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Click on the internet "Petition on Global Warming" and "Manhattan Resolution" to read the 31,000 names signatories to those two documents; they are all professionals with 9,000 PhD's among them. They refute resolutely any "proof" of antropogenic global warming -- and they for sure are not "skeptics," "contrarians," or any other name the globaloney warming proponents call us. Dr. Hansen in his younger years predicted catastophic global cooling, descrbing how new glaciers will crush the New York skyscrapers to dust (see Newsweek of April, 1975). He proposed using war planes to sow carbon black over the poles to increase solar energy absorption and so prevent the coming assault by those new glaciers. Mr. Chesser should consult these two documents, and then inquire as to the politics of those proponents of global warming -- far, far left I would bet.

-- Marc Jeric
Las Vegas

LAISSEZ-FAIRE-LEFT

Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s Democrat Deregulators:

Concerning Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Mr. Tyrrell writes: "Curiously, the Democrats have not suffered the consequences of their "deregulation" of the mortgage market. Instead, they have hung the "deregulation" canard on McCain." Mr. Tyrrell goes on to paint Senator McCain as a frustrated champion of oversight and regulation for these two GSEs. Who thwarted these attempts? Why, "democrat deregulators, " of course.

These are the times in which Democrats and Republicans, with the help of their apologists, are writing revisionist history concerning their connections to Fannie, Freddie and the current economic crisis. Mr. Tyrrell is part of this effort on behalf of Senator McCain.

I will leave it to anyone so inclined to research John McCain's role the 2005 and 2006 efforts at regulation. However, I offer two observations. Concerning 2005, Darryl Levings and Dave Helling write, "Democrats contend McCain actually waited a year to sign on to the 2005 legislation, did little work on it and did not bother to vote last year to tighten the Federal Housing Administration's mortgage lending practices." (Kansas City Star, October 16, 2008) It is easy enough to verify this and it hardly paints a portrait of herculean and heroic efforts at regulation. McCain signed a letter in 2006, along with eighteen other senators, calling for greater regulation of Fannie and Freddie. Then, he proceeded to hire more than a dozen current and former lobbyists for Fannie and Freddie to work on his campaign. The job of these lobbyists? To stop regulation.

But, to get mired down in these details is to overlook the all important big picture. Since Ronald Reagan it has been the mantra of Republicans and conservatives that government is always the problem and never the solution. This being the case, government regulation and oversight are, by definition, bad -- something to be eliminated. Add to this philosophy, Mr. Bush's vision of an "ownership society" in which every American family would own a house and a stock portfolio. Grease the process with incredible liquidity provided by the Fed under Mr. Greenspan's stewardship and the stage was set for the current crisis. I remind you that this occurred while Republicans controlled both the executive and the legislative branches of our federal

government. A final point: While Fannie and Freddie contributed to the crisis by creating "toxic securities," the bulk of these securities are the work of unregulated hedge funds. Republicans have fiercely resisted any effort to imposed government oversight on hedge funds and they rewarded the managers of these fund by taxing them at the capital gains rate instead of the ordinary income tax rate.

-- Mike Roush

PROBLEMS OF HIS OWN

Re: Nicole Russell's Filibuster-Proof Franken:

I hate to disagree with pundits, but I think that Norm Coleman's problems have little to do with his stand on Iraq, Hollywood money being funneled to Franken or Franken's ads. I think it is much simpler than that. Coleman's constituents were against the Wall Street Bailout 20-1. He ignored them and voted for that legislation. I think he is now paying the price for that vote. In fact, several other Republican incumbents should also be worried. It is always a good idea to remember who one works for. Especially in an election year.

-- Michael Tobias

SOCIAL GUINEA PIGS

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