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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2008

A Candid Assessment
Regarding "His Decision Is Very Easy" (Letter of the Day, Oct. 13):

P.J. Corr's statement about Barack Obama's "despicable character assassination of our men and women serving in Iraq" is so sadly misinformed, it demands an answer.

First, the statement in question was about Afghanistan, not Iraq. Second, Corr obviously gets his "information" only from John McCain campaign ads, a notoriously unreliable source. Look at Factcheck.org every now and then. The full sentence, of which the ad plays only a fragment: "We've got to get the job done there and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous problems there." That is a candid assessment of the flawed strategy on the part of the current administration, which put those troops in this difficult position.

If McCain has to resort to such despicable character assassination in his campaign ads, rather than an honest discussion of actual issues, what does that say about his own honor?

ROBERT TROUT

Riverview

Tampa's Godsend
If you can find an executive like Lowry Park Zoo chief Lex Salisbury, give him full reign and turn off the political haggling about right or wrong as you would if he were a billionaire benefactor.

Executives like Salisbury are rare - they are doers, stay-with-it guys. So what if he puts some zoo animals on his property for R&R and has zoo personnel build two barns to accommodate them? He should be given a blank check to shuffle, trade and house animals wherever he deems it best and not have to answer to directors or anyone.

Of course, people who make fast decisions err, but that goes with the territory. He has brought the zoo back to life. People say he's a nice guy until you get in his way. Duh! Then get out of his way.

It's obvious he is dedicated to the zoo. This man is not a civil servant; he's a godsend to Tampa!

HOWIE KEEFