Let greedy companies and shareholders pay

I am not a wealthy man in monetary terms, but I have good friends and a great family around me. If the crisis on Wall Street gets worse, I am certain I will feel the pain directly. But this "crisis" in the stock market is a manufactured crisis, created by pure unadulterated greed and a complete lack of oversight.

So, who was greedy and who wasn't looking over these people? As a lifelong Republican, I abhor the intervention of any government in private and or commercial affairs. But it seems that in the case of all these failures, the government was busy "texting" some hot chick just before this train wreck happened. I cannot in good conscience support the government's effort to keep bailing out these firms that have trillions or billions in assets, just to prop up a flagging economy. My money says let these firms fail. Make the owners of these firms sell their personal assets to cover these staggering losses that they were supposed to be watching over. Let the stockholders lose their equity completely and finally feel the pain that their institutional greed has caused.

Let the economy of this country and indeed the world take a massive and painful hit so that when all accounts are settled, then maybe someone will mind the store a little better, maybe stockholders won't be as greedy and maybe someone will finally apply common sense to running an economy that more than 300 million people depend on. And thank goodness this administration is almost over!

It's going to hurt me and my family and a lot of good people in this country and abroad, but let these greedy companies/investors fail.

PATRICK KELLY
Shaler

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Beware of Gramm

In the midst of the investment bank meltdown, former Sen. Phil Gramm's past, present and future roles should be considered.

Past: As a vocal advocate for the banking industry, he pushed any number of deregulation bills through Congress, his greatest triumph being the repeal of the Glass-Steagall act. The repeal effectively eliminated the wall between banks and brokerage houses, recreating the financial landscape that existed in 1929. This of course set the stage for today's unfolding debacle.

Present: Now a lobbyist for the banking industry he so ably served in Congress, Mr. Gramm is one of John McCain's chief advisers on economics, although he lost his "official" role due to openly saying what he thinks -- that the public is composed of "whiners."

Possible future: In a McCain administration -- treasury secretary, Council of Economic Advisers, chairman of the Fed?

If we vote Mr. McCain into office, he will no doubt give this fox a major role in guarding our financial henhouse.

How many times do voters need to be hit in the head before they realize who's swinging the bat?

HOWARD SCHMITT
Green Tree

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Maverick no more

I was surprised by the column by Phil Kerpen claiming there is a "smear" of John McCain saying that he is a Bush clone ("The McBush Smear," Sept. 9).

If the McCain of 2000 were running, that would be true, but the politician we see today is radically different. It is interesting that the facts that Mr. Kerpen uses to support his position are all taken from the past, sometimes way past. He relies on McCain votes from 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005. He also states that Mr. McCain, who missed every vote to extend the tax credits for renewable energy, is "in the lead on the traditionally liberal environmental front" because of his support for a cap-and-trade approach. Few among those who support alternatives share Mr. McCain's position that this is the best approach.

Mr. Kerpen praised his rejection of the "Swift Boat" attacks on John Kerry. That was in 2004 when he wasn't a candidate. Now, he is silent when the same group uses the same sleazy tactics against Barack Obama. Then there is the surge, which Mr. McCain claims to have always supported. Ah, but the facts do not back up what he says.

As late as Feb. 8, 2007, in a Senate speech, Mr. McCain stated that he was "very nervous about this new strategy" (the surge) and that he had even less confidence if Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey was confirmed, which he was. Hardly a ringing endorsement of the surge. He did actively support Donald Rumsfeld's approach to Iraq. Yes, John McCain was once a maverick, but now he is a politician.

JOHN GIDDINGS
McCandless

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Short on good ideas

After learning that John McCain has taken the lead in the national polls, Barack Obama had this explanation: "Even though they [Republicans] don't know how to govern, they're very good at running elections."

At what point will Sen. Obama and his comrades realize that their leftist ideas do not resonate with mainstream America? The Democrats have won only three presidential elections since 1968, yet they continue to march out nominees like Mr. Obama who are long on failed socialist programs and short on successful American ideas like lower taxes, less regulation and unabashed confidence in the American people to fix our problems.

Now that the honeymoon is over, people are starting to realize the true recipe of "change": collectivism at home, apologies abroad and the ball and chain of global warming strapped to the last healthy ankle of our economy. Rather than examining his extreme liberal agenda, Sen. Obama will continue to blame people like Karl Rove and "Swift Boat" strategies for his future shortcomings. Talk about creating an imaginary bogeyman.

If the Democrats can't walk away with this election, at a time when Republicans are liked by voters about as much as agent Scott Boras is liked by Pirates fans, then perhaps the few remaining moderates of the Democratic Party should tell Obama, Pelosi, Reid & Co. that they need to find a new gig.

As a Republican, I'm happy to see the polls. But as an American, I'd be happier to see these losers out of Washington!

ROB ALTIERI
Greensburg

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On the sexism front

Kudos to our Republican conservative friends for standing up to sexism in the political arena. Their acknowledgment that women face incredible barriers to success as candidates is admirable and encouraging.

As new recruits in the struggle against sexism, we welcome them to join us in supporting an increase in the minimum wage so that women working for large national retail, hotel and restaurant chains can better support themselves and their families. Republican political assistance in providing adequate health care and other supports for women with special-needs children or with aging dependent parents would go far in improving the quality of lives of millions of Americans.

And their recognition and encouragement of the hundreds of thousands of women who volunteer to improve their communities and churches would be a major step in helping our nation grow in a healthy and humane way.

ANTHONY J. SILVESTRE
Highland Park

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The choice of life

In response to Claire Keyes' remarks ("She Made a Choice," Sept. 12 letters) that Gov. Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter chose to continue her pregnancy but that Ms. Palin wants to deny all others that same right to choose: What is the choice? Allowing a fetus to continue to live and give it all the love and attention it deserves after birth or have an abortion and deny this infant any choice. She took the mature approach and let the baby live, as opposed to termination of its life.

Give birth to these "unwanted" babies here and choose adoption over abortion. That decision is between you and God.

JOE PONIEWAZ
Lincoln Place

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Businesses, clear of smoke, will be seeing more of us

Last Friday night, I did something I haven't done in more than 3 1/2 years -- I went to my favorite local bar/restaurant, the Getaway Cafe, for happy hour and was able to play darts and trivia. This trip was made possible by the Clean Indoor Air Act because both my husband and I are extremely sensitive to cigarette smoke. Now we can go to many places we've avoided in the past and will be patronizing the Getaway at least once a week.

Last week, restaurant and tavern owners were claiming that the ban was hurting their business after being in effect for only two days -- one of which featured torrential rain that would discourage anyone from going out, not just smokers ("Bar Owners Claim Ban Hurts Business," Sept. 13). These owners are correct in stating that the ban is unfair as it has too many loopholes. Hopefully, as promised when the Clean Indoor Air Act passed, the exceptions will be tightened to even the playing field.

I think that there are a lot more people like me in the area who are happy for this breath of fresh air and will venture out in support of the nonsmoking establishments, and I urge anyone who has stayed home to avoid the smoke to go out and support these businesses.

SANDY STUHLFIRE
Castle Shannon

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