Rachel Norwood, M.D., of Denver writes:

Well, I’m officially done worrying about my son’s performance on the CSAPs. On Thursday morning he was so weary (half way through his four days of testing), but I watched as he physically collected himself and got ready to go again. That’s when it hit me...
The test I took to get into medical school, intended to test the cumulative education of all my public education (12 years), college, plus pre-med work lasted just under 8 hours and was done in a day.
At the end of medical school to test the science and clinical training of four years of medical school, that would allow me to assist with surgery and deliver babies took three days, six hours each.
At the end of residency my specialty boards, designed to test four years training, was tested to the satisfaction of the National Board in about 7 hours over the course of a single day.
Now, here’s my 5th grade son digging into his strength and character reserves because some organization has done such a dismal job of designing a test it takes them four days to assess how a fifth grader is doing in school. As an academic physician that tells me that either their validity scores suck, or they have to collect so much data because they’re trying to test too many details. In either case it’s a shame to have our kids bear the burden. It’s time to re-think this entire process.

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Leonard Muniz of Broomfield writes:

I have been receiving many e-mails, supposedly from soldiers claiming to be in Iraq. They support the war and George Bush. I believe they are Republican strategists who write for the soldiers and they want people to believe we are doing the right thing in Iraq. What they don’t realize is they are placing their own brothers lives at stake. Do they really believe risking their lives is worth attempting to bring a democracy to a country ruled by religious sects? Did they really believe there were WMDs, nuclear and Al Qeada in Iraq? They are being propagandized to fight in Iraq. They MUST believe it and they don’t dare criticize their leaders. After all, who wants to believe they are fighting for a President’s ego? If they all knew the real truth they would all go AOL. Somewhat like their Commander in Chief did in the Vietnam war. The strategists are doing this because the 2008 election for President is coming up and they want another Republican. Regardless of the cost of American soldiers lives (Now over 3,200) in the meantime in Iraq.
In WWII the soldiers in the US, Japan and Germany were propagandized against each other. Japan and Germany were our enemies and we had to destroy them.
They indeed attacked us and our allies. Americans all joined together, sacrificed fought and we won.
Iraq is different. Iraq was never a threat to America, had nothing to do with 9/11 and the Iraq war has only caused recruitment for more insurgents. I has created hate and anger towards the US by all the middle east and most of the world.

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Aimee Pemberton of Aurora writes:

You got my vote on this one Rep. Garcia!
At the stakeholder meeting to discuss Rep. Garcia’s resolution for an interim committee some professionals proposed that another Department of Humans Services Division for Developmental Disabilities internal committee might be the answer to this problem or only more money would solve the crisis. But, I say in the words of Sir William Osler “A physician who treats himself has a fool for a patient.” As a parent of a child with developmental disabilities and the Board President of an Advocacy Association supporting people with developmental disabilities, I know with all sincerity if we as professionals and parents could have solved this crisis alone we already would have.
The human tragedy grows and the money isn’t ever enough. The system is drowning in crisis. Rep. Garcia’s interim committee concept offers the General Assembly the opportunity to take leadership and responsibility of this crisis on behalf of the citizens of Colorado. The General Assembly needs to understand what is and is not being done to give best possible solution. For 40 plus years we have used the same old system. We need fresh eyes and ideas via a public dialogue and that is what this interim committee can offer!

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Irwin MacLeod of Colorado Springs writes:

There are three reasons we have to close the two thousand miles of open border between the United States and Mexico. No. 1 there is no doubt that Al Qaeda and Islamic fundamentalists will cross the border and could cost lives of thousands of Americans No. 2: Mexico is he largest point of entry for drugs and are killing our children thru overdoses and car accidents, crippling the minds of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Drug cartels sell over twenty billion dollars worth of drugs every year to the U.S. Close the borders. No. 3: There are over a milliion crossing the border every year. We have 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants here now. ICE arrests and deports a few hundred a month and 80 to 90 thousand illegals come across the border, so you can see this won’t work. Close the borders. We need six thousand National Guard that are already at the border to have the right to arrest and detain. If we add to that another four thousand national guard it would make it 5 to the mile , and with the border patrol it would make it make it 8 to the mile. This is less than two percent of the National Guard. During Katrina we sent five times that to Louisiana With 80 to 90 thousand immigrants crossing the border every month. and they will not stop coming until there tweleve million more. there is only way to stop this to put boots on the ground. With the ten thousand the National Guard and thousands of border patrol. YOU CAN CLOSE THE BORDERS. It is in the National interest that safety of the American people that this border is closed now.

