Letters

Posted on Thu, May. 08, 2008

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MOST-READ STORIES

Unlike the House bill that passed last year, the Senate version = justifiably=20 refrains from folding wind insurance coverage into the National Flood = Insurance=20 Program.

Adding wind to the NFIP - which Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is = expected to do=20 this week on the Senate floor -deceptively lulls property owners into a = false=20 sense of security while promoting building and rebuilding in coastal = areas=20 routinely slammed by tropical storms and hurricanes.

Given the effect of climate change, larger and more destructive = storms will=20 remain routine, so it's irresponsible for the federal government to = subsidize=20 coastal mansions and vacation homes, especially at the expense of = taxpayers. To=20 constantly build and rebuild on fragile oceanfront ecosystems rich with = wildlife=20 and native species is simply careless.

And who will fund these proposed programs? The American taxpayer.

If Congress adds wind insurance to the NFIP, the government will = encourage=20 irresponsible development that guarantees ever-escalating losses and = leaves all=20 taxpayers stuck paying the tab.

Between the environmental loss posed by beachfront construction, the=20 potential burden placed on the American taxpayer and the misleading = insurance=20 incentives dangled in front of those who develop in hurricane-prone = areas, this=20 legislation is truly a lose-lose gambit.

DAVID JENKINS
Republicans for Environmental

Protection, Alexandria, Va.

Dumping a military genius for a 'yes = man' is bad=20 strategy

History is repeating itself.

During the Korean War, Truman fired Gen. MacArthur, our greatest = military=20 genius. We lost the war.

A few weeks ago, Dubya fired Adm. Fallon, our greatest current = military=20 genius, because he would not attack Iran. Now Dubya has replaced Fallon = with=20 Gen. Petraeus, Fallon's subordinate, a military "yes man" and darling of = the=20 media.

Despite media adulation, Petraeus has been an abject failure in Iraq. = To=20 quote columnist Charley Reese: "In Mosul... he appointed the wrong = people to=20 various positions. After he left they nearly all defected to the = insurgents... .=20 He failed in his attempt to train the Iraqi army... rifles and body = armor turned=20 up missing."

He has shown little progress in completing our mission (whatever that = may=20 be!) and our casualties continue to mount.

My prediction is that very soon Dubya will order Petraeus to attack = Iran,=20 utilizing Navy and Air Force assaults. Israel will join in. This will = result=20 in:

=95 Unexpected U.S. = casualties.

=95 A major decline on Wall = Street.

=95 A skyrocketing increase of = the precious=20 metals.

=95 Further economic = downturn.

S.R. EDSON JR.
Gautier

A rare chance to vote for Supreme Court = justices

This year, in essence, we vote for Supreme Court justices.

Because their terms are for life, we and our offspring for decades to = come=20 will live under their interpretation (and manipulation?) of our=20 Constitution.

Let's vote for our Supreme Court justices via the lesser of = the=20 precarious evils with which we are faced at the voting booth.

ARMOND 'SI' SIMMONS =
Pell City, Ala.

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