Families of parolees deserve coverage

Regarding the "Revolving door" articles: I don't understand why so much space is being used to inform us about parolees in North county. I haven't seen one word about the families of these people.

While (parolees) are fed, sheltered, safe and free from all the pressures, (their) wives and children suffer because of them. I am a personal friend of one of these victims and it has been horrible. Wife and mother of children were left with nothing from these people for support.

The families are the ones who deserve to vent the strain they suffer while spouses are getting free room and board. I would like to hear about their emotional devastation they must live with.

Give us a break! Use your time and expenses to praise some of the hard-working, inspiring families. Don't waste paper.

Susan McCarthy

Oceanside

NCT editorial blesses economic failure

The conservative North County Times editors have outdone themselves. Faced with the most serious economic crisis since the Great Depression, they have opted to bless the failed economic policies of Bush and the GOP.

Instead of offering readers a balanced editorial about the crisis, they simply reprinted an article by Bush fan and conservative National Review editor Rich Lowry ("Obama's third Clinton term," Nov. 26).

Lowry is both a Bush supporter and an advocate of discredited right-wing economic theories. Lowry ignores the fact that our enormous national debt was mostly generated during Republican control of the White House and Congress.

The socialist-style bailouts of big banks and corporations have been supported by both President Bush and GOP politicians. Conservatives learn nothing from the past.

Economist John Maynard Keynes held that during a recession, governments must proactively spend money to promote economic growth. During this recession, both the state and federal governments should spend more money on public works and infrastructure projects to stimulate business growth and job creation.

Further, they should put a moratorium on the mortgage foreclosures that are driving the economy into the abyss. The market is not self-regulating, and solutions to our problems will not come from outdated conservative economic ideology.

Jeff Moore

Escondido

NCT can afford more balance

Are we to be subjected weekly to the sniping third-rate editorialists Rich Lowry ("Obama's third Clinton term," Nov. 26) and Dick Morris ("What hath Obama wrought?" Nov. 26), that toe-sucking muckraker?

Surely the North County Times can afford more balance (and class) from the A-list such as George Will, Paul Krugman, Arianna Huffington, etc.

This area is divided equally between Democrats and Republicans. If your paper is to thrive, why not quit the snipers and truly give us our money's worth?

Enid Layden

Oceanside

Feller's support of toll road is unsurprising

Big surprise. Jack Feller supports a toll road through state parks http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/11/25/opinion/letters/z6b4fa2c04cc89d858825750b007b86f9.txt">(Letters, Nov. 25). His re-election was paid for by outside special interests, including the thugs at the airport PAC offices who sent last-minute, dirty hit pieces on Oceanside residents, Lowery and Sanchez.

(I) doubt Feller's ever been to the state park at San Onofre and doesn't care. Like other seedy politicians, Jack gets money to be re-elected by the toll road agency, not to mention under the table contributions. And this character is in office with a 22 percent vote tally at the polls.

Bush's Interior Department is getting ready to subvert protection of our forests before he disappears in shame. Jack's hoping some rascal in the Commerce Department does the same over the will of California residents.

Joseph Worth

Oceanside

Electoral college system

I read with annoyance the Union-Tribune editorial recommending that California allocate its electoral college vote by congressional district. Then when I read similar pitches from others, I decided it is my turn for a comment.

There would be nothing wrong with such a system if all states adopted that practice. In fact, if Texas did it first, I might support it for California. But to suggest that California should split its electoral votes unilaterally is sheer folly.

A very practical approach to changing the presidential electoral process was actually passed by the legislature, but unfortunately vetoed by the governor. That plan would allocate all electoral college votes to that candidate who nationally won the popular vote, but would only take effect once enough states have passed a similar law that would ensure the candidate with the most popular votes would receive the majority of electoral votes.

Several states already have said law in place. I anticipate that California will follow suit, quite possibly with our next elected governor.

Jim Dooley

Fallbrook

The free market system

President Bush recently gave a speech defending the free market system. My view is that he is correct in theory, but in practice it fails in many ways because of the human vices of greed, stubbornness, selfishness, partisanship, etc.

Take Medicare as an example. In a free market, a product is sold via an agreement between seller and buyer who negotiate and come to terms on a price.

My take on what the original Medicare concept or idea was supposed to be was for the buyer (patient) to have Medicare assist him in negotiating a price with the seller (doctor, hospital or medical supply house, including prosthesis) and letting the patient (or his representative) handle whatever paperwork Medicare required to pay the patient back.

