FasTracks and the rising cost of materials
Re: “Soaring costs drive RTD to put plans on fast track,” Aug. 9 news story.
Regarding the upward trend of global construction material prices, RTD general manager Cal Marsella said, “Nobody could have seen this coming.”
Actually, many people saw this coming and voiced their concerns during the FasTracks campaign in 2004. The voters approved the $4.7 billion budget while the price of steel nearly doubled in 2004. Many of us at the FasTracks public hearings urged RTD to revise its cost estimates to account for the construction materials price increase.
Soon, the original $4.7 billion budget will be exhausted. RTD will be forced to reduce the scope of the project or ask the taxpayers for another tax increase. The Gold Line Rail or the U.S. 36 Corridor Bus Rapid Transit could face dramatic reductions because the allocated funding for the projects, with earlier completion goals, will most likely be over budget, resulting in reductions in the project scope of the later-completing projects.
Bret Egan, Arvada
Airplane terror plot foiled by British intelligence
I heartily commend the British for their extraordinary efforts in foiling the terrorist plot to destroy U.S.-bound airliners. Since September 2001, liberals have attempted to discredit the Bush administration for its efforts to fight the war on terror. Liberal Democrats whine about NSA eavesdropping of terrorist plots in favor of civil rights. The state of Connecticut is rejoicing at the recent defeat of Sen. Joe Lieberman, who supports the war in Iraq. Anti-war protesters are demanding terrorists’ rights in Lebanon.
The London plot is a wake-up call to all of us. As we have witnessed, this diabolical and sinister enemy will stop at nothing to achieve its purpose. Yet, in spite of it all, there are those who just don’t get it.
Brian Stuckey, Denver
…
Letter-writer Richard Becker attempts to use the foiling of an alleged terrorist plot in Britain as justification for spying on ordinary U.S. citizens here (Aug. 12 Open Forum). This conclusion is based on two false premises. This activity occurred in Britain, not in the U.S. I don’t know what constitutional protections Brits have, nor do I care, because I am not British. And it has not been reported what methods were used to uncover this alleged plot. Furthermore, the people involved in this alleged plot hardly seem like “ordinary citizens” to me, if indeed they were citizens at all.
Meanwhile, it should be clear that the terrorists are not from (or even in) Iraq, although we continue to punish Iraqis by waging our “war on terror” in their country.
Joe Felice, Aurora
Legal rights for same-sex partners in Colo.
Re: “Gay and lesbian issues to dominate the ballot again,” Aug. 9 Al Knight column.
In the latest of his series of columns opposing basic legal rights for committed same-sex couples, Al Knight seems to believe that the best way to beat Referendum I is to call the measure something it simply isn’t.
Knight, who has written three columns on this issue but has yet to contact our campaign to learn the facts about it, wants readers to believe that Referendum I is indistinguishable from gay marriage. That’s just factually wrong.
In fact, even the most prominent supporters of a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage have repeatedly stated publicly that Referendum I isn’t gay marriage, that voters can vote for both, and the two can co-exist. And national proponents of gay marriage have also pointed out that Referendum I falls short of gay marriage. So, on this point – that Referendum I is not gay marriage – these two opposing groups agree.
Even more importantly, Knight ignores the simple, essential and common-sense protections and responsibilities that Referendum I grants. It’s just basic fairness to ensure that Coloradans have the right to visit a sick partner in a hospital. Or to ensure that couples can make end-of-life decisions and funeral arrangements for each other. Or that they can leave their property to their partner without onerous tax consequences.
These are the basics. And today, thousands of Colorado couples are denied these fundamental protections that legally empower them to take care of each other.
No matter how opponents of basic legal rights try to confuse the facts, the facts are clear. Referendum I isn’t gay marriage. It’s basic legal rights.
Sean Duffy, Denver
The writer is executive director of Coloradans for Fairness Issue Committee, the statewide group promoting Referendum I.
Political invective
Re: “Perlmutter starts with an insult,” Aug. 10 David Harsanyi column.
David Harsanyi takes congressional candidate Ed Perlmutter to task for a “sanctimonious assertion,” to wit: “that sometimes you have to take your kids to college.” This was directed to a childless and unmarried Republican opponent, Rick O’Donnell. What nonsense. Harsanyi claims to be a fan of “invective in politics.” Just imagine if Perlmutter were unmarried and childless: there’d be a flurry of Republican-style invective implying that, at Perlmutter’s age, being unmarried and childless is a sure sign that he’s a ponce. If Harsanyi likes invective, he must love Ann Coulter’s poisonous ranting from the extreme right – she makes Perlmutter seem like a Christian (a real one, not re-born).
Scott Mock, Boulder
Immigration and wages
Re: “Who’s taking whose jobs?” Aug. 14 editorial.
In your editorial, the crux of the whole thing is captured in a single statement: “The study didn’t examine the impact of immigrant labor on wage levels.” Without wage information, the entire Pew Hispanic Center study is worthless.
I would like to see a study about these “jobs Americans don’t want” include a thorough analysis of pay scales and at what point Americans do want these jobs. I suspect such a study would find that Americans don’t want these jobs at the current low pay rate being offered, which is often below the minimum wage.
It is time to stop attempting to justify importing cheap, illegal labor with dubious studies like this one. The jobs that no one wants would be happily filled by eager workers if the pay was enough to live on. Yes, that might mean we all pay a little bit more for some things, but it would be well worth it to provide meaningful employment for our fellow Americans.
Connie Szeflinski, Boulder
Daily news plus history
Re: “Cuba’s Colorado connection,” Aug. 8 Ed Quillen column.
I never miss Ed Quillen’s column, and I thought last Tuesday’s was especially timely. It was an interesting bit of history that most of us did not know.
It is nice to read the paper and actually learn something of historical interest, as well as the daily events.
B.E. Martin, Denver
Cartoon depictions of President Bush
I frequently see cartoons by Mike Keefe and others that depict President Bush as a donkey-eared moron.
These smack of childish behavior that all of us have seen in school. Namely, when bullies don’t like someone, mean and vicious name-calling and other assaults often happen.
I defend the right to characterize newsworthy people in many different ways through cartoons. So why not emphasize his manly chest or his grin? At least those are real characteristics of the president.
Bob Bamford, Aurora
TO REACH US
Phone: 303-820-1331
Fax: 303-820-1502
E-mail: openforum@denverpost.com
Mail: The Open Forum, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, 80202
Letters guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 200 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.
