Mandates are for special interests

Political activist Noam Chomsky was once asked if the United States acts in the national interest. He replied that no nation acts in its national interest. That's a term of propaganda. He added that nations act in the interests of powerful internal groups that control policy.

Nowhere is that more evident than in the ill-advised U.S. ethanol mandates or in the fact that United States fuel-efficiency standards lag behind much of the world.

-- Terry Hansen, Franklin

I agree with the need to reduce mercury emissions to the environment and the editorial recommendation that we all do our part.

However, besides emissions from coal-burning power plants, we also should do our part with mercury-containing products, such as thermometers, thermostats and switches.

According to a study done for the Department of Natural Resources, the discarding of mercury-containing products in Wisconsin contributes over twice as much mercury to the environment than all the coal-burning power plants in the state.

The Dane County recycling Web pages include lists of places that take back mercury-containing products. These pages can be found at www.countyofdane.com, then click on the recycling symbol.

-- John Reindl, former Dane County recycling manager

The ambivalence of hope with Obama

After nearly eight disheartening and destructive years under President Bush, it seemed with Sen. Barack Obama that we were to get the chance to pass the world on to energetic, idealistic young people. After all, they will have to live with the consequences of decades of disregard for the planet, years of political hypocrisy, and patriotism's new definition: consumerism.

Obama dared to hope, and we were talking dreams, honesty, enlightenment even. I had almost forgotten what hope felt like, but here it was, and I warily gave way to it.

Sadly, Obama has demonstrated his inability to stay on the high road before even arriving at the doorstep of the White House. We're back to a campaign of misrepresentations, exaggerations, attacks and trivia. His campaign has been lacking at times even in courtesy toward his opponents.

So many missed opportunities to act with integrity, to respond to accusations with right, not might and to eschew the status quo. I am disappointed and again disheartened, but this time it actually hurts more because I had the audacity to hope.

-- Ellen Weisling, Middleton

Suspension/expulsion rules too inconsistent

The need to examine Wisconsin statues and the inconsistencies in school suspension and expulsion policies -- recently addressed by State Journal reporters Susan Lampert Smith and Andy Hall -- was again made evident in Friday's article by Heather LaRoi.

I cannot help but compare the punishment meted out to the Verona Area High School students who disobeyed school policies against drug and alcohol use while on a school trip to Costa Rica -- five- to 15-day suspensions -- with the penalties leveled this academic year against eight Marshall Middle School students for first-time offenses the Marshall School Board determined fell under state statute 120.13(c) -- expulsion in most cases for 18 months.

I am not advocating that the Verona disciplinary action is too light, but that the Marshall action was far too draconian.

All our children who exhibit behavior problems such as these should have the right to even-handed justice under the firm control of the Department of Public Instruction, which is not happening today.

-- Joanne Storlie, Marshall

Phone book ads may yield only waste

I live about 20 miles north of Madison, just into Columbia County. I have received at least five phone books, including Madison's, Lodi's, Columbia County's, the Yellow Book and more. I found three in a plastic bag when the snow began to melt.

This duplication uses untold tons of paper. It's all paid for by businesses. It is not cheap, but it becomes a "write-off" for them. Thousands of businesses shell out big dollars for books which are rarely looked at. Most end up at the recycling center.

Having owned a business, I question how many service providers have any idea if these advertising dollars are effective enough to justify the cost. I'm not a "tree hugger," but a glut is a glut.

-- James R. Cox, Lodi

Bad rules are made to be changed

Regarding a Thursday letter titled "Keep superdelegates from changing rules," do you want bad rules to continue? Change can be good.

The Democratic Party's rules are flawed. Since the party's name is derived from the word democracy, shouldn't democracy prevail in Michigan and Florida, and shouldn't their votes be counted?

Since these two states defied the party and held their primaries in January, their delegates are not being seated at the Democratic convention. The most democratic way to resolve this disenfranchisement of Michigan and Florida voters is for the states to hold new primaries, funded by the Democratic National Committee.

That will reveal who really has the largest popular vote when all the primaries are finished. With votes from all 50 states counted, the highest popular vote would have merit.

The superdelegates were given authority to choose the best candidate to win the presidency, especially in such a close race. Without the votes of all 50 states, the superdelegates' power should prevail.

It's this rule or that rule; you can't have it both ways. Without the Michigan and Florida votes, the Democratic primary election may result in a sham.

-- Jean Luecke, Dodgeville

Alcohol use disorder screenings available

Wisconsin's top ranking in drunken driving adds to our shameful record of top in the nation in heavy and binge drinking, drinking among high school students, and drinking among expectant mothers.

While more stringent legislation would address part of the problem -- our laws regarding drunken driving, for example, are among the nation's most lax -- clearly our state's residents are not being given the information or assistance they need to make the connection between alcohol use and negative consequences for their health and safety and that of others.

We need a sea change in the way our health care system addresses alcohol misuse. Gov. Jim Doyle acknowledged this in his proclamation of April as Alcohol Awareness Month.

We need to change community norms that foster alcohol misuse, eliminate the stigma and other barriers to treatment, and increase awareness that treatment for alcohol dependence is as effective as treatment for other chronic diseases.

The Wisconsin Initiative to Promote Healthy Lifestyles offers screening for potential alcohol use disorders (and other health issues) as part of regular health exams at 24 primary care clinics statewide and is eager to add more. The initiative offers evidence-based interventions and referrals to treatment for patients in need of more intensive care.

The effectiveness of these services has been demonstrated in many studies, and the services will more than pay for themselves. Visit www.wiphl.org to learn more about the initiative and how you can help make your community a healthier and safer place to live.

-- Dr. Richard L. Brown, clinical director, Wisconsin Initiative to Promote Healthy Lifestyles, Madison