The American Spectator

Reader Mail

On the Lighter Side

10.17.02 @ 12:01AM

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER
John Corry writes, in "The Best of All Seasons, that "[Carl] McCall, the New York State comptroller, ...used official stationery to recommend some family members and friends for jobs. Many politicians use their stationery to do similar things, of course, and so, for that matter, do many people in the media."

I can't speak for the laws regarding this sort of thing in New York, but, as a former Federal employee, I can tell you that, had I ever done any such thing while on the Federal payroll, I would have been sacked on the spot. Using public office for private gain is (rightly) considered an abuse of the trust under which public officials are supposed to operate.

I also find it interesting that this behavior is defended using Clintonian "everybody does it" ("many politicians") and "apples and oranges" ("people in the media") defenses. I need hardly point out that any Republican or conservative caught with his hand in the cookie jar in this way would immediately be hounded into resignation.

Very respectfully,
-- David G.D. Hecht

WHY NOT THE WORST?
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s Canoist Without a Paddle:

"He was the worst president of the Twentieth Century."

I'd certainly phrase it differently, at the least.

Carter may well have done the worst job as President in the 20th century, but IMHO [in my humble opinion] no President ever came close to doing the damage to the country that Clinton did. That includes Carter awarding the Panama Canal indirectly to Communist China's control.

Clinton advanced the nuclear weapons and ballistic missile technology of Communist China by 25 years. They are our most direct military threat and one that not only intends to be, but intends to become an even greater threat by the day. Perhaps only Truman had a like opportunity [with the Soviets], but didn't do so. No earlier President could have multiplied the risk to America as Clinton did.

I believe we may be 30 years, and possibly a Sino-American war (I won't go into the many possible variations on that theme here), before we undo or get beyond Clinton's shadow.

Respectfully,
-- Bud Link

VAGUE PRO-RELIGIONISTS
Re: George Neumayr's Falwell Was Right:

One problem is the vague pro-religiosity of moderate conservatism (e.g. G. Washington and L. Strauss). I'm not sure they are wrong, but content-free promotion of religiosity is choking on this nut. Falwellian statements will always ultimately be retracted or revised. Our unwritten Constitution requires it. Possibly, we are at a crossroads on this, but so far we've put off the reckoning.
-- John C. Povejsil
Forest Lake, MN

This was an excellent article. I have not checked the literary references, but just the actions and reactions of today support his position. What more can be said? "Don't call me violent or I will kill you!"

What a crock.
-- Howard Myers
Santa Clara, CA

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Religion, Environment, Constitution, Law, Military, Iraq, Iran, Africa, Conservatism, Nuclear Weapons