But lobbyists and the Bush administration's partisan politics has taken this one step further from the free market concept by insetting "Contractor Providers" in the mix. His administration exacerbates the problem even further by not allowing Medicare to negotiate with the provider or letting the patient handle whatever paperwork Medicare requires to pay the patient back for services rendered by the original seller, institution or doctor.

Paul Wollam

San Luis Rey

Malkin's columns irresponsible

I haven't appreciated Michelle Malkin's columns in the past, but " 'Insane rage' of the same-sex marriage mob," Nov. 20, takes the cake.

Thousands of protesters marched through America's streets after the election. Malkin lists only a few incidents of violence and anger resulting from the Proposition 8 decision. This is not representative of the attitude of the gay community.

I participated in three protests around San Diego, and in each case, organizers admonished us that they wanted to gain their rights in peace.

Rules of protest were passed around, and activist Jennifer Schumaker made a statement about not blaming any church, or being angry at voters. She proposed that gays and their supporters stand strong in their struggle for equal rights. She didn't like the use of the word "fight." She wanted her rights to come amidst humanity and harmony.

I think this was very generous considering the witch-hunt launched against gays by "people of God."

Gays are called "freaks" and "weirdos" and yet denied access to the mainstream.

Gays aren't telling heterosexuals not to marry, they just want the same things for themselves.

You can bet that if Michelle Malkin was deprived of her rights because of her race, gender or sexual orientation, she'd have one big hissy fit.

Her column was inaccurate and ignorant. It's very sad that anyone would print it.

Melinda Santa Cruz

Escondido

America once beautiful

Four hundred years ago, an oppressed people left England for the new world, America. After being oppressed again by the English, they fought a revolution and formed a government "for the people, by the people" to form a more perfect union to guarantee freedom for all the people.

They established laws based on God's law, his 10 commands about life with him and life with their fellow man. Those seven rules to live by with our fellow men have been trashed and anarchy is replacing those rules.

We Americans now embrace "lies for truth," cheating for "my right to learn my way," murder for "it's my body," stealing for "I deserve nice things," adultery for "it doesn't hurt anybody" and coveting for "that's what I do to feel good."

Laws were established and followed by those people who believed in God's law and were willing to follow it. Those people who disobey will ultimately disobey man's law also.

America, be careful when you sweep your house that something worse will replace what you have thrown out. America, stand up and make this land beautiful once again.

Larry Ciuffo

Escondido

Redistribution of wealth

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." â€"â€" Thomas Jefferson.

Bob Ference

Carlsbad

Protests and gay marriage

G. Ross Johnson http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/11/27/opinion/letters/z8b1d28e94960906f8825750d007bd0ff.txt">(Letters, Nov. 27) accuses opponents of Proposition 8 of "showing their own hate and deep intolerance for people who believe real marriage exists only between a man and a woman." I'm not sure what Mr. Johnson is talking about.

I opposed Prop. 8 because I thought it was wrong; it's not as though I personally dislike Prop. 8 supporters. I think Prop. 8 supporters are wrong and misguided, but it's absurd to say Prop. 8 opponents are motivated by hate of their opponents.

It is guilt by association to accuse all Prop. 8 opponents of condoning violence, as Mr. Johnson does in his letter. The vast majority of protesters have been peaceful. Exercising our First Amendment rights does not make one an enemy of democracy.

I also don't understand Mr. Johnson's assertion that this is not a civil rights issue because gays already have civil unions. Would it be OK if interracial couples could not marry, but were allowed civil unions? I don't think we would tolerate that â€"â€" at least I hope not.

Jack Davis

Carlsbad

Reject the proposed toll road

It's funny, some council members and politicians think everyday people always believe them, no matter what.

Oceanside Councilman Jack Feller's http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/11/25/opinion/letters/z6b4fa2c04cc89d858825750b007b86f9.txt">Nov. 25 rebuttal supporting the 241 [toll road] states: "Everyone knows the I-5 is inadequate." Please inform us, Oceanside Councilmember Jack Feller, inadequate for whom?

Driving on the I-5 at rush hour/on holidays isn't easy, especially towards San Diego. Proclaiming "the I-5 is inadequate" skips the underlying foundation; that California public transportation, in general, fails â€"â€" a fact that penny-stretching folks seem all too aware (of).

I'd be shocked if Feller or Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger were to mention how much the toll road costs taxpayers or how many years until the twice-rejected 241 is "ready."

Respecting 1,000-year old Indian burial grounds near the beach might be more appropriate right now than paying new tolls and installing four lanes of private overpass.