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John C. Flemming of Littleton writes:

Since the neo-cons have consistently treated the US Constitution as a problem and not as the sacred heart of America, it came as little surprise that one of our senior Colorado conservative has fallen into line and is working to undermine the First Amendment. His self-serving article (Saturday 3-17) supporting tax money for religiously based education, especially for his own Colorado Christian University, seems reckless and very short sighted. And his citation of support from the now very politicized Department of Justice will strike most of us as bizarre, especially as it is led by the chief architect of attacks on the Constitution, Alberto Gonzalez.
I wonder if Bill gave even a fleeting moment of thought to the various religious groups that might be thrilled to receive tax money even if tax payers are outraged. How many Americans want to pay taxes to support Wahabbist schools teaching young Muslims hatred of Western culture? How many war-loving right wingers want our tax money to support a Quaker education teaching pacifism? Imagine my outrage if I heard that CCU was using my tax money to teach creationist nonsense instead of science.
The founding fathers got it right by separating church and state. Religion is much too divisive for government to be taking sides.
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Karen Shaw of Westminster writes:

I just finished reading Mike Rosen’s column lauding the fact that Utah just passed a school voucher program. I don’t find this too surprising considering that Utah has 62.4% of their population and 80% of their state legislature sharing the Mormon religion. This will be a windfall for their church schools.
Mr. Rosen also takes this opportunity to denigrate teacher’s unions. Well Mike, in this state I don’t think the teachers were the only ones who voted against the vouchers—-a vote which you would like to see ignored or overturned.
I assume you must think those of us who voted against vouchers are just not as enlightened as you. I will be happy to vote for vouchers when the private schools have to meet the same requirements as the public schools——having the same accountability to the CSAP scores, providing an education for all children no matter what their educational needs or behavioral problems and meeting the same standards for terminating uninterested and uninvolved students that the public schools have to meet.
It is easy to blame the public school teachers (and their union) for problems over which they sometimes have little control while failing to hold parents or society in general accountable for the problems which public schools face today.

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Robert Schroeder of Aurora writes:

How many citizens realize there is a preamble to the Bill of Rights? See www.archives.gov. Our founding fathers in their infinite wisdom wrote the following. “The Conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution,expressed a desire,in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers,that the further DECLARATORY and RESTRICTIVE clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government,will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution.”

In layman’s terms,the Bill of Rights are restrictions on the government, not on the citizens of the United States. Therefore,any restrictions limiting freedom of religion,speech,the press or the right of individuals to keep and bear arms are not granted to the government.

Space limitations won’t allow me to grieve the unjust powers given to the police in the “War on Drugs,” which ravages Amendment IV and V and VIII. Citizens, take time to read and know your rights. Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (61) | TrackBack

‘Jared’s Ad’

Jim Schwartz of Centennial writes:

First, there was Jared’s Law (Amendment 41). Next, Jared’s Tax — the potential for loss of scholarship or potential taxation of scholarships per Amendment 41 via the criteria of other (non- scholastic) considerations. And now, the hit piece ad on Senate President, and just coincidentally potential rival for the 2nd Congressional District, Joan Fitz-Gerald, with Jared’s Ad (“Ad takes aim at Senate president,” March 22). “Jared” — a misgivings greeting card — a “Contract on Colorado?” Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Pathetic parade

James H. Quinn of Arvada writes:

The Marines pulled out of the St. Patrick’s Day parade because of their relegation immediately behind the llamas (“Marine vets do about-face on parade,” March 14). It could have been worse. They could have been behind the three-block parade of pickup trucks advertising a local credit union or immedately behind the people in green shirts pushing baby strollers. Of course, a place in front of the politicans would have spruced up that void. No, they were lucky. This parade was pathetic. Lucky Marines! Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack

Evaluating 'Everyday Math'

Alexander Givental of the University of California, Berkeley, writes:

I'd like to use this occasion to thank Linda Seebach for alerting the readers of her column to Kiselev's Geometry and Ron Aharoni's Arithmetic for Parents (published by Sumizdat.org) and for passing on my opinion about math curricula.

One of her readers, a 3rd grade teacher, asked me by email about Everyday Mathematics, a program that used to be popular in California and is still in broad use elsewhere. I'd like to summarize here my observations made several years ago while studying some "EM" materials for grades K, 3 and 5.

"EM" is quite ambitious: it touches upon many math topics far beyond the grade level. One problem is that it does so falsely. E.g.: 3rd grade teachers are served with regular polyhedra defined incorrectly, and Venn diagrams used mistakenly. Deep topics are usually handled superficially, i.e. with the focus on notation at the expense of content -- something a mathematician would never do!

Another problem is the size: Elementary school teachers, whose time is scheduled by the minute, and whose attention is divided between several subjects and the task of watching the kids, are to follow manuals of inhumane complexity and volume.

By this measure, Aharoni's Arithmetic seems 40 times more efficient!

The students of "EM," on the contrary, are not entitled to have textbooks. They are to take part in numerous activities, often decoupled from the math at hand. In the workbooks, the order of topics is intentionally chaotic, as if to instill the common misconception that math is a zoo of unrelated "strategies," facts and algorithms.

This letter is not a place for a thorough review, but in essence my message is the same as with Saxon Math: I can't think of a reason to use "EM," when Singapore Math is available.

