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Tom Kriegl: Sauk County workers responded well in flood crisis

The Capital Times — 2008-07-05T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: If there is a silver lining in the recent flooding events, it is that many people helped each other and no lives were lost. In addition, government officials, departments and employees did a great job. The flooding also showed that public safety depends on much more than law enforcement. Speaking of county government specifically, many departments played major roles during the flooding and continue to play important roles in the recovery. The departments ...

Robert E. Nordlander: 'Exorcist' Moulton should tend to budget, taxes

The Capital Times — 2008-07-05T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: Rep. Terry Moulton, R-Chippewa Falls, has attacked the Freedom From Religion Foundation as a "very wacko group that is completely out of touch with mainstream America." Well, if "mainstream America" applauds Moulton's efforts to expel Satan from the halls of a branch of the Wisconsin Legislature, then America is indeed a lost cause. An Associated Press story reported that Moulton had assumed the role of exorcist by pleading, "Come, Holy Spirit of God, ... ...

Ernie Pellegrino: High court erred in Guantanamo decision

The Capital Times — 2008-07-05T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: I believe the U.S. Supreme Court decision made by a 5-4 vote to give the prisoners of war in Guantanamo the same rights as U.S. citizens in the courts of law was a grave mistake. In most democracies, the laws give the accused many more rights than the victim, or the potential victim, is given. We have even seen cases where the accused has been acquitted due to a technicality, even though the ...

Ted Voth Jr.: Pelosi should push impeachment, stop war funding

The Capital Times — 2008-07-05T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: The wars just got personal for me. I just learned that my nephew Nick ships to Baghdad Jan. 10. He's a dad. The person most directly responsible for that is not Dick Cheney or George W. Bush. That person is the speaker of the House of Representatives. Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution states: "The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeachment." Section 7 states: "All bills for raising ...

Frank Ryan: WMC supports bias against people with mental illness

Frank Ryan — 2008-07-04T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: The Capital Times is alive and well, and I hope it causes Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce to head for rehabilitation. It won't be easy. WMC, with its multimillion-dollar campaign donations, has been controlling a big part of our Legislature for a long time. Thank you to Mike Ivey and Dave Zweifel of The Capital Times and Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign for turning the spotlight on WMC, this state's most serious threat to ...

Judy Angus: Fuel economy was once reality, is possible now

Judy Angus — 2008-07-04T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: I guess my memory is failing me. Fifty-two years ago, when I bought my first car, a beautiful '49 Studebaker, I got 45 miles to the gallon. No big deal, and it was a great car. Later I bought a '51 Studebaker, and got similar mileage. Then I bought an AMC Alliance and got 44 mpg. Now I am driving a 2000 Chrysler six-cylinder and still get 27 mpg. I was so surprised when ...

Paul W. Schlecht: City raising white flag on crime

Paul W. Schlecht — 2008-07-04T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: Reading the July 2 Wisconsin State Journal front-page article by Patricia Simms left me a bit confused. A 42 percent increase in police calls over a two-year period and the "emergence of serious crime (due to) the overflow criminal activity squeezed out of the once notorious Allied Drive by city development." Alderman Zach Brandon: "Tempe Drive is not lost. ... But it is emblematic of what can happen if we don't pay attention. It's ...

Melva Brown-Dring: Questioning medical care is good advice

Letter to the editor — 2008-07-03T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: The advice of Cap Times columnist Barbara Quirk to question medical care is right on. In August 2007 I experienced wheezing while lying down. Over the next month this happened several more times. I went to my doctor She looked at me and stated that I was obese and wheezing was normal. No exam, just the assurance that losing weight would help. So, of course, I tried to loose weight. In May, my gynecologist informed ...

Elaine Weidemann: Canada has much to teach U.S. about health care

Letter to the editor — 2008-07-03T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: The recent unexplained dismissal of two longtime doctors at Cambridge's only health clinic is evidence of what is negative (one of many things) in our present health care system. Fort Health Care, an HMO, has the power to simply "let go" of doctors who are respected and are providing commendable health care. It seems a no-brainer to me that doctors -- who spend years in school, in internships and in practice -- are professional ...

Nancy Gregory: What is Primate Research Center trying to hide?

Letter to the editor — 2008-07-03T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: I have been writing to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, requesting information on a rhesus macaque being held there in the Primate Research Center. After my second request, I received a response from the associate director. I was basically told "no," and received no answers to my questions. But he did offer to accept my money as a donation to their enrichment budget. However, since food and treats have already been provided by me as ...

Frank Smith: Bush is worst in 70-year lifetime

Letter to the editor — 2008-07-03T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: Why do elected officials act as if they own the government? Why do they think they can make any law and the electorate will be happy with it? Can't they see the polls that show the Congress is at an all-time low in voter approval? What we need is new and progressive management! What we need are Barack Obama and many more of the same grain to take over the White House and Congress. We ...

Dave Searles: Obama will split Dems with faith-based plans

Dave Searles — 2008-07-02T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: This is an open letter to Sen. Obama. I heard your announcement on NBC Nightly News concerning your support for more funding for faith-based programs. Unless you back off from this faith-based funding and programs proposal, you will have lost my vote and I will be forced to endorse someone else for president. It won't be McCain or Barr. I'm a very strong believer in separation of church and state. In fact, I'm a ...

