We need more leaders willing to cross party lines

I read your Sept. 5 editorial "Lost Lieberman: A Once Respected Leader Diminishes His Prestige," in which you criticized Sen. Joe Lieberman for speaking at the Republican convention. I believe you missed a unique opportunity to explore why partisan politics is the reason both parties cannot accomplish anything in Washington.

Why was Mr. Lieberman a respected leader when he was a Democrat running for vice president just eight years ago and now by speaking at this convention his prestige has been diminished? If Sen. Arlen Specter had spoken on behalf of Sen. Barack Obama would you feel the same way?

It is time for both parties to quit blaming the other and get together to accomplish the job they were sent to Washington for in the first place. Both parties over the past few years have failed miserably in tackling many problems. We need leaders who are willing to think outside the box and begin to legislate in a nonpartisan, compromising manner so we can end the gridlock.

The plethora of issues unresolved in America that include education, energy, national security and health care will need leaders who are willing to cross party lines to solve these complex issues. Editorial boards have a role to play to begin the process in correcting the political partisanship at the national, state and local levels. If newspapers do not address these issues in the proper way and support legislators who are willing to cross party lines, nothing will ever change and four years from now the same issues will be unresolved.

ROBERT C. DeWITT
Moon

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Tired of squabbling

I strongly disagree with the editorial "Lost Lieberman" (Sept. 5). This is a great indication of the Post-Gazette's liberal leanings. If a Republican had done the same thing (supported a Democrat), you probably would have praised him (or her).

We need more of what Sen. Lieberman is doing on both sides. People are sick of the insane, fruitless squabbling between the two parties. A great many voters are middle of the road -- not strong liberals or conservatives.

Shame on you, Post-Gazette.

ANNE O'BRIEN
Munhall

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Empty slogans

Have you noticed the words "country before party" coming from the mouths of conservatives and Republicans lately?

John McCain has used this phrase several times recently and Joe Lieberman echoed the same phrase in his speech at the Republican National Convention. I've heard it from other less prominent names, too. So here we have the next addition to the "Republican empty phrase" list. Included on this list are "compassionate conservative," "no child left behind," "reformer with results," "he's a maverick," "clear skies initiative," "he's a uniter not a divider," etc. If they actually believe in "country before party," why aren't they clamoring for the impeachment of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney?

What could be better for the country than the removal of these highest of elected officials who have engaged in corruption on a level unmatched in the history of American politics? The Bush administration's repeated violation of the Constitution, which the president took an oath to defend, by itself is enough to warrant impeachment. But when I consider the administration's bald-faced lies to get us into a costly and criminal war plus the systematic transfer of American wealth to their friends in the top 1 percent over the last seven years, it makes me think of another Republican empty phrase: "mission accomplished."

RICH ADAMS
Johnstown

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McCain's failure

Putting "Country First" is exactly what the president of Alaska's Senate, Lyda Green, did last week when she said on National Public Radio the choice of Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential nominee was "frightening." I'm sure Sen. Green could see a way to benefit from the election of Mrs. Palin, whom she has known for 14 years. But instead this Republican sounded a warning.

Sen. Green said Gov. Palin was not qualified to be president if 72-year-old John McCain should be unable to serve out his term. Her comments cast doubt on the McCain campaign's competence.

Mr. McCain's need of a VP candidate surely was no surprise -- he had time. Why did he fail so miserably on this?

TOM O'BRIEN
Mt. Lebanon

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A regular American

Contrary to some recent letters, I think John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as the Republican vice-presidential nominee is far from "a political stunt." Mrs. Palin's political experience is comparable to and perhaps exceeds that of Barack Obama. Governor vs. community organizer? Mayor vs. lecturer? Small business owner vs. state senator? There's no contest here. And Joe Biden's been in the Senate for more than 30 years (longer than my lifetime!) but doesn't have any notable fiscal or ethical accomplishments to rival Mrs. Palin's.

As mayor of Wasilla, she reduced the mayoral salary and cut property taxes by 40 percent, yet managed to improve the police force, sewers and roads. Mrs. Palin doesn't always vote the party line, has protested ethical violations within her party and has publicly challenged Republican counterparts when questions arise. In our current culture of political cronyism, this is quite unique. She also helped to pass a tax increase on oil company profits and has a very personal stake in Iraq as her teenage son is being deployed there.

Her liberal detractors are laughable -- these are usually the first people to holler about the lack of discipline for rogue police officers and the shortcomings of our infrastructure, which are always the government's fault. Yet they criticize a Republican for fixing these problems while blessing a Democratic opponent who openly and unapologetically consorts with an unrepentant former domestic terrorist.

Mrs. Palin is a regular American and that would truly be "change" in Washington. The fact that she actually has accomplishments to her credit means we don't just have to "hope."

AMBER VOGEL
Reserve

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PG didn't cave

After glancing at the Sept. 7 Post-Gazette, my immediate thought was, "Tell me no!" I read the sheet regarding the gift of the New Testament, "Our City. God's Word." But after flipping through the entire paper, nothing was inside. I previously read the letters to the editor from people who were outraged that the Post-Gazette was going to include a Bible in a future edition and I just thought the PG caved in and wasn't going to include it.

After taking another look outside, in my hurry to get my paper the book had fallen out of the bag and was lying in the grass! What a relief. Not only am I convinced that the PG does have a backbone, but I now know which churches and businesses to support and patronize.

HELEN BUTERA
Ingram

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Church priorities

Regarding the gift of "God's Word" attached to the Sept. 7 Post-Gazette: I would like to thank the churches that did not contribute to the expense of sending this to me. The priority they respect by spending money to aid those in need far exceeds the effort to compete with other commercial enterprises that bombard us with fliers in the newspaper.

KENNETH JONES
Jeannette

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Common sense for college success

I am writing in response to Eleanor Chute's article "One Hurdle After Another on the Way to a Degree" (Aug. 31). Though I read this article with interest, I found its analysis of student success puzzling.

According to Ms. Chute's sources, "taking one course in high school above Algebra 2 can double the odds a student will earn a bachelor's degree." Supposedly, this has to do with the "quantitative reasoning" that is taught in such higher-level math courses.

But considering that such courses tend to be taken by students who are: a) academically gifted, b) highly motivated, and c) hard-working, I fail to see why it is news that such students are more likely than their peers to succeed in college.

However, in the spirit of Ms. Chute's article, I would like to offer my own "tips for beating the odds." Based on my research, students are more likely to earn a bachelor's degree sometime this century if they:

• Get drunk fewer than five times per week.

• Purchase, and read, the majority of their textbooks.

• Spend roughly as much time writing their papers as they do text-messaging.

• Cut and paste said papers from Wikipedia only under the direst of circumstances.

I hope these tips will be helpful to the incoming class of college students.

JOSHUA D. BELLIN
Associate Professor of English
La Roche College
McCandless

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