Hopefully, speaking in generalities hasn't put Oceanside Councilman Jack Feller where he is.

I suggest building roads routed to avoid parks while further developing mass transit. Don't ravage the last remaining clean and quiet state park/campground in Southern California.

Don't approve the planned [241], Department of Commerce. Please uphold the Coastal Commission's highly respected decision â€"â€" build it somewhere else.

Leo Welnick

Carlsbad

Equal rights aren't good enough

Gay people are grasping at any straw possible. They condemn marriage, saying more than 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. But they want to be married.

They liken themselves to the African-American movement for equal rights. African-Americans wanted equal rights, not to be called white. The African-American community did not support them in this election because they did not agree with their position and they attack them.

They have equal rights, and that's not good enough. They want more. They already enjoy protections straight people do not. One of their followers beat up his neighbor over election signs and it's a dispute. A straight man assaults a gay man and its elevated to a hate crime with greater consequences.

They say equal rights is being able to take away from others. In other words, they don't want equal rights; they want to continue to elevate their rights above ours.

They calls us bigots (a person who holds blindly and intolerantly to a particular creed, opinion). Wrong, they are the bigots, not us.

Marriage is but a building block, not the ultimate goal of gays. Once enough states fall to same-sex marriage, the ultimate battle will begin: Eliminate organized religion in the U.S.A.

Robert DeRieux

Fallbrook

Defense of pay raise is disgusting

Because the Escondido City Council has decided to decrease salaries of all City Hall employees, it seems only fair that the council not only eliminate its pay raise but also take a matching 5 percent cut http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/11/26/news/inland/escondido/zc333e65f0ea9d3678825750c00662744.txt">("Budget crisis prompts City Council to reconsider its pay raises," Nov. 27).

The self-serving defense of their pay raise (Pfeiler, Daniels and Abed) is disgusting. How noble of the trio to consider the incomes of future council members.

Political ambition exists on ego, not on pay scales.

Robert Graber

Escondido

'Genetic entropy' key to extinction

It's a no-brainer to most people that everything around us is rotting and growing old. The basic law of thermodynamics so states this and calls it "entropy"; all things seek a lower level of energy â€"â€" all things.

With the newest information that most so-called "junk" DNA has usefulness, this means that there is a larger proportion of genetic material upon which mutations may work; also a no-brainer. It is also a no-brainer that mutations are responsible for most diseases and result in a decrease of genetic information (i.e. the breeding of dogs that selects for desired qualities at the expense of other qualities).

"Mutation" has always been a "dirty word" among those of us working in the medical/scientific world. With the knowledge that the rate of bad mutations to even potentially good ones is 1 million to one, the accumulation of degrading "mutational load" is increased tremendously.

Most geneticists know that such loads lead to a downward spiral of fitness, not an increase as one might surmise.

It is a no-brainer that this "genetic entropy" leads to extinction, not more complexity.

Irvin Forbing

Escondido

Spend more this Christmas to help the economy

Why does government have to be the cure-all for everything from the cradle to the grave? Where's the resolve of the American people?

All my life, I've seen bad times turn to good times. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac never should have happened and now the fox (Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and Chuck Schumer) is in charge of the hen house.

If Republicans had done what they did, they would have been booted out â€"â€" and well they should have been. What's good for the goose is not good for the gander, according to the Democrats. Not a word about the Clinton recession.

We all want President-elect Obama to succeed for the good of the country.

For those of you who can, I'd like to offer a suggestion: Help the economy.

I'm not rich, but I spent $100 more this Christmas. Even if you spent $5, $10, $20 more, it would help. We can turn the economy around on our own.

So can Obama. Does he have to have a lavish coronation? Where's the hurt when people can pay outrageous prices in Washington? Millions going?

Something's out of whack.

Jean Carroll

Carlsbad

What about airport pilots' advertisements?

Answer to Randall Mitchell's Community Forum http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/11/07/opinion/commentary/zd11b801b582cb452882574f900582e2b.txt">("City unions shouldn't meddle in politics," Nov. 7): So you didn't like the firefighters or police unions supporting three candidates?

Do you feel the same about the airport [pilots] running ads on TV (CNN/CNBC) against a candidate that was all lies? The airport owes Oceanside so much money, but can afford this?

Most of these pilots don't even live here. You see what the results were. We are smarter than you might think. I know you are an old-timer in Oceanside, but so am I, almost 60 years.

Marilyn Prado

Oceanside