THE FIGHT AGAINST FOCA
Grateful for church guidance, and postcards
I am confused by Father Michael Tegeder's assertion that by sending a postcard to my legislators asking them to vote against the Freedom of Choice Act I am somehow displaying ill will and confronting President-elect Barack Obama ("Church plans for mass mailing on abortion bill are ill-advised," Dec. 23).
Since FOCA has been brought up in a congressional committee in the past, it does not seem to me to be a phantom issue, and as a Catholic layperson, I am glad for all the help my church gives me in my prolife efforts, including postcard campaigns.
PATRICIA KATAGIRI, MINNEAPOLIS
COLEMAN VS. FRANKEN
As Bush knows, even one vote is a mandate
If Al Franken were to defeat Norm Coleman by a few tens of votes, one would have to conclude that to be a resounding mandate, considering that the White House's current occupant defeated former Vice President Al Gore by one vote, 5-4, and went on to bigger and better things. As our Republican "friends" told us thereafter, "get over it." The process moves on.
JAMES SCHENZ, STILLWATER
•••
Is there anyone in Minnesota who does not understand that the Democratic-controlled political machine in Minnesota will deliver the U.S. Senate seat to Al Franken, no matter what it takes?
LARRY A. SORENSON, ARLINGTON, MINN.
GREEN, PURPLE -- AND BLUE
Crunch time, and the Pack couldn't pull it off
I was one for only 3.5 hours, but that was long enough to convince me that being a Packers fan is as frustrating as being a Vikings fan.
ALAN BREW, BEMIDJI, MINN.
CLOSE-FISTED BANKS
We gave our funds; let them show numbers
The banks won't tell us what they are doing with federal bailout funds? I find it hard to believe that the government cannot require reporting.
A simple test would be the lending ratio, however it is called.
Banks must maintain a debt to capital ratio. Why not simply require them to report that ratio weekly, starting with what it was before receiving government funds, what it was immediately after getting the capital infusion and how it has moved since?
It may be too late to require increased lending, but banks could certainly be shamed into better performance if a capital hoarding mentality is reflected in such reports.
DARRELL J. EGERTSON, BLOOMINGTON
HOME MODEST HOME
Homes section should also serve middle class
I write in reference to your Homes section. I am disheartened that as the economy continues to worsen and more and more people are losing their homes, you continue to have many articles on the exquisite artistic architecture and pleasures of multimillion-dollar homes.
I need information on how to maintain and/or remodel the very modest home that I have and am working hard to maintain.
How about pictures and feature articles for the average Twin Citian who lives a middle-class lifestyle and does not have a lot of extra income to remodel their home or completely make it over by making it all eco friendly. You do a disservice to the mass of people who read your paper, especially in these difficult economic times.
REBECCA MUBIREEK, GOLDEN VALLEY
SEE WHAT DEVELOPS
It's time to update that Tom Petters history
I keep noting the fact that the Star Tribune always states that Tom Petters "invested $150 million of his own money" to buy Polaroid in 2005.
This would be like Willie Sutton (who probably robbed around $2 million in his career of crime) stating it was "his own money" when counting the loot after each bank heist.
BRADLEY GERDES, HANCOCK, MINN.
