Lehrer didn't ask the most urgent question

I believe Jim Lehrer didn't ask the most urgent questions in the McCain/Obama debate. He should have said: Bin Laden orchestrated the 9/11 attack. Nine of the 11 terrorists were Saudis who believed killing "infidels" is the path to heaven. We saw television images of mullahs from Mecca visiting bin Laden to congratulate him. Bush met with a Saudi prince and flew more than 100 Saudis out of the country before they could be questioned.

He and his minions subsequently misled Congress about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction and revealed the identity of a CIA agent because Joe Wilson, her husband, told the truth about Iraq. As a result of our unprovoked attack on Iraq, an estimated million Iraqis and thousands of Americans were killed and wounded; there are some 4 million Iraqi refugees and 5 million orphans; our credibility is in tatters; and bin Laden is free and plotting more attacks.

Why didn't Lehrer ask, "If you are elected, how will you deal with these issues, and will you hold Bush and his minions accountable?" My guess is that was because of what happened to Dan Rather for telling the truth about Bush evading the military draft.

Bob Fisher

Encinitas

Homosexuality in animals is not nonsense

Mr. Robert DeRieux ("NCT prints nonsense about gay animals," Letters, Sept. 19) said there aren't any, based on his observations of two male donkeys picking parasites from each other or two female lions grooming each other. The National Geographic, a stickler for accuracy, in the July 21, 2004 issue, reported that sheep, fruit bats, dolphins and orangutans are some of hundreds of homosexual animal species. …

"Ultimate Explorer," a National Geographic documentary TV series, caught female Japanese macaques engaging in acts that, if seen in humans, would be XXX-rated. Dr. Mathew Gruber, a Georgia State professor of biology, said, "They have taken the fun aspect of sex and really run with it." Bonobo apes, who settle social conflicts through bisexual and homosexual orgies, show more intelligence than so-called humans. Bonobos are our closest relatives, with DNA only 2 percent different than ours.

"Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity," by Dr. Bruce Bagemil, makes a case for homosexuality that should be read by proponents and opponents of gay rights. There are many other references, if Mr. DeRieux would take a few minutes of his time to look for them.

Joseph Grant

Oceanside

Pelosi is unqualified to serve

Based on Nancy Pelosi's recent performance, there is only one job in the United States government for which she is qualified: licking and pasting food stamps.

Wayne Haggard

Fallbrook

Stop needless torture of farm animals

I was a signature gatherer this last fall for the vote yes on Proposition 2 campaign. I found that many of the people I talked to had no understanding of how cruelly these farm animals were being treated. Those in charge of such practices have become so callous to their suffering that they don't care about or see the pain they are inflicting on these innocent farm animals.

All this measure asks is to give these animals room to move around and at least extend their limbs or their wings. Please do the humane thing â€"â€" support Prop. 2 and stop the needless torture of gentle farm animals.

Ann Scott

Carlsbad

Poway needs a Super Wal-Mart

As a loyal Wal-Mart shopper, I truly hope that Poway's City Council will allow Wal-Mart to expand their store into a supercenter. I truly believe that the majority favor the expansion, and also many people will benefit from it. I have read that the expansion will bring more traffic to Poway. In case people haven't noticed, there is lots of traffic already.

The new Wal-Mart expansion will create jobs, better for the economy â€"â€" and, of course, the city of Poway will benefit from the expansion because it will bring in more revenue and because Wal-Mart prices are great. Some of the people of Poway seem to think that the supercenter will drive out the mom-and-pop businesses. Well, there are not that many in Poway. We need, we want a supercenter.

Mary Murray

Ramona

Barren hill a sad sight

I must add my letter of protest to Margaret Chisholm's (Sept. 26) about the three Monterey pines callously removed by the board at the Oceana Mission No. 1. These trees appear to be on the threatened list of the California Native Plant Society.

People live here for the nature surrounding them. If they wanted little boxes made of ticky-tacky, they would move to Irvine. My heart sinks every time I walk onto my patio and see the barren hill where the pines once stood. Such a shame, for naught.

Kris Cerone

Oceanside

Time to vote out those who abuse office

I was appalled after reading the article in the Sept. 26 paper regarding our state politicians and the use of unchecked gasoline charge cards ("Gas cards give California lawmakers free ride"). Where in business is an employee allowed to run up such large gas bills without accountability as in a mileage expense report, and when in business is an employee allowed to deduct mileage from home to the office? Abuses like that would cause the employee to be terminated.