Hans Noeldner: Lifestyle changes are needed for peaceful coexistence

Hans Noeldner — 2008-07-02T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: This morning, I witnessed two motorists nearly run down children who were trying to cross the street. I am sick with fear and filled with anger at my community. Because the problem isn't just these two distracted motorists. It's how so many of us have chosen to live. No doubt the summer school curriculums will include many lessons on conserving resources. But what will our children learn about fighting global warming when they ...

Daniel Hanson: Depressing July Fourth ahead

Daniel Hanson — 2008-07-02T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: Is there anything we can do to keep us out of the Bush-Cheney soup before they leave office? I fear for the youth of our country and an ever-deepening military fiasco. How real is a draft? How real is $400 a barrel oil if Iran is attacked? I would not like going back to the MAD (mutual assured destruction) of the Cold War, but it would be much better than a further mess of the ...

Richard Russell: Web excels at photographs

Richard Russell — 2008-07-02T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: I still miss the paper version of my favorite paper, but I must say that there's one area where the Internet version has it all over the printed one: pictures! Lots and lots and lots of glorious color photographs. As many as you could possibly want of whatever's going on around town, with no page limit. This was driven home to me in dramatic fashion by the spectacular pix from the Rhythm & Booms ...

Julie Pophal: School district inept in athletic director moves

Julie Pophal — 2008-07-01T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: This letter is to Madison Metropolitan School District taxpayers. We are suffering the consequences of the district's inept decision-making when it comes to last year's cutting of four athletic directors. The waste of taxpayer money through the yearlong arbitration between MMSD and the union to reinstate the four directors far outweighs what was to be saved by the district's cuts. The directors will get back pay for 2007-08 of about $8,000 each. The district ...

Gordon Cunningham: Reward nonmilitary public service too

Gordon Cunningham — 2008-07-01T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: Why are we using taxpayers' money to give big bonuses and the promise of college tuition to young folks volunteering to enter one public service (military) but not to those young folks volunteering to enter other public services, for example: teaching, police, fire, engineering for maintenance of public highways and bridges, natural resources, public health? Aren't these other public services as necessary for the health and safety of our United States? Why is ...

Jim Stickels: Thank you, Evjue Foundation

Jim Stickels — 2008-07-01T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: The Bridge Lake Point Waunona Neighborhood staff, volunteers and participants would like to thank The Evjue Foundation for the $5,000 gift to purchase kitchen appliances that will be used for the older adult programs, the after-school children's and middle school programs, the Los Ninos Primero Family Resource Center, Girl Neighborhood Power, cooking classes by United Cerebral Palsy and UW Extension, plus birthday parties and other celebrations by local residents. Jim Stickels

Michael Fermanich: Small communities need job centers

Michael Fermanich — 2008-06-30T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: It has come to my attention that there will be a hearing July 8 in Madison about consolidation of job centers around the state. The reasons are there is a budget crunch. So take what little small cities have in attracting companies to their area via resources for work forces, so the larger cities can keep their unemployment down while the small cities suffer with having to travel distances for selection of ...

Victor Maslakow: Dave Obey be gone!

Victor Maslakow — 2008-06-30T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: Obey be gone! You shame Wisconsin with your "earmarks" and "pork barrel" appropriations role, which corrupts Congress. Earmarks and pork barrel appropriations have been the core disease stalling and plaguing this do-nothing Congress. Wisconsin's Dave Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, where all spending bills must start, serves as the lead henchman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Speaker Harry Reid -- who set the agendas in what is a corrupt ...

Boyd and Carlson: There 's hope for religion and politics

Revs. Winton Boyd and Scott Carlson — 2008-06-30T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: Maybe there is a new day in this country for the use of religious faith in the realm of politics. For over a generation, much of the public discourse around faith and politics has centered on faith (usually Christian) as a divider of people. A few hot button issues have been touted as the only concerns of people of faith. Another attempt to use Christianity to divide people surfaced recently when James Dobson ...

Joy First: Prepare yourself to walk for peace

Joy First — 2008-06-29T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: Get ready to join the Walk Against War as it comes through Madison this summer! Members of Voices for Creative Nonviolence (VCNV) will be walking from Chicago to St. Paul for the start of the Republican National Convention. VCNV is an inspiring organization with deep roots in active nonviolent resistance to U.S. war-making. The purpose of the walk is to challenge and to nonviolently resist our country's continuing war in and occupation of ...

Catherine Parker: Oil spill ruling proves high court protects corporate power

Catherine Parker — 2008-06-29T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: The oil tanker Valdez spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The oil spread over 11,000 square miles of ocean and 1,100 miles of coastline, killing marine mammals and seabirds, food sources, the fishing industry and tourism. Nearly 20 years later, there's still oil on the coastline. In 1994, a jury in Anchorage awarded the 32,677 residents of Prince William Sound $287 million in damages and $5 billion in ...

Dharma Barsotti: Wake up to need for alternative fuels

Dharma Barsotti — 2008-06-29T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: It's a joke that the president and the Republican nominee think that drilling for more oil will help anyone but the oil companies, period. I know that we need more fuel, but the answer is not more fossil fuel but rather alternative fuels that will some day become the mainstay fuel sources for our country. I feel that our leadership needs to wake up to the fact that the time of fossil ...

Martha Kuhlman: War money could go far on home front

Martha Kuhlman — 2008-06-29T05:00:00Z

Dear Editor: Did you ever say, "If I had a million dollars I would ...?" Well, what would you do with $720 million? Would you think first of all the hungry children? Or maybe provide shelter to those who lost everything in the flooded Midwest? Or try to provide help to the most distressed school systems in the U.S.? What if you had $720 million every day? Now we are thinking real money. What could that ...