Alexander Givental is the founder of Sumizdat.org

_______________________

Sterling Greenwood of Aspen writes:

I’m disappointed that both Mick Ireland and Tim Semrau are running for mayor of Aspen. They will split the straight-shot vote; then Councilman Torre, God forbid, a small town entrance proponent, could carry the day.
With both Tim and Mick wanting to be mayor, neither may win and we risk losing a huge new entrance development ie the “straight-shot” at the edge of town.
And sadly, too, I fear there are precious few straight-shot votes to split.
In the last entrance election three or four years ago, despite valliant efforts by both Mick and Tim to sell us the straight-shot, only some twenty percent of registered Aspen voters came out for the thing.
Even county voters balked at the new straight-shot entrance proposal, preferring to retain those silly s-curves.
And the s-curvers weren’t gracious in victory either.
Some got ugly about it all, yelling out quotes from the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson like “THERE IS SOME S—-T WE JUST WON’T EAT.” But, worst of all, Colorado construction interests missed a $60-$80 million public money gravy train.
Just think how glum Haliburton would feel financially now if we hadn’t gone to Iraq and they’d missed their bonanza — then figure that’s akin to how the big road construction concerns did feel when they were poised to build us that spiffy new grownup entrance into Aspen with tunnels under water and all and then we went and voted the whole mess down, sinking the straight-shot like a led zeppelin. We’ve got to get real in Aspen, wake up and smell the coffee! The curves must go. There must be another election.
With our puny s-curves entrance, Aspen will never actualize its potential to bloom into an industrialized city like Denver, that is our destiny! You ever see a giant tractor-trailer rig struggle to negotiate our s-curves? It takes the poor thing fifteen to twenty minutes to shudder and screech and lurch through. Plus a driver with the patience of Job.
And cops have to halt traffic in both directions during this truck opera because when the big rigs turn through the curves they need room to veer into oncoming lanes.
Reminds me of my aunt Mozelle trying to twist into her girdle, rest her soul.
Anyway, I love my new “S-CURVES SUCK” bumper sticker. And here’s a motto suggestion for all of us who want the straight-shot: “There is some s—t we MUST eat.” C’mon, guys, let’s do it for Mick and Tim — win a new entrance for Aspen, I mean.
No matter if neither gets to be mayor.

John Graczyk of Monument writes:

As everyone out there is well aware, our country is trying to resolve the dilemma of health insurance and the large amount of Americans that are uninsured. What you may not be aware of is that we may be at risk for increasing that number dramatically. 17% of all Medicare enrollees are enrolled in Medicare Advantage programs which might be in jeopardy. That’s right close to 20% of currently insured seniors and disabled Americans could lose their current health care plans.
Medicare Advantage Plans are private health plans that take part in the Medicare program. If this program is discontinued then it will have a great impact on citizens’ right here in Colorado; as well as nationwide.
Over 150,000 Coloradoans are currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage programs. If cancelled, it would cause them to end up with huge out of pocket expenses. Many seniors already struggle to pay their expenses being on a fixed income. Is it fair that we ask them to continue to pay increasingly high prescription costs, utilities and then slam them with more out of pocket costs because some people in Congress want to take away their current health care plans?
This could be extremely damaging to our fellow citizens. Citizens who have worked their whole lives to make Colorado the place we know and love. What happened to respecting our elders? I encourage you to contact your elected officials and ask them to support the Medicare Advantage plans. Even if not for yourself, do it for a parent or a grandparent.

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Brian Stuckey of Denver writes:

The Senate resolution, S.J. Res. 9, is just another Democratic ploy to undermine our mission in Iraq. As Sen. Mitch McConnell rightly asserted, “this is the memo our enemies have been waiting for.” While the Senate is engaged in such defeatist schemes, the enemy is merely waiting for our forces to leave. Such tactics do nothing but embolden the enemy and undermine our troops on the field. The enemy is not having this debate. Does anyone not wonder why?

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Charles King of Boulder writes:

It is increasingly clear that what sank the Republicans in the mid-term Congressional election was not so much President Bush’s conduct of the war in Iraq as his flagrant failure to recognize, and honestly seek to solve, our grave immigration problems. Bush was joined in his failure to secure our borders by Republican Senators McCain-AZ and Spector-PA, who, with most of their Republican colleagues, voted with Democrat Senator Ted Kennedy for the Senate’s “Comprehensive Immigration Control Act.” Fortunately, the House of Representatives had the good sense to refuse to vote on the offensive Bill. From press reports of Bush’s recent three-hour meeting with Mexico’s new president, Felipe Calderon, it is clear, as Associated Press Tom Raum (Denver Post, , 2A, March 15) writes, that: “Bush’s long-languishing immigration proposals are closer to those favored by Kennedy and many other Democrats than to those of his own party.” And despite the fact that polls of American citizens for years have shown that the vast majority of us want our borders closed, and no amnesty , Bush’s view is scarcely distinguishable from that of Senator Kennedy! Does Bush still not know that American citizens overwhelmingly insist, that we remain a nation under law? And that we demand that our immigration laws be strictly enforced, no hemming and hawing about it (period)?
Unless the Republicans in both houses of Congress, and especially in the Senate, get off their duffs soon, and vote to secure our borders and seriously pursue and punish all, repeat, all who knowingly employ illegal immigrants, the Party will at the national level suffer a greater defeat in 2008 than it did in 2006.
How dumb can Bush and Republican Congressmen get! Abe Lincoln, the first Republican president, must be turning over in his grave!

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Cheri Bettini of Lakewood writes:

I am sorry to hear that letter writer Alan Phillips of Georgetown wants to seize the cars of uninsured drivers (“Seize cars of those without insurance,” March 1).
I am sure that, living up in his mountain getaway, Phillips is surrounded by people who don’t have to worry about such things as paying the mortgage, putting food on the table, paying the high Xcel bills, water bills and day-care expenses, all on $5-$7 per hour.
Phillips says liability insurance doesn’t cost that much. Well $100 per month is a lot to some people. I am not talking just about young people — when a person turns 75, for example, their insurance goes up quite a bit just because of their age. Most senior citizens are on a fixed income, and I am sure that does not include the insurance rate hike.
I am not saying people should drive without insurance, but many don’t really have a choice when it comes to making a choice between food on the table or car insurance.
What is really needed is a good overhaul of the insurance industry. Years back, when Colorado made insurance mandatory, they didn’t take into consideration just how high the rates were going to skyrocket. I am sorry I don’t get the pleasure of living in a mountain community with fresh air and no noise, but let me assure you my insurance rates are quite high also.

Jordan Von Bokern of Louisville writes:

The Democrats’ pledge of fiscal responsibility during the 2006 midterm election was a welcome change from their typical “tax-and-spend” mentality, but the war funding bill just reinforces our cynicism because, apparently, it’s still politics as usual.

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Lieutenant Steve Schultz, USNR (Ret), of Idaho Springs writes:

In your March 15th issue Ron Tupa asserts, “more troops will not help the United States win in Iraq". Sen. Ken Gordon raises the ante and declares the war is costing too much and may reduce funding for Headstart and low income-energy assistance. How typical, our democrat Senators are whining that the cost of freedom for 25 million people is probably impossible and not worth it if their pet social programs lose some funding.
For the record we won the war in Iraq as it was defined in 2003. Saddam is gone, along with his murderous regime. General Petraeus was recently confirmed overwhelmingly in the U.S. Senate to lead us out of what we didn’t see coming. As a retired Navy officer I’m sure General Petraues’s bathwater has more military and counter-insurgency experience than Tupa and Gordon put together. Statistics show that the surge is already working; bomb deaths down 30 percent, execution slayings down nearly half, shoppers back in outdoor markets, etc. The military knows it will take time to win in Iraq, that’s why they call it “The Long War”
Our Legislators shouldn’t spout disingenuous tripe about honoring the troops, then assert the troops can’t win anyway so let’s get out.
The democrats have never been strong on logic, just emotion. An electrician doesn’t hook a black wire to a red wire because it makes him feel good or because it looks nice, or not to offend the white wire. He does it because it works. War is a very logical business. The other side is made up of folks who are always thinking and tactics and goals change. If we want the land of two rivers to have a stable government that is not hostile to the U.S. or it’s neighbors we have to finish the job.

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Charles James, Northglenn

Let me get this straight — someone named Ignacio Ramirez of the Immigrant Families of Southwest Denver waltzes into our country uninvited, crowds our emergency rooms with sniffling kids, rips off taxpayers by attending our schools all the while demanding to be taught in Spanish, waves Mexican flags from cars declaring their allegiance to a foreign country, and now he wants to organize a boycott of the host country because he says his group is vital to America (“Activists call for statewide boycott/Weeklong action meant to spotlight work of illegals,” March 9).
Give me a break! Send in the National Guard and get these bums out of here.

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Philip Faustin of Denver writes:

I live in the City of Denver. I used to live in Lakewood. There are many differences between the cities. Denver picks up the trash as a city service. We had to pay separately in Lakewood although in Denver we do pay through taxes — probably more. The police are less responsive in Denver.
We always appreciated the quick, caring response in Lakewood. Denver cleans up graffiti for free. In Lakewood, neighbors organized to keep neighborhoods clean.
A few months ago, there was a big meeting in Denver about what to do about the graffiti problem. The City spends about $1 million annually to clean it up and that is increasing. A committee formed after the meeting is now recommending that the City quit doing the cleanup and make home and business owners do it within two to three days.
I am not in favor of government doing things for us that we should do for ourselves. It may be a good idea for each home and business owner to be responsible to take care of their own area and you may have to force the lazy ones to do it. So, I can’t really oppose this new idea.
But here is what bugs me. It seems like a copout on the City’s part. They call a meeting to figure out what to do and then announce that they are getting out of the business and are going to put more pressure on the little guy. Thanks a lot.
There is a nice white fence down the street from me. It looked good when it was installed. Now it has become a favorite target of paint vandals. I feel sorry for the owners. I wonder if they now regret their choice of material.
It seems that as soon as they clean up one mess, another appears.
From what I read awhile back, gangs are doing most of the graffiti and they use violence to protect their marks. They will go after another group who covers their tags. I hope that the homeowner will not become a target as well.
It seems what was left out of the committee recommendation was more enforcement by the police. As I said before, the Denver Police are not very responsive. If you look out the window and see a crime being committed don’t expect them to come running. Now there are times they will turn on the lights and siren but small crimes are a low priority. If they show up, it may be 20 to 30 minutes later, long after the criminal is gone.
If the attitude of enforcement was changed then maybe the graffiti problem could be curbed. It also does no good if once someone is caught they are allowed to breeze through the system with little consequence. These are two areas that government can do something where the average citizen can’t. I hope they will.

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Tim Levins of Monument writes:

Letter writer Keith Brady ("Don't disturb park's elk population," March 2) states that reintroducing wolves to Rocky Mountain National Park would be unnatural because they are a non-native species. In fact, wolves are natural to Colorado and were eradicated from the state in the 20th century.

I am a hunter, but I value the experience of using my camera to capture how wolves interact naturally in reducing the elk populations in Yellowstone National Park, a completely natural predator-prey ecosystem at work.

Rocky Mountain National Park without the presence of wolves is creating an unnatural state. The key benefits to reintroducing wolves to the park are disease control and reducing overpopulation in elk and mule deer.

An unexpected bonus for the park would be increased tourism revenue, similar to what Yellowstone enjoys. Let Rocky Mountain National Park return to a natural ecosystem and let nature run its course. Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Respect people's vote

Rafael Millet of Highlands Ranch writes:

Last November we the people of Colorado voted "No" on Referendum I, which sought to legalize partnerships and adoption by gay couples. We also approved Amendment 43, which defines marriage as a union only between one man and one woman. Elected officials must honor the people who elected them. No to House Bill 1330! Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (59) | TrackBack

Vets get short shrift in medical treatment

Nick A. Adlon of Sheridan writes:

Soldiers wounded in action face conditions unbecoming their sacrifice. These men and women deserve much better and much more. What is worse is the simple reality that those who violate U.S. laws are given better treatment than these soldiers.

Illegals are given free emergency medical treatment at any hospital without question. While they are receiving this, men and women who fought for this country are subjected to mold-infested rooms and subhuman care - even Gitmo detainees are treated better.

Congress had better do better for these vets, and for all of us vets who served this country. We earned in the sweat we gave, the tears fallen for our fellows and the blood we shed. We have earned it, we earned better than this.

Take the money that is given to the detainee facilities and illegals and help those who have earned the care.

Walter Reed is only the tip of the iceberg - Congress should look in all veterans hospitals not just there. All vet hospitals are below par while illegals are treated much better. All are suffering while detainees, by comparison, live pampered lives. Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack

Senate Iraq debate

Jackie O'Brien of Lakewood writes:

Great photo coverage of the Colorado Senate debate hearings regarding Iraq (March 15). Especially expressive was the photo on page News 24 showing 22-year-old veteran Don Ottoway after his touching testimony about his personal war experiences in Iraq and how the resolution sends the wrong message. The look on Ottoway's face as Democratic Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon places his hand on Don's back says it all. It appears that Gordon may have a knife firmly placed in Don's back at the same time his mouth is spewing the Democratic Party rhetoric of supporting the troops, blah, blah, blather. I can imagine the young soldier couldn't wait to get home to take a shower. Sen. Ron Tupa's and Gordon's political futures depend on our failure in Iraq; they prefer to declare war on the Republicans and our president rather than Islamic terrorists. Are you proud, Colorado? Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

Focus on the state

Mark Sear of Lakewood writes:

When I voted on my state representative, I was under the impression that state problems were to be the focus. There is no shortage of them, from education funding to road repair. If legislators don't have enough work to do with our homegrown problems, maybe they should just go home.

There is no reason for them to be debating Iraq policy, as that is the job of our federal representatives. Please, those of you in the Statehouse, do the job that you were sent to do and leave policy that you have no authority over alone.

There are plenty of ways for those who want to make their positions known to those who have the authority to deal with Iraq policy.

Richard L. Wilde of Elizabeth writes:

What would be your response under the following circumstances? You are the boss. One of your employees comes to you and states; I am going to look for a new job. It is going to take me about two years to find this job. In the meantime, I would like to keep my current job. I will not be able to spend much time or give it much effort during the next two years. However, I would like you to continue to pay me my full salary. In addition, I want to maintain full benefits and perks, including retirement and medical plan, office space and full use of the phones, staff and mail room to assist me in looking for my new job. If I cannot find the job I want, I want your assurance that I can keep the job I have.

Sound preposterous? How many congressmen and senators and governors are getting this wonderful treatment from us taxpayers while they attempt to get elected president?

