Washington politicians have sold us out

Washington, D.C., has failed us all while we sit here and do nothing about it. They just crafted a $700 billion bailout without any investigation or hearings as to what was responsible for the crisis in the first place ("Historic Bank Bailout OK'd," Oct. 3). This screams that Washington politicians have their fingerprints all over this.

Banks don't loan money to people who can't or don't pay their bills and we should never expect them to do so. Washington threatens lenders with the label of being discriminatory if they don't write loans to every loser out there under the pretense of "affordable housing." Is anyone surprised that mortgage payments weren't made? The lenders respond by selling these loans before the ink is dry.

Bribes, gifts, purchased votes, millions of dollars in bonuses and presidential campaign jobs are awarded to all of the perpetrators. All Washington politicians must be voted out of office -- Democrats and Republicans. They could care less about America; their only concern is getting re-elected. This isn't politics as usual; this is putting our future in dire jeopardy.

DONALD MASON
Kilbuck

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They won't notice

I have a modest proposal for the next Wall Street crisis that necessitates a bailout. Simply tax the "golden parachute" packages that these CEOs, CFOs and CIOs (Chiefly Incompetent Oafs) receive after having run their companies into the ground, say, at about 75 percent, since they already have so much money that they won't notice the difference, unlike most of us poor taxpayers who are growing poorer by the day, if not by the hour.

That should produce another few hundred billion for the next bailout ... always assuming, of course, that there is something left to bail out next time.

DIANA BARBOUR
Bethel Park

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Dems' major role

In the editorial "Debate Lessons" (Sept. 29), you suggest that "neither the Illinois senator nor his party drove the policies that led to the nation's financial crisis ... ." Please honor the facts. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been controlled by Democrats since 1992. The Clinton administration mandated a huge quota that the agencies were required to meet for mortgages to low-income Americans.

Fannie Mae was fined $400 million for allegedly manipulating accounting rules to protect inflated executive bonuses from the resulting damage those loans did.

Repeated attempts to reform the agencies were defeated by the Democrats, some of whom have received a large amount in campaign donations from Fannie Mae employees.

They never expected the real estate crisis to expose the loans to reality. These are facts. Blame the Iraq war on George W. Bush, but take a hard look at the Democratic Party for the financial crisis.

CHARLES H. BECKER JR.
Mercer

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We need better

While expectations for Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin were ostensibly low at Thursday's debate, a mere survival doesn't inject the energy needed for the Republican ticket to rebound. No major gaffes doesn't mean a huge revival for John McCain because six in 10 voters still believe that she is unqualified to be president.

She may care about your family or push a hard line on nuclear (pronounced noo-klee-er) proliferation, but the reform mantra she has so pressed doesn't resonate with independent and undecided voters.

In a debate where she repeatedly changed the subject into her scripted talking points, the Americans unsure of which ticket is best to lead aren't swayed. Offering no plans for Iraq or our economy -- by far the two most important issues in this campaign -- won't win you any votes.

The conservatives may now feel more confident that she can poignantly speak, but the ability to solve America's problems is a different story. No matter how hard she tries, Gov. Palin will never be able to truly grasp the complex issues that plague the United States. In such an election where voting the bottom of the ticket is just as important as voting the top, skeptical Americans will continue to question her ability to lead this country.

Our national leaders must deal with issues that are far beyond the scope of average "Joe Six-Pack" -- not understanding that will only continue the demise of the America we love.

ADAM SHAFFER
Murrysville

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Bring it on, Obama

The recent presidential debate made it very clear why people in Sen. John McCain's organization endorse the notion that the campaign is not about issues, but about character. During the debate, Sen. McCain conveyed an air of the experienced elder statesman who had to be patient with a young, still-wet-behind-the-ears, freshman senator. In social Darwinian terms, Sen. McCain was the alpha male during the first debate, and Sen. Obama was not able to dislodge him from his prime spot on top of the hill.

In the upcoming debates, Sen. Obama should focus on how he relates to Sen. McCain. Many people feel that Sen. McCain is too old and too entrenched in the past and his party to be a real agent of change. He has demonstrated for years that he does not have a good temperament to be president, evidenced most recently by his choice of vice president.

Sen. Obama needs to connect with these feelings. After all, there always comes a point when a strong, wise young male or female succeeds in throwing the old leader off the hill. We've seen your head, Barack. Show us your heart and your guts, so you can lead us into the future.

KATHY NEISWANGER
Squirrel Hill

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Our model parks

It is a wonderful testimonial to our city parks system that more than 500 attendees converged on Pittsburgh for the International Urban Parks Conference ("City Parks Convention Draws 500 Visitors Here," Sept. 20). They were sure to be amazed and inspired by the incredibly diverse assets we locals too often take for granted.

My family currently uses our local park (Phillips Park) on a daily basis for exercise, fun and enjoying nature. Our 8-year-old daughter attends summer camp at Frick Park, participates in golf lessons at Schenley Park and has taken kayak lessons in Allegheny Commons (West Park on the North Side). In addition, our 3-year-old is taking swim lessons at Oliver Bath House during the off-season when our local pool is closed. Recently, we attended the Jr. Great Race, where our kids ran races, received medals and were greeted at Point State Park by colorful mascots and enthusiastic staff who encouraged and cheered all the kids as they participated in the day's events.

I have no doubt that the attendees left the conference with a better appreciation for the model urban park system we have in Pittsburgh -- a model that can and should be replicated throughout our nation. Kudos to our parks and parks staff!

JOEY-LINN ULRICH
Overbrook

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The U.S. military provides help via humanitarian assistance missions

Regarding "Haitian Suffering" (Sept. 20 letters): With disregard to the political overtones outlined by Carlana Rhoten, I can tell her who did respond to the plight of Haitians after Hurricane Mitch crushed the port city of Gonavies three years ago. I was among several thousand Army Reserve soldiers, along with U.S. Navy Seabees, who were deployed to the region to assist in the cleanup and provide health care for those hardest hit.

This was one of many humanitarian assistance missions in which I have served as a soldier, including operations in Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala. The situation in Gonavies was perhaps the worst, since the city is located on the flats of the ocean shore with little vertical rise to the steep mountains only a few miles distant. During tropical storms or hurricanes, the heavy rains create mudslides from above as tidal surges and floodwaters rush, quite unforgivingly, inland. The people are, of course, caught in the middle.

Ms. Rhoten is absolutely correct in her assessment of the dire circumstances in which many Haitians now find themselves. When I was there after Mitch, the waters had subsided but mud yet filled houses and businesses, creating festering pools for bacteria and disease. This was also a time when roving gangs controlled regions and areas of the cities.

My heart was truly with the poor people of Haiti; when I returned here, I had wide-open eyes about food and shelter and empathy for those suffering without basic support systems like running water or sewage disposal.

There were always those who viewed our uniforms as a mounting U.S. military presence -- yes, we were from the U.S. government, and we were there ... to help.

America's military is an extraordinarily diverse and capable force, not just when it's at war, but also when it can offer such aid in natural disasters.

JACK GORDON
Sewickley

The writer is a master sergeant, U.S. Army Reserve, and Iraq veteran, 2004.

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