Column's nonsense

So columnist Charles Krauthammer ("Obama Should Start Preparing His Three Envelopes," Oct. 31) thinks that President Barack Obama needs to stop scapegoating George W. Bush?

President Obama's critical mistake was in not summoning the killer-instinct to investigate, expose and prosecute the Bush/Cheney wrongdoings immediately upon taking office.

As a result, unchallenged conservatives like Krauthammer roll blithely on, peddling their heartless, simplistic, discredited nonsense as if the last decade had never happened.

George W. Bush was in office for nine months before the World Trade Center attacks. Blinded with grief, the nation absolved him of any blame for letting it happen. Though evidence abounds that he ignored credible and explicit warnings from his national security advisers, Mr. Bush got a pass.

President Obama, by comparison, has been in office just two months longer than George W. Bush was on 9/11. Far from giving him the benefit of a doubt, right-wing conservatives malign his slightest action hysterically, as if he were some uppity liberal Antichrist signaling the End of Days.

Actually, they might believe that. Literally.

It's unlikely that Mr. Bush and the vile, delusional Dick Cheney will ever face justice for their bloodthirst and incompetence. They bank, probably correctly, on the truth of their legacy being filed and forgotten in the books and newspapers that too many Americans are too lazy to read.

Which is why, less than a year into Mr. Obama's term, Charles Krauthammer, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and our local blowhards can continue to spin Barack Obama as the problem and not the solution.

RICH ASHBAUGH
Bloomfield

Small-town hype

Since moving to Pittsburgh I've listened to a tremendous amount of self-proclaimed rhetoric about Pittsburgh being a world-class city. I woke up early Sunday morning to catch a local television news broadcast. I was hoping to see highlights of the World Series game from the previous evening after reviewing the more important affairs of the weekend.

After three sports segments on two different channels, there was no mention of the "big game," not even a final score. Instead I was gorged on Steelers information, yet their next "big game" was still a week away. Steelers news typically dominates the very first 10 to 15 minutes of any local 30-minute television newscast after a "big game."

Where does local sports weigh more heavily than international, national or even significant local news? Answer: small-town Pittsburgh.

DAVID YELLE
Monroeville

Weak supports

If you build it, they will come. As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the House continue to create and refine the public option for health insurance, the American people are increasing their support, as demonstrated in "Poll: Americans Now Favor Public Option" (Oct. 20). But at what price is this support coming?

Ms. Pelosi and the House may be celebrating their growth in public favor; however, Democratic confidence in President Barack Obama's ability to lead the health-care reform is slipping.

In the midst of their celebration, the House must remember that the public option is only one brick in the health-care reform building. Is it worth having the masses come if the strength of the building is fragmented by lack of support among the constructionists?

ALYSON D. CYPROWSKI
Monroeville

The writer is a student in the health law program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Fish-kill coverage

I would like to recognize PG staff writer Don Hopey's work on the Dunkard Creek fish kill story as well as the updates on total dissolved solids levels in the Mon. Keep up the good work.

Now if we could only get the state Department of Environmental Protection to do something about it.

MARK LAWRENCE
Baldwin Borough

A spoiled stroll

On Sunday, we decided to take advantage of the beautiful fall day by taking a walk along one of Frick Park's nature trails with our grandchildren Mya and Jack.

Little did we know that, unlike Schenley Park's trail users, the dog walkers in Frick Park, with a few exceptions, completely ignore the clearly posted signs stating: "Dogs must be on a leash."

When we admonished the "rule breakers" they became indignant. One woman even called us, in the presence of our young ones, an obscenity.

We guess we'll have to do our Sunday strolls in Schenley Park.

SUSIE and JIMMY GOLDMAN

Squirrel Hill

Cutting these schools would be a bad move

It infuriates me that Superintendent Mark Roosevelt and his executioners might place another 15 Pittsburgh Public Schools on the chopping block (Nov. 3 story).

With the price of gasoline, the economy and the safety of our children at stake this is another one of his bold moves in a city about which he knows nothing. What is to become of these displaced children? Sending them into neighborhoods where not rivals but enemies will be greeting them on that angry first day of school.

I suggest that Mr. Roosevelt take a long, hard look at the budget and the pay raise that was just approved by the school board before he takes the ax to even more schools. Maybe a cut in pay would help our troubled school system.

This is another sad day for the Pittsburgh Public Schools and their displaced students.

JANET PAZZYNSKI
Observatory Hill

Council should act on this idea for library aid

I welcome all the support and information from activist volunteers and others who have contributed extensively to the Carnegie Libraries. My family always benefited tremendously from the libraries. I found both the Mount Washington and South Side branches relaxing places to work.

The news about Doug Shields' proposal to send some much-needed money to the libraries ("City May Bail Out Libraries With Fuel Fund Glut," Oct. 30) is the first time I've seen any recognition from the city that there's a problem and that the city government could do something about it.

I lived for several years in Mr. Shields' district and was impressed by his community involvement and his good reputation in the community. Nonetheless, the problems of the libraries are not dissimilar to the problems of the schools. It is appalling that we have so few young families choosing the city to live in or school their children. We found both to be acceptable and welcome for our child, now attending the University of Pittsburgh.

For there to be extended debate about this proposal to send excess budgeted money, not needed now, to the libraries, even for a year to come up with a good solution, without a concrete alternative, would be intolerable.

FRANK CORRENTI
Mount Washington

Humility lacking

Rob Rogers' "Brewed on Grant" (Oct. 28) rightly references the negative impact that blogs, tweeting and, might I add, the Internet are having on public libraries and newspapers, two institutions that virtually everyone would agree are essential to learning and quality of life.

Newspaper publishers and editors, though, need also to look at their editorial pages when analyzing their problems. Simply stated, newspaper editorialists, be they on the right or the left, have too often become condescending toward large numbers of their readers and potential readers.

Liberal pages, for example, often depict Republicans and conservatives as heartless and devoid of ideas and leadership. Even Democrats are not safe as evidenced by the Post-Gazette, which chastised Clinton supporters for not thinking their votes through following her decisive victory over Barack Obama in the 2008 Pennsylvania primary ("O Bummer: Clinton's Pennsylvania Win Promises Only Trouble," April 24, 2008).

Conservative editorial writers are equally troubling. Repeated reference to Democrats as "dimmycrats" is offensive to the large number of people who support that party. I know thousands of Democrats. I disagree with them on many issues, but virtually none of them are even remotely dim, but moderate or even conservative on at least some issues.

No one would advocate for newspapers to take only middle-of-the-road or nuanced positions. To the contrary, strong opinions foster healthy debate and discussion.

A bit of humility, though, and an understanding that those who hold opposing views might put more people on subscription lists and more quarters in the honor boxes.

VAUGHN GILBERT
Elizabeth Township

Using what exists

Jennifer Schnakenberg is right to be concerned about the size of 1117 S. Negley Ave in her Oct. 30 letter ("How Can Such a Large Home Be Truly Green?"). A solution to this problem went unmentioned in the article on Oct. 24 ("Extreme Green Makeover"), division of the house into zones, allowing us to seal off lesser-used areas, thereby lowering energy costs.

LEED for Homes agrees with her so that the threshold for certification increases with the size of the house. For our home to simply qualify for certification requires points that would earn Gold LEED certification for the average-size house. This is why almost every green feature available in 2009 is found here except solar and geothermal possibilities.

We share her yearning for a realistic vision of sustainable living, but surely that must include the wonderful large homes already existing in our city. The message is not about kings; it's about caring.

JANET ANTI
Squirrel Hill

The greed goes on

I have never been against people, businesses, corporations, etc., making an honest profit. I was in the working world for 25 years and expected to be paid a decent wage for my endeavors. However, there are those who are never satisfied with "enough." My Medicare supplemental insurance provider is a perfect example.

Each year, my premiums have gone up and the increase was usually accompanied by a decrease in services (often subtle and buried in medical legalese). But my recent notification for the 2010 increase was a shocker. Silly me, I thought the 2009 increase of $10 a month was unconscionable, but for 2010, the increase will be almost four times that amount. My co-pays will increase as well.

When does this stop? When is enough enough? Something has to be done to regulate these greedy providers, already enjoying scandalous profits, from robbing a captive population.

Like many, I am on a fixed income and will have to rob Peter to pay Paul, but I shudder to think what the years will bring if there are no other options or regulatory controls to curb this heinous practice. If you think the emergency rooms are overcrowded now and taxpayers are overburdened, wait until all the people like me can no longer afford to carry health insurance.

M.C. LUNN
Plum