No wonder our state has such budget problems when our lawmakers are allowed to spend money without accountability. Rep. Guy Houston from Pleasanton was the biggest abuser, spending $5,139.84 in the first seven months. A word of praise for our own Rep. Mark Wyland, who does not use the gas card or the state vehicles â€"â€" thank you! It's time we vote the abusers out of office; it's the only way to fire them.

Lisa Pratte

San Marcos

Bailout: Failure as a strategy

I admit I'm a bit of a pessimist, but this $700 billion with a "B" bailout is just too much. With CEOs and government officials all the way up to the president clamoring for a quick infusion of your money and my money to bail out some of the largest companies in the world, I have to say "Enough!"

Let me try to ask some common-sense questions here. If these banks and other financial institutions are so smart, why are they failing? If they are failing, why throw more money at them, in effect, rewarding them for their failure? Who is going to administer what these white-collar pickpockets are going to do with our money? Is every taxpayer now a stockholder? If by some miracle they become successful, do we get our money back plus a dividend check?

I think the day has arrived that the way to real success in corporate America is to make your company so large that scared politicians will not allow your failing company to fail. You get the bailout money, dance around for a few more years, then ride off into the retirement sunset with your golden parachute. Is this a great country or what?

Jim Johnston

Escondido

Heyneman and Dooley dedicated to Fallbrook

For 12 years, my association with Jackie Heyneman and Jean Dooley has been with Fallbrook Save our Forest. You will find no more sincere, knowledgeable, dedicated persons in Fallbrook. Their expertise in identifying community challenges and offering solutions will contribute to the mission of the Fallbrook Community Planning Group.

Please join me in voting for these two candidates for positions on the FCPG.

Howard Sansom

Fallbrook

Vote yes on Proposition 2

Californians have the opportunity on Nov. 4 to lead the nation with legislation to prevent cruelty to animals. Proposition 2 provides for the humane treatment of farm animals raised for food.ˇ

Currently, egg-laying hens, veal and breeding pigs are kept in cages barely bigger than their bodies. The cages are so small that the animals cannot turn around, lie down or extend their limbs. Most live in filth as well.

All animals, including those that are raised for food, deserve to be treated humanely. As Mahatma Gandhi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

Debra Dominski

Encinitas

Budget bummer!

Why is it that every time our leaders need to make cuts, it's the people at the bottom, who can least afford it, who get hurt? In trying to balance the budget, our governor reduced many programs. One program that he cut out entirely is the homeowner and rental assistance program. This is a program for low-income seniors and disabled persons. It's an annual assistance check of about $350 for most renters.

I am a 47-year-old disabled widow with a 13-year-old son. We have a hard time getting by on Social Security, but we manage. I relied on the assistance check, which normally arrived in July or August, to purchase school clothes and supplies for my son. The rest would get tucked away for Christmas. By cutting this program, my son has had to go to school actually wearing [old] jeans this year, and I won't have that extra left over for Christmas. Once again, it's the seniors, disabled and their children who get hurt.

Deborah Walker

Vista

Nothing less than new New Deal will save us

In his analysis of Sen. Obama's middle-class tax cuts and tax increases on wealthy Americans, Carl Rohde (Letters, Sept. 30) makes the argument for supply-side economics. Unfortunately, that system has failed.

In our current system, the one I would presume Mr. Rohde endorses, business has been free to prosper, but at the great expense of the vast majority of Americans. Witness the greatest disparity between rich and poor since the 1920s, and the propensity, once again, of Wall Street to nearly destroy itself if left to its own devices.

Profit need not be a dirty word, but it is today because the extreme greed of many of the rich, prodded on by deregulation and constant tax cuts, has undermined the foundations of what made our economy great â€"â€" the middle class. What really is in business' and wealthy Americans' best interests is a strong and vibrant middle class â€"â€" otherwise, who's going to buy the goods and services they provide?

An unequal society is a volatile one, as we are discovering. America today parallels America in the 1920s, and nothing less than a new New Deal, which Mr. Rohde inexplicably cites as failed policy, can lead us out of this mess.

Kyle Clark

San Marcos

Michele will make a difference

Michele Bain will make a difference when she is elected to serve on the Fallbrook Community Planning Group. I know her to be devoted to any issue she takes on, whether it is stopping Liberty Quarry or volunteering as treasurer for the Sierra Club. She is my friend and she is a person of integrity, and I have the greatest respect for her ethics and her determination to give her best effort to anything she does, large or small.

