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I am proud that Mayor Cownie understands the
link between community well-being and nuclear
weapons policy. Gary Wilson's letter (Your View,"
Aug. 3) derides the mayor for speaking out and
even impugns the mayor's motives. I applaud
Mayor Cownie and encourage him to continue to
speak out and make the links that are so hard
for some to see.
The world will be a safer place when there are
no nukes. Des Moines may seem far removed from
nuclear threats but Omaha, the site of a U.S.
Strategic Command Center, is only a little over
100 miles away. So maybe we're not so removed
after all.
Beyond the obvious horror of any nuclear strike
or accident, there are the extreme costs of
such.
The U.S. Senate and President Obama recently
agreed to spend $185 billion to expand U.S.
nuclear weapons production and facilities. How
much easier would Mayor Cownie's job be if he
had Des Moines taxpayer's share of that $185
billion to apply toward Des Moines infrastructure
and human needs programs?
Kathleen McQuillen
Des Moines
Does anyone care?
Christina Silva reported about a new study
indicating that 38 states have seen child poverty
increase from 2000 to 2009. "That represents
a 2.5 million increase." The researchers
concluded that these children would likely suffer
academically, economically and socially. At
the same time, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta
and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton,
in a joint interview, said that massive reductions
in our military would hurt the U.S.
Where does that leave us? More money for the
military, less money for the poor.
Almost all state governments love those federal
military contracts and care less about the poor.
Social agencies are being treated like they
are poison ivy. The G.O.P. presidential candidates,
except one, won't touch our military budget
or our multiple wars. None are interested in
helping poor children. All are part of the corporate
world and are interested in power, not poverty.
President Obama backs away from reducing the
military budget and sends drones everywhere.
He is more interested in saving corporations
and getting reelected than helping poor children.
Then there is our upper middle class — not interested.
And our media — not interested.
And all those neighborhood groups with no power
and always scrambling for money — they're interested.
J. Hicks
Des Moines
Pass on Facebook
Herb Strentz and The Des Moines Register may
be correct in their assumption that Facebook
identification brings some civility to comments
("Guest Commentary," Aug. 18). But
both fail to recognize it might not be just
the end to anonymity that reduces the volume
of comments by 90 percent. I have no problem
signing anything I write, but wouldn't join
Facebook unless someone paid me a boatload full
of cash.
TJ Facto
Des Moines
April Fools already?
Save Douglas Burns' recent piece ("Political
Mercury," Aug. 18) about Steve King having
the makings of a vice presidential candidate
for reprinting in the April Fools' edition.
Mark L. Smith
Des Moines
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