 41 to 50 percent (he says) in the United States. He might have added that this same list of countries pays workers, on average, anywhere from $12,000 (China) to $42,000 (Norway).

It's funny, really. They say government doesn't create jobs; the private sector creates jobs. Then they blame the president for unemployment (if he's with the other party). But the fact is that the private sector doesn't create jobs, either.

No self-respecting CEO wants to create jobs. Jobs cost money, and you don't build up corporate profits and executive compensation by spending money. You do it through downsizing, outsourcing, offshoring, reengineering, and so on.

Anyone with a little gray hair has lived through all of it, and knows it's true.

If Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, this "job creator" stuff is a protection racket.

MARC HUGUNIN, STILLWATER

The wiggle room that comes from Lester Bagley's comment about future development at the Vikings' proposed Arden Hills stadium site is the statement that the Vikings "have no plans" ("Paper misled readers on Vikings' plans," Sept. 12).

What does that mean exactly? That they don't have blueprints, and aren't ready to start excavating this morning?

What I think the Vikings and Ramsey County do have is thoughts and ideas -- so vague, so ethereal that they can barely be expressed in words, instead taking the form of map notations about further development opportunities in areas surrounding the site. They would be crazy not to.

The misdirection Bagley uses (and hopes we won't notice) is that the value and usefulness of a map somehow depends on who created it and who owns it.

JON MINERS, CRYSTAL

With respect to Robert L. Simons' commentary "Some have borne the cost. Have you?" (Sept. 10), I have to say that Simon is still hurting a lot from his service to our country, based on the contents of his article.

Most citizens in every conflict are unwilling or unable to serve. A recent sad statistic I heard was that for a variety of factors about 75 percent of young people could not serve even if they wanted to.

I am unaware of anyone ever claiming that by the display of a yellow ribbon or American flag they were paying part of the cost of keeping us free. Those are simply gestures of pride in their country and in those who are willing and able to put it all on the line.

So when I read Simons' article, I heard a young man still hurting and dealing with a lot of anger and self-pity. I know he feels that gestures of respect from American citizens are hollow, but I will take the risk anyway and thank him for his service.

JOHN AGA, COTTAGE GROVE

A letter suggesting that U.S. schools should adopt Finnish educational tactics fails to recognize why Finland leads the world in educating its youngsters: They're all Finlanders. Who moves to Finland?