Her background owning a court reporting business will help her on the Planning Group, and her desire to help protect Fallbrook from Pardee-type developments will assure one more vote for the people of Fallbrook. Remember Michele's name when you go to vote!

Jerri Arganda

Fallbrook

Let us care about the animals

Please reconsider your position on Proposition 2 ("7 measures Californians should reject," Editorial, Sept. 26). It is such a modest act to help these helpless animals. Other states have already passed similar acts, and I know California will eventually catch up; why not stop the cruelness now?

If we don't look after our animals' well-being by passing propositions like these, who will? On this great Earth, animals are left in our care. Let us care.

Shirley Kuvelas

Escondido

Sarah can't take the heat

Are women easily seduced? That's what John McCain and the GOP are hoping now that Sarah Palin is firmly ensconced on the ticket. American women are getting the opportunity to see and hear how "presidential" Palin is as she goes through the interview process on political shows.

But Sarah won't be the only one being carefully scrutinized. Those who easily grill male candidates will be watched as well to see if they will soften their questions and stance. Though hard on Hillary, an experienced and seasoned political veteran, Sarah has become America's new darling (for the moment) and there may be a backlash should American women feel that interviewers are too hard on her.

But as in all things political, if this femme fatale can't take the hard questions, how would she truly fare as a leader in these hard economic and international times? She has already declined interviews with those who may be too hard on her and the Republican Party is protecting her from too much media attention they consider would show her inexperience as a leader.

Tomas Howe Ferraro

Oceanside

Don't protect marriage by denying marriage

Like many, I try to live my life in a manner consistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ. I especially value his message of love and forgiveness.

In spite of this, I no longer belong to a Christian church. I couldn#,t worship in a church that perpetuates the belief that homosexuality is a sin committed by deviant individuals. Sadly, Proposition 8 is an attempt to legalize this discrimination against homosexuals. This discrimination is being justified under the separate-but-equal theory.

Supporters of Prop. 8 state that homosexuals are already protected under the California Domestic Partnership law. They believe marriage is a religious union and only heterosexuals are allowed to be married in the "eyes of God." This might be a plausible argument if all homosexuals were atheists. However, because all homosexuals are not atheists, they too have the right to be married in God#,s eyes.

Supporters of Prop. 8 also argue that if homosexuals are allowed to marry, it somehow diminishes the true marriage between a man and a woman. As a married woman of 21 years, I find this argument deplorable. Please don#,t protect my marriage by denying other individuals their civil rights. Vote no on Prop. 8.

Kim Fontes

Oceanside

Male chauvinist exposed as hypocrite

Pity the Republican male chauvinist who wants feminist women to betray their beliefs to support a female without qualifications for the second-highest office in the U.S.

Sarah Palin is the hypocrite who would hide behind women's skirts while removing women's rights. She has displayed her pettiness in the nature and number of scandals during her short administration. She is ignorant about the amount of oil produced in Alaska. She is incurious about science and unqualified to fix any economy.

Even Dr. Laura (no feminist there) is appalled that Palin would place her raw political ambitions ahead of the needs of her handicapped baby and pregnant teenage daughter. No focus on that family.

Barack Obama is a feminist who believes in reproductive rights and equality of salary. He is open-minded in his approaches to health care, education, youth service and solutions for the economy and the housing crisis. Most of Hillary Clinton's supporters are smart enough to know that their interests will be best served by the election of the intelligent, compassionate Obama and Biden.

Enid Layden

Oceanside

It's good to be an Independent

A growing number of voters are benefiting from having made their own "declaration of independence." They can now hold a mixture of political views without fear of criticism or stereotype. They won't be called "bleeding heart, tax-and-spend, liberal extremists" or "hate-mongering, religious zealot, right-wing hawks" just because their party affiliation is listed as either Democrat or Republican.

Instead of criticism, Independents are courted by both sides. They are often called "undeclared" or "swing voters," but no one rants about their flip-flopping or failure to embrace the American two-party system.

Independents don't have to endure angry political statements like, "These undeclared voters need to come forward and take a stand. You're either with us or against us. Americans don't sit on the fence." It's amazing how politically acceptable you are when others need your vote. One is tempted to accuse some otherwise angry, vitriolic Democrats and Republicans of being hypocrites.

Yes, being an Independent brings forth the image of getting pampered in the lodge at Yellowstone National Park while mud pits boil and geysers blow hot steam all around you.

Steven Traugh

Vista