I think you, as the boss, just might say no to this absurd proposal. Correct response should be: If you want a new job, resign from your current job. Shouldn't this common-sense rule apply to our politicians? Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Inane editorial

Jack J. Woehr of Golden writes:

The editorial on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's confessions ("'KSM' a reminder of the heart of darkness, March 16) was exceedingly inane. If American civilization has declined to the point where journalists take seriously the government's gloating over confessions extracted by torture, I don't know what to think. Whatever happened to your newspaper's blathering on about "Give the people light," etc.? Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack

Life becomes 'taxing'

Bob Zwiezen of Centennial writes:

Last November, when Bill Ritter and the critters gained control of the governorship and the state legislature, I made the comment that life in Colorado was going to become very taxing. And sure enough, here they came with all the tax-raising and wealth-transfer schemes ever conceived by devious political minds. The crowning touch so far has been Senate Bill 22 ("Taxation by regulation," editorial, March 18) allowing a private company to do their dirty work for them. I'll give them their due. They are among the most creative OPM (Other People's Money) addicted politicians in the U.S. I can hardly wait to see what they come up with next (just kidding). Enjoy folks, it's only going to get more taxing from here. Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Cleaning up graffiti

Ron Rutterof Littleton writes:

In order to reduce the graffiti problems ("Graffiti a growing headache for city," March 17), it would behoove the enforcement agencies in the metro area to require the parents of arrested juveniles and the juveniles themselves to do the cleanup work. I guarantee it would reduce the problem if the parents realized they would be forced to do this work without exception or excuse.

M.A. "Pete" Kinnamanof Los Animas writes:

After reading of the planned expansion of Piñon Canyon and the unnecessary, illegal taking of private property - which happens to be the last true ranching area of our state - it occurred to me that President Bush's Islamic fundamentalists are not the only fascists in our world! Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Boundary dispute

Barbara St. Johnof Wheat Ridge writes:

Thank you for the article "Barbed ire: Flap over land turns ranch life prickly," (March 3), which airs a dispute involving 100-year-old property rights. The question seems to be whether old (1886) government survey lines between two ranches near Creede are still valid, even though current technology finds some errors. If boundaries have been accepted well over 100 years, I do not see that it makes sense to re-survey all the back yards, property lines and ranches in Mineral County to see if they are indeed different. Besides going against past law, this could cause unnecessary dislocations and ill will. We have enjoyed staying at Soward Ranch over many years and find this a great imposition on the Lamb family, whose forebears homesteaded the land. I'm sure that if Herbert B. Story Jr. has paid taxes on a few acres needlessly, he could be reimbursed. Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

City name change is frivolous

Patti Swanson of Milwaukee, WI, and Commerce City writes:

Two articles have come to my attention recently regarding the upcoming vote to change the name of Commerce City- ‘Costly name change considered to alter Commerce City’s image’ (Charley Able) and ‘Don’t give up on city name’. I cannot vote on this issue because I am a registered voter in the state of Wisconsin; however, I do have a vested interest in the outcome of the vote as the owner of a lovely home in “old” Commerce City. A member of my family lives in my second home and handles its maintenance.
At least twice a year I look forward to spending time at my ‘home away from home.’ I consider the whole idea of the name change as frivolous. The financial impact on the city and its citizens must be the deciding factor in favor of retaining the name Commerce City. Mayor Ford is right on target concerning this impact. Who is in a better position than he-a life long resident and elected official-to know what is best for our community? I am appealing to Commerce City voters; Please vote to keep the name-Commerce City!
Commerce City is fortunate to have retained its industrial base unlike the community where I presently live. The loss of industry here has shifted the tax burden to homeowners resulting in property taxes that are four times greater than what I pay for my home in Commerce City. Embrace the contributions of factories and businesses in Commerce City and spend taxpayer money on pollution control, public school and park maintenance, and roads and infrastructure in Commerce City’s “aging neighborhoods.”
Please don’t waste taxpayer money on changing our community’s name!

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Donna Harrison of Centennial writes:

During the week George Bush was bragging about how much financial help the United States gives South American countries a story appeared in the paper about the Office of Management and Budget’s rule change which would save money by cutting those pesky Medicaid payments to certain public hospitals. I didn’t think the Bush administration could sink any lower, but I was wrong. Financing aid for foreign countries, the unconscionable war in Iraq, and sustaining the egregious tax cuts for the wealthy is made possible by increasing the misery of the old and poor. The devastating effects Medicaid cuts would have in health care for the poor and to the hospitals which provide that care is nothing short of criminal. Does Mr. Bush intend for people who depend on Medicaid and Medicare to simply die if they have no health care possibilities? If Denver Health, University of Colorado Hospital and others have to cut back services or close their doors due to Medicaid payment cuts thousands of people will lose health services, even those with Medicare. As an additional slap in the face, the OMB is also asking for cuts in the graduate Medical Education Program. Perhaps Mr. Bush thinks fewer doctors will be needed if all the superfluous poor folks die. This rule change must die before human beings die.

Judith Lorraine of Denver writes:
We do not belong on foreign soil — in any aggresive manner! This is treasonous actions on these flim-flam leaders we have — they are raping and pillaging America! They are giving it away to Mexico. When was Bush elected president of Mexico? They are trashing our precious Constitution and Bill of Rights daily! with the internationalization of corporations — who is going to pay all these taxes for all these countries we are subsidizing? One world order — One world government — it is the killing of America!

