Medicare bill: Grand giveaway?
12:47 AM PST on Thursday, December 11, 2003
Don't trust Feinstein
I'm commenting on Sen. Dianne Feinstein's "Why I voted for the Medicare bill" commentary (Dec. 9). She is selling us all down the drain by saying that this bill was the only chance we had to get prescription drug coverage. No bill would have been better than this. It is yet one more grand, expensive giveaway to the rich pharmaceutical companies.
Unfortunately, I learned early not to trust Feinstein. When living in San Francisco in the '70s, I watched her continually sell out groups that supported her when she thought it would get her elected. (She was then running for mayor.) I was hopeful that she had lost her turncoat ways, but alas not.
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I hope she doesn't run for re-election. Anyone for a recall, this time for a real reason?
KRIS MAZURE, Cathedral City
Neo-communist conspiracy
In reading Dianne Feinstein's self-serving Dec. 9 "Why I voted for the Medicare bill" commentary promoting of Congress's latest multibillion dollar entitlement program, it is evident that she and her neo-communist allies in the Republican and Democratic parties are continuing their nasty habit of ignoring the Constitution.
Prescription drugs for seniors is not one of the rights covered in our Constitution, let alone medical care or the myriad of other entitlement programs Congress has illegally created.
This is just another example of the Republicans and Democrats buying votes and power with the hard-earned wages of the working class.
LARRY JONES, Grand Terrace
Eaves should leave now
San Bernardino County Supervisor Jerry Eaves (who recently pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy) should step down right now, not when he chooses to.
Why wait till Jan. 21? In fact, why give him the benefit of resigning when the law says very clearly that if he is guilty, he cannot serve in public office?
The day he admitted guilt was the day he should have been removed, not by resignation, but fired from office.
JON FLEISCHER, Redlands
Make all gambling legal
I would support a state constitutional amendment on gaming were it not a self-serving plot by a few card-club owners ("Gambling for votes," Dec. 10).
This is not about raising revenue. It is about lining the pockets of a few greedy people willing to feed off the public trough.
Instead, they should redraft that amendment and legalize gambling altogether by auctioning off a limited number of gaming licenses to private businesses. We can start with 10 licenses with 2,000 machines each.
There would be restrictions and regulations, such as proximity to schools and churches, environmental and labor laws, etc. Every five years or so, the licenses would come up for renewal. If a license holder had too many complaints or hadn't kept up with requirements, then that license would be pulled and auctioned off.
Let's be fair and not just make an asinine law that only benefits a few. We all win and our laws are adhered to. Let's face it - it's not about gambling. Gambling has been legal since the lottery began in the '80s.
JAY SANDOVAL, Hemet
Give BCS computers a break
The writer of the Dec. 9 "Garbage in, BCS rankings out" letter to the Open Forum asks: How can USC be No. 1 in the coaches' and sportswriters' polls, and not play in the Sugar Bowl?
All who ask that question, please consider this: The coaches' and sportswriters' polls are doomed to be inaccurate for the simple reason that they are human.
A sportswriter is biased because his job is to predict the outcomes of the games. As such, he wants his predictions to come true. A coach is biased due to his like and dislike of other coaches.
A computer doesn't have these human weaknesses. To be fair, lots of folks worked very hard to program the BCS computers. I don't say they are perfect - but what is?
TYSON STEPHENS, Banning
Rose still the ultimate bowl
USC is unhappy that it didn't get into the Sugar Bowl. I have always thought of the Rose Bowl as the ultimate bowl game.
I remember one time everyone was unhappy when one of the area universities didn't get to play in the Rose Bowl. No other state has our Rose Parade. I am glad the Trojans will play here New Year's Day.
J.H. KETCHENS, Riverside
Aztecs and accuracy
I agree with the protesters that the San Diego State University mascot (the Aztec Warrior) is not historically accurate.
It doesn't portray the slaveholding, cannibalism, human sacrifices and superstition that led the Aztecs to surrender their empire to a handful of Spanish soldiers.
SILAS MARIANO, Canyon Lake
