Letters
A foreign-born president: isn't there anyone else?
Regarding Brian Levin's Oct. 5 Opinion piece, "Arnold for president? Let the voters choose": If a country so vast and intellectually deep as the United States cannot find a candidate for the presidency who is a natural-born citizen without having to amend the Constitution to include immigrants, we are in trouble. Opening up the presidency to all does not assist us in keeping intact what our Founders set forth. If a foreign-born person has such bright ideas for making the country better, let him or her write a book.
It is a shame that we have had so many foreign-born individuals in high office when we have a country replete with qualified and talented people. Where is the faith in the American people to supply our leaders?
Samuel Margolies
Las Vegas, Nev.
Those writing the Constitution had innate wisdom. At the time, the US had just finished a little skirmish called the Revolutionary War. They ruled out foreign-imposed cultural policies made by those who wanted to change US values. They were fighting against English domination and they wanted to be governed by one of their own, someone who knew firsthand of their struggle. Arnold Schwarzenegger may live here, but he doesn't know the burdens of the American people, at least not the poor or the middle class.
Dan Hanosh
Waukesha, Wis.
If enough people support a candidate, it shouldn't matter where he or she is from.
Jim Dildine
Mankato, Minn.
Regarding the Oct. 4 article, "United's pension woes: sign of bigger issue": I am a pilot for US Airways and am infuriated about losing my defined benefit plan. I am 52 years old and do not have enough time as a pilot to make up the loss - 60 being the maximum age at which I can fly. My wife, who just turned 59 years old, has had to return to school to learn a new skill in order for us to try to make enough money to live on in retirement.
I am fully aware of the low-cost carriers and the financial pressure that they have brought to the industry. What I don't understand, however, is why the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation allows the executives and members of the board of directors to decimate the company by allowing them to walk away with millions of dollars as a reward for their failures.
There needs to be some accountability when employees are faced with a crisis like this. If I flew an aircraft as irresponsibly as our executives and board members ran our company, my license would be revoked and I might face jail time.
It's time executives be held responsible for their actions, just as we are. If they were held accountable, maybe they would think twice about the consequences of their actions and their obligations to their employees.
Donald Cox
Londonderry, N.H.
The government bears no responsibility here, and I would object strenuously to having my tax dollars used to pay the pensions of airline workers.
When the so-called discount carriers appeared, they were merely taking advantage of a business opportunity created by the airline industry itself.
The government is not at fault here at all. Greed - corporate and individual - caused this. The unions finally broke the legacy airlines with their demands of high salaries, ridiculous numbers of reserve pilots, and totally economically unsupportable work rules.
When will we Americans start to take responsibility for our own futures and quit depending upon the government?
Kees Rietsema
Cave Creek, Ariz.
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