Letters - Saturday

PLACING THE BLAME
Congress unwilling to admit its role in economic debacle

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson recently called the record number of Americans defaulting on their mortgages and getting evicted from their homes the "root" of the economic downturn. In fact, closer to the root of the problem is that people were allowed and encouraged to get into loans they could not afford. And that encouragement into "subprime" mortgages is a problem enabled by laws and regulations imposed by Congress and federal agencies. That is to say, the real root of the problem is government and its intervention into the free market.

Meanwhile, Congress is busy blaming Wall Street, as if Wall Street is comprised solely of the financial sector. And instead of looking to itself as the major culprit here, no one seems able to admit that the emperor that he has no clothes. Surely they know it.

What's worse, the same policies that got us into this mess are being offered as solutions.

Creating money out of thin air is not a solution. It merely slows the day of reckoning and devalues the dollar in the process. At some point, our dollar will be worthless.

I'm afraid we continue to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. Indeed, the goose is all but cooked, but those who should know better are pretending it is still alive, pumping more and more money into it.

When will the lesson be learned that government does not create wealth, free economies do?

Pat Francomano, Colorado Springs

NOT ENLIGHTENED
Access to political information no guarantee of acceptance

I found The Gazette's Nov. 26 Our View, "The ignorance of some voters," interesting. I immediately thought of an acquaintance who lives in another state and who called me the day after the presidential election.

The first words out of his mouth were how the United States was now doomed and he followed with the most vicious racist joke I have ever had the misfortune to hear. Our conversation ended shortly after that.

Since my acquaintance is a retired newspaper man, I thought his background and the availability of materials to him that presented diverse viewpoints would have precluded him from being a bigot. Evidentially, that is not the case.

As the editorial said in the next-to-last sentence, "Stupid people abound."

Ron Green, Colorado Springs

HOKUM PHILOSOPHY
Government needed to address huge problems facing society

Over and over again, beginning in the 1970s, we've seen this replay of how much better than government nonprofits can serve the disadvantaged, dispossessed, disabled and homeless. In this benighted view, government works best when it works least, a government by and of the people, not for them, at least not individually ("Nonprofits have the right stuff," Our View, Nov. 24).

This pseudo-philosophy is simply hokum and nonsense cooked up as a cover for a business-first, people-last political and economic agenda. It's intended to assuage the conscience of people who might otherwise think that perhaps their government should take a more active role in society, perhaps providing shelter for homeless vets or health care for malnourished children.

I challenge The Gazette to interview the directors at each of the five El Pomar award winners, along with a few other nonprofits serving the poor and homeless and ask them what they think they're up to and how they see government at all levels either serving or failing their clients.

My bet, and my experience, is that they'll tell how frustrating it is to be a Band-Aid on problems way too large for any institution other than government to solve. They'll also report how torn they are about providing that Band-Aid when it's hyped by promoters of "fiscally responsible, socially conservative, limited government" as the solution.

Go find some truth rather than kibbitzing from the sidelines.

Steve Brown, Manitou Springs

CUSTOMER SERVICE
Shoppers well-advised to visit local merchants for needs

My reply to the frustrated big box store shopper is a reminder that such stores offer the customer one thing only: the perceived lowest item price ("Retailers would do well to remember customer service," Letters, Nov. 23). Shoppers need to be reminded that great customer service is available at our locally owned and operated stores. How often have you gone into the big box store looking for someone to help you? If you do actually find someone help in your search for a specific item with certain features, you get fast-talked with confusing answers and you wind up being frustrated.

Our local merchants provide knowledge and value and often times will save you money by helping you choose the right product the first time. Shop locally and your money stays local.

Carol Hadl, Colorado Springs

THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING
Resurgence of hard-liners heralds beginning of new Cold War

With the Russian military in Western Hemisphere waters and allying itself with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, I believe the United States should recall lessons from the past. In 1989 Mikhail Gorbachev, speaking to the Politburo, admitted glasnost and perestroika was just for "outward consumption" and that "our purpose is to disarm the Americans and let them fall asleep."

To his Politburo audience he then outlined the real purposes of all the fake gestures of reform. Two of the purposes were, "we want them to withdraw nuclear forces from Europe" and "we want the Americans to stop proceeding with [the] Strategic Defense Initiative." These two objectives were met, which has left our country very vulnerable militarily in those two areas where we could have remained strong.

One Soviet defector, Anatoliy Golitsyn, accurately predicted the Berlin Wall would be ordered torn down by Gorbachev before Ronald Reagan ever voiced his famous demand to do so. This indeed had been part of the plan to really suck the West into believing they were serious about reform.

I love my country and don't want us to fall prey to deceptions during this second Cold War we find ourselves in. As they sail their ships close to our homeland, we must keep a very watchful eye.

Edward Nelson, Colorado Springs

LOWERING EXPECTATIONS
Defined benefit pension plans must adjust to economic reality

I feel for the folks who may be affected by the shortage in the county pension fund ("Pension fund needs $4.7M, officials say," Metro, Nov. 25). But, my 401(k) is down 40 percent, too, and I cannot look to the government to make me whole.Defined benefit plans are dinosaurs that should be converted into defined contribution plans. Every time the market dips and the plans are unable to make their promised payments, the taxpayer is expected to make up the shortfall. If the market does not fully recover, I'll need to readjust my retirement plans; so should anyone who has a defined benefit plan.

Ben Miller, Colorado Springs

WHERE DOES IT END?
Cat fees just the beginning after defeat of Issue 200

Since Issue 200 failed, the new fees have begun. We now have a cat fee (license requirement). I can't wait to find out what's next.

Our city, county and state governments are trying their best to starve to death those of us on fixed incomes. The fees on us will never end, along with the utility rate increases.

Joe McMullan, Colorado Springs