Is Ritter the man for Colorado?
Re: “Former DA follows own path,” July 30 news story.
Thank you for the superb profiles of Colorado’s two candidates for governor, Bob Beauprez and Bill Ritter. It was refreshing to see that one of the candidates, Bill Ritter, quietly remains true to his Catholic faith while understanding the complexities of governing a diverse, pluralistic state, including the agonizing decisions women have to make concerning their reproductive rights. He recognizes that real-life policymaking is not nearly as clear-cut as much of the Catholic hierarchy imagines it to be from the insulated comfort of their lives. Especially refreshing about Ritter is his principled refusal to indulge his party’s “base” for quick political gain. Rather, by standing his ground, the party is being united behind his principled persona and optimism, both grounded in reality.
Beauprez, on the other hand, seems to hold his faith out on his sleeve to appease his party’s right wing even though, as in so many areas, he flip-flops here too by strongly rejecting his church’s anti-death-penalty stance. He says he’s covered on the issue after Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput told him “society has a right to establish and enforce laws.” His flip-flopping on issue after issue seems to reveal his true inner compass – seldom true and always spinning.
I believe Colorado’s Democrats, reasonable Republicans and, perhaps most importantly, huge numbers of unaffiliated voters will solidly back Bill Ritter for governor in November.
Matt Bergles, Denver
. . .
Colorado deserves a governor who is committed to leading the state with purpose, thoughtfulness, honor, integrity and a desire for better lives for citizens of the state. The article about Bill Ritter was confusing, superficial and a disservice to the voters. The character of the man, his leadership, his plans on the issues of water, transportation, education, health care, immigration, growth and development, to name a few, are what is important for us to know about choosing a governor. Do I want this person to be the leader, speaker and representative for my state? Will I feel I have an opportunity to voice my opinion, receive help from the office if I face a problem, or will I be put aside for the benefit of the politics of the party? These are the reasonable questions and concerns that should have been covered in last Sunday’s article. Learning about Ritter’s family is secondary to the need to know about his stand on issues, his ability to lead, bring people together and his desire to know what is better for the state.
Lois Michaud, Pueblo West
I don’t get it. If voting is a civic duty, why are convicted felons excused from it? And if voting is a privilege of productive citizenship, why are so many hard-working, taxpaying teenagers denied it?
David Hakala, Denver
. . .
There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch! The only way the Bush administration can afford to drop the so-called “death tax” on the very wealthy is to raise “life taxes” on the rest of us. Off their backs, onto ours. Do the math.
Pete Klammer, Wheat Ridge
. . .
If 3,700 U.S. troops, who were scheduled to come home, instead have to be sent to quell Sunni-Shiite fighting in Baghdad, how can the Bush administration deny there is civil war in Iraq? And that we are targets of both sides?
Gary M. Wederspahn, Littleton
. . .
We are now watching the democratically elected Hamas and Hezbollah governments battling Israel’s democratic government. Didn’t President Bush promise that democracy would solve the Mideast’s problems and end its violence?
Bill Jevons, Franktown
CSAP’s 10th birthday
Re: “Verdict still out on value of CSAP,” July 30 news story.
The Colorado Student Assessment Program is the wrong way to assess our students. I have watched my kids being taught how to take tests every year for anywhere from four to eight weeks a year since fourth grade.
Instead of teaching our children to think and to solve problems creatively, we are teaching them to take tests – complete with hints on how to guess answers and other dubious test-taking techniques. Perhaps this is why students from other countries are absolutely crushing our kids academically in college (and will do the same in the real world if we do not get our act together).
Let’s get back to basics: Reward schools based on real performance versus testing how well students can take a test. Failing this, you will find many of us abandoning the public education system for private schools and the hope for a more grounded education system.
Scott Simmons, Morrison
. . .
Thank you to The Post for putting the CSAP scores in the context that concerns many, many parents and most teachers who have seen the actual results in the classroom.
This perspective has been missing from our public conversation about how to improve our schools. Unfortunately, CSAP hasn’t really told us anything we didn’t already know. Imagine if we had spent $15 million a year addressing the real issues of the 30 percent who don’t learn by the traditional methods already proven to fail them.
Rebecka Snell Labson, Lakewood
Teacher standards
Re: “First, meet standards for teachers,” July 30 Linda Chavez column.
Linda Chavez laments that too many teachers have the lowest SAT scores and do poorly on other measures of verbal and mathematical ability.
We can blame supply and demand. A student who wants to be a teacher – who has high SAT scores and good grades in demanding classes – is faced with a choice between a low-paying teaching position and a significantly higher-paying job in the private sector. When would-be competent teachers are not willing to sacrifice the enjoyment and prestige of a higher standard of living in order to teach, supply fails to meet the demand. A majority of voters are not willing to pay the taxes needed to give teachers a competitive standard of living. After a district has hired as many competent teachers as it can find at a price it can afford, it is forced to fill the rest of its positions with incompetents. If incompetents are not allowed to teach, as Chavez advocates, districts can always increase class sizes. This will decrease the positive effects of the competent.
Jim Cain, Centennial
Global warming
Re: “Cooling the mall, heating the planet,” July 30 Perspective article.
It’s a nice thought that by getting the masses involved in conservation activities such as “turning the thermostat off, throwing open the windows, and heading for the park,” we can actually mitigate global warming. First, however, we need to convince almost all of American conservatives that we indeed cause global warming. Secondly, our planet is quickly becoming beyond repair by just conventional methods – such as not using our air conditioning – to have the needed effect. Third, we Americans are too addicted to our creature comforts to be bothered with conservation of energy.
At this point, we need to fight our way out with technology. The only current answer that is viable in the long run is to use wind and solar energy and convert it to the energy carrier hydrogen. Hydrogen is an energy carrier that is abundant, portable, non-intermittent, and, when run through a fuel cell, its only byproduct is water. A conversion at wartime speed to a solar/hydrogen economy will not only create economic wealth for the average American far exceeding the computer revolution, but will also completely alleviate tension in the Middle East surrounding oil conquests. And it will keep the planet fit for humanity.
Doug Curtis, Aurora
Featured Colo. towns
Re: “Colo. cities as good as it gets,” July 30 editorial.
While you’re passing out well-deserved kudos to Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Durango and Boulder, please add to your list the little cities that have been racking up national recognition as well.
Outside magazine’s annual Best Dream Towns issue featured Salida in 2004 and Buena Vista in 2005. This year, Salida was named one of 50 Best Places to Live by Men’s Journal and Best Outdoor Thrill Town by Life magazine. Fine Living Network continues to air a show that includes Salida among the 10 Best Places to Live.
Lee Hart, Salida
Getting rid of ants
Re: “The ants vs. the professor,” July 30 guest commentary.
To Dr. Michael Breed, who wrote about his struggle with ants in his kitchen:
Kitchen and sugar ants love sweet scented talcum powder (the sweeter the better). Sprinkle the powder in the path of the ants, by the entry point, at window sills, on the floor at entryways, and/or near the food. The ants will carry the talcum powder back to the nest and feed it to the larvae as well as eating it themselves. The talc dehydrates the creatures and they die. End of problem.
This is an old pre-pesticide method for getting rid of ants that works. My great-grandmother told me about it years ago. She ran a restaurant in St. Louis.
Diana Bickford, Westminster
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