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Ken Bonetti of Boulder writes:

I have learned to my dismay that immigration enforcers are treating illegal immigrants like criminals rather than violators of civil law.
This is a vile tactic. Such despicable official behavior ignores the realities poor immigrants face and the great contributions they make to our economy and nation.
One reality is that the poor in Latin America are in part victims of self-serving US trade policies that further impoverish and impel some to seek work in this country to survive. The contributions immigrants make to the US economy are obvious, as Colorado officials are considering yet another morally reprehensible action, the use of slave prison labor to pick next season’s food crops in the absence of immigrant labor. These disgusting policies simply waste valuable public resources, drive immigrants to other crossing points at great economic and human cost, and morally taint our country.
If those poor immigrants were white and blond, would we allow our government to treat them like common criminals? These policies do nothing to solve problems, real or perceived. They simply waste valuable resources, forestall effective solutions and create the impression around the world that Americans are hateful and cruel racists.

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Russell Brunecz of Aurora writes:

According to the following post http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17702224/ President Bush is accusing Democrats of “partisan fishing". “Calling the Democratic response to the firing of eight federal prosecutors a partisan fishing expedition". The Democrats in both the House and the Senate are only doing their job in providing justice and truth for the American people in their public official’s actions. Providing the checks and balances described by the founding fathers of this nation. Yet, it is the President who is attempting to politicize the investigation into the firing of Republican Attorneys, who he himself appointed to the Department of Justice. Democrats in the House and Senate are coming to the aid of Republican US Attorneys who may have been released unlawfully. Justice is simply taking its rightful course. The President is grandstanding at best. To think he will be able to prevent the subpoenas of those within the White House for example, Karl Rove, Harriet Myers etc., etc. from public testimony into the firings is ludicrous. To attempt a Nixonian course of action into a lawful investigation is without a doubt an attempt to cover up. The words of former President Nixon come to mind, “If the President does it, then, it is not illegal". This investigation should proceed post haste in the interest of the American people who’s vote counts in this nation.

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George Lilly of Denver writes:

As Mike Littwin gushes over Hillary Clinton and the Democrats, while mocking Tom Tancredo and excoriating the Republicans, is there any doubt what his political bias is? Yes, unfortunately! Therefore why doesn’t he just come out and say publicly in his column that he’s a hard-left Democrat? The reason is simple. If he did that, he would set a precedent for the rest of the columnists, and then we’d all see just how left wing the media really is!
We don’t want that now do we?

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Baxter Pharr of Silverthorne writes:

While the majority of scientists and an increasing number of citizens are recognizing the growing threat of global warming, it seems that some of our politicians are still stuck in the dark ages. Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut has sponsored a bill called The Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007 which aims to reduce the U.S. emissions of greenhouse gasses by 50% by 2050. It appears that Colorado Senator Ken Salazar will support this bill and work to get it enacted into law. Colorado Senator Wayne Allard, however, has responded to the bill by stating: “Due to the global nature of the spread of greenhouse gasses, the US should not implement arbitrary restrictions that will drive industry and jobs to countries that do not have similar restrictions. Until science surrounding global climate is clear, I am unwilling to commit the United States to damaging economic hardships and substantial reductions in our quality of life.”
With only 5% of the world’s population, the U.S. emits about 30% of the world’s greenhouse gasses. While over 150 nations have ratified the Kyoto Protocol, only two industrialized nations (the U.S. and Australia) have refused to do so. While fuel mileage standards have not increased in the last 20 years in the U.S., standards in China and European nations are almost twice as high as ours. In fact, American automakers can’t sell their vehicles to China because we don’t meet their fuel standards! Carbon dioxide concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere are at the highest level (over 300 ppm) in the last 650,000 years. Ten of the hottest years on record (going back to the 1860s) have occurred in the last 12 years. 2006 was the hottest year ever recorded in the U.S. If this isn’t convincing evidence, wait to see the results from the new IPCC report. Please e-mail your elected representative at his website www.allard.senate.gov and tell him to wake up to the reality of global warming. Remind him that politicians who remain dinosaurs are heading for extinction.

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Brian Stuckey of Denver writes:

Navy Captain Paul Sherbo has it right in his Speakout column. It is indeed encouraging to hear our veterans speaking out in defense of our troops in Iraq, especially when the mainstream media is invested in their defeat. It is veterans like Don Ottaway and Diggs Brown, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, who know the real story. If more Americans were listening to the troops instead of the mainstream media, there would be less screaming and more dedication to the task at hand. The enemy is not having this debate. Should Americans be any less dedicated?

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James Lewis of Denver writes:

While working a real-estate deal last month I found out exactly what one parking ticket means. It can mean $5,000.00 or more. See, to collect unpaid revenues from non-moving violations Denver sells the debt to collection agencies, which can then list these unpaid violations as defaulted or excessively delinquent on a credit report, effectively lowering a credit score by up to 100 points. That’s enough to easily lower good credit to fair and fair credit to poor. My best estimate is that the city of Denver gets $10 to $20 for each ticket collected. That seems like great news for the city, but it’s also a perfect example of false economy. Poor credit and higher interest rates lead to lower buying power which leads to significantly lower purchase prices on large items such as houses and vehicles. With Denver’s generous tax rates the tax on a price delta of just a few hundred dollars offsets that collection.
I’m not suggesting that not paying parking tickets is not wrong. Tickets are an effective method for enforcing much needed parking regulations, and I pay a few every year. But Denver is taking punitive measures that are disproportionately extreme and in the end, benefit nobody but credit and lending institutions. A city that leads the country in foreclosures, can’t keep polls open during elections, and can’t get its streets plowed for two months doesn’t seem to need another reason for residents to disparage their home town.

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Richard Colwell of Parker writes:

In uncovering the media’s bias against U.S. involvement in Iraq, one only has to look at the source of the conflict. So much attention was given to Weapons of Mass Destruction (or lack there of), leading one to believe that it was the only excuse for going to war with Iraq. The fact is, there were 17 U.N. Security Council resolutions supporting this decision, including the mass torture of civilians and repeated attacks on U.S. aircraft over the no-fly-zone.
Now I’ve recently learned of a book, called “Saddam’s Secrets", that insists these weapons DID exist in Iraq just prior to the 2003 invasion. The author is a former Iraqi general, Georges Sada, who served as Vice Air Marshall under Saddam Hussein. In the book, he describes in detail how Saddam’s regime “transferred chemical agents from Iraq to Syria” by converting two Iraqi Airways Boeings into cargo planes. The 56 flights, according to Mr. Sada, attracted little attention because they were thought to be providing relief to Syria after a dam collapse in 2002.
Of course, without physical evidence, Sada’s book would have drawn its own critics — assuming it were ever brought out for debate. So then why is it that a former Iraqi general’s claims of WMD received such scant coverage (if any) from ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN, while leftist millionaire Michael Moore and his so-called documentary about 9/11 enjoyed more attention than it deserved? There’s your bias.

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Mark Krautler, Broomfield

Justifying an illegal war Rightly or wrongly, wars are waged by civilian leadership. The military obeys the orders of the President and the Congress. By necessity, the military must act with all force and decisiveness to maximize mission success and minimize casualties. We cannot ask soldiers to debate the war when hot searing led and metal are flying their way. I support our military, where ever they may serve. These are our nation’s sons and daughters, mothers and fathers thrust into harms way. But, if a war is born on the wings of a lie, as I believe the Iraq war was, I cannot support the war itself. There is no ambiguity here (Paul Sherbo, Iraq: running away screaming – “if the people who do the fighting support the effort, how in the world do their opponents justify their opposition?”). I justify my opposition quite simply. President Bush illegally lied his way into this war with no thought to those who would fight it or pay the price for it. I cannot and will not support that. It’s been demonstrated Iraq had no connection to 911 (Bush said this himself!), no weapons of mass destruction, did not attack us and was not an imminent threat to our homeland. Saddam Hussein, one of many brutal dictators, was contained. He, himself, was containing the factions, Sunni and Shia. Inspectors were on the ground doing their work. Intelligence, patience and political cooperation could have taken Saddam out eventually, without the gross destruction we have wrought. And yet, after billions of tax dollars spent, the master mind of 911 still roams free. If what you start is tainted to begin with, how can continuing it be right? We have broken plenty and have plenty to fix. This will not happen militarily. Think a never ending arcade game of Whak-A-Mole. Despite the fact we should never have invaded a sovereign nation, we must now do what we ought to have done when Bush claimed “Major combat operations in Iraq have ended”, redeploy the military and empower the Iraqis to rebuild their own country. Electricity anyone? Yes, we “broke” the lid off the box, more like Pandora’s box. We did not go to Iraq to solve thousands of years of faction infighting. The ongoing civil war is not ours to stop. It is folly to try. Go ask the Brits!

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Joey Hemminger of Denver writes:

I am so sick and tired of having the religious agenda crammed down my throat each and everyday I read the news.
Today, March 16, 2007, I read Republican candidate Sam Brokeback, I mean Brownback, is verbally spouting his support for our Pentagon’s top general, Peter Race, in labeling homosexual acts as immoral.
I don’t see how this exactly coincides with serving our country? Sam Brownback states, “I’m a Catholic, and the church has clear teachings on this.” Well Mr. Brownback, I am not Catholic and I really don’t care what your perception of church teachings are. I don’t believe I am the only one in this country who feels this way either.
Homosexuals are everywhere whether you like it or not.
You can’t stop nature.
We are postal workers, construction workers, lawyers, politicians, pastors, UPS workers, newspaper carriers, doctors, editors, athletes, accountants, truck drivers, counselors, volunteers, policeman, soldiers, VOTERS…….the list goes on and on.
You have offended a great many of people and I am disgusted and will continue to be disgusted every time I hear about you and YOUR closeted, one-sided, religiously directed agenda.

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