Letters to the Editor

Don't cheerlead for Big Oil

Last week, President Obama took his so-called all-of-the-above energy message to Cushing, Okla., the "pipeline crossroads of the world." Standing next to stacks of TransCanada pipe waiting to be put in the ground, he officially charged federal agencies to "expedite" approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline from Cushing to refineries and ports on the Gulf Coast ("Obama: Expedite pipeline segment," Friday).

While boasting that "we are drilling all over the place, right now," the president said "we've added enough new oil and gas pipeline to encircle the Earth and then some."

Appearing in Cushing to promote even the southern portion of the Keystone XL is an insult to those of us who worked so hard to persuade Obama to reject Keystone XL in January. And it fuels the cynics who said that January's rejection was just an attempt to temporarily placate the environmental and young voters who believed Obama's campaign rhetoric about the need for real action on climate and our fossil-fuel dependence.

If there was ever a clarion call to express our disappointment, this is it. I urge every citizen concerned about climate change and clean energy to ask Obama to be a leader on reducing greenhouse gases and not cheerlead for Big Oil and Big Gas.

Dennis R. Winters, conservation chair, Sierra Club - Southeastern PA Group, Philadelphia

What a president can do

Mitt Romney would like us to believe that managing the United States is like managing a leveraged buyout. It's not.

A president stands in the Rose Garden and gives a thoughtful, emotional response to the Trayvon Martin killing in Florida.

A president cajoles the prime minister of Israel to think twice about lobbing missiles into Iran.

A president risks all by sending in the Navy SEALs to take down Osama bin Laden.

A president has a military aide who follows him around with a suitcase containing the codes for launching a nuclear strike. Has it occurred to the one-trick pony Romney, or his lukewarm supporters, that if President Obama also had a suitcase with the codes to make the unemployment rate 4 percent in a reelection year, he would have opened it?

Kenneth M. Foti, Malvern, kfoti36@yahoo.com

City plan on homeless worth a try

I fully support Philadelphia's ban on feeding the homeless in public areas ("Homeless support mayor's call to end outdoor feeding," Tuesday). It makes no sense to enable people who often have social, mental health, and substance abuse issues to remain on the street. It only serves to exacerbate their condition and make public areas either inhospitable or dangerous.

As someone who lives and works in Philadelphia, I encounter the homeless throughout the day and cannot see how public feedings have helped them. It would seem to make sense that feedings should take place in a structured atmosphere where outreach and assistance can be provided. Something different needs to be tried, and the city's proposal is certainly worth trying.

Frank Gontowski, Philadelphia

How to end the Parkway showdown

The fair solution to the new Barnes museum vs. the homeless feeding showdown on the Parkway is to move the homeless meals to the old Barnes site. The court surely will approve.

John R. Ashbrook, Media

Merge Rowan into Rutgers

No doubt about it, Rowan has made remarkable strides in the last 20 years. Now it's time for the institution to take one more leap forward by being merged into Rutgers University. While Rowan has many fine qualities, it doesn't have the international reputation of Rutgers. Nor does it have the nationally and internationally recognized research faculty of Rutgers Camden ("Senator seeks merger probe," Tuesday).

And realistically, does a state the size of New Jersey need two major research institutions fighting each other for limited state resources and grants? I think not.

Whether Rutgers Camden is merged into Rowan or not, Rowan will continue its upward march. Sooner or later it will achieve the status of a nationally ranked institution. And when it does, envious eyes from the north will say New Jersey doesn't need two separate research universities and they will insist on absorbing Rowan into Rutgers.

David E. Vance, assistant professor, Rutgers University, School of Business, Camden

Stand up to Scouts

In regard to the letter about the Boy Scouts vs. Philadelphia, does the writer seriously believe that "charity work" trumps bigotry ("Boy Scouts prevail over city," Sunday)? I was a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Scoutmaster, and Eagle Scout for more than 25 years. I have never been so ashamed of an organization that I was involved in as I am of the Scouts. I applaud the city for standing up and being counted in the never-ending fight against the "Bigoted Scouts of America."

Michael E. Brown Sr., Philadelphia, lastleg88@msn.com

Double standard in military justice

Do we have a double standard when it comes to military justice in the United States?

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales was charged last Friday with 17 counts of premeditated murder, which could lead to the death penalty, in the killing of Afghan civilians. His trial seems imminent. The U.S. government has already compensated the relatives of the victims ("U.S. issues payments to Afghans after attack," Monday).

Two and a half years ago, Maj. Nidal Hasan shot up Fort Hood, killing 13 people, and he still hasn't stood trial despite clear evidence regarding his motives.

Charles W. Good, West Chester

On taxes, try for perfect

I think everyone can agree that the current method of assessing property in Philadelphia is broken, but I find the statement by Councilwoman Maria Quiñones Sánchez - "The folks who know they have not been paying their fair share - the loud minority - will scream about it because it's time for them to pay up" - a little bewildering ("Council questions Nutter's tax fix," Friday).

First, the "minority" she refers to are the people who have managed to create livable, relatively safe areas, and have managed, mostly through their own efforts, to reduce the unattractive aspects of city living. We have paid what we were asked to pay, including the last two tax increases that were supposed to be temporary. We have been paying up.

Second, I don't quite understand why we don't go for a perfect solution. If not, how can it be considered fair? It seems the councilwoman is willing to settle yet again for another half-baked, inadequate solution to a problem that affects a very large swath of people. It would seem that she believes that we, for some reason, deserve mediocre, unjust solutions.

In addition, Mayor Nutter's concern for schoolchildren rings somewhat hollow when you consider that the huge deficit the public schools now face was incurred under his watch by people he approved of. All avenues must be explored and all changes must be as close to perfect as possible before we raise taxes on already overtaxed people.

Mike Scavo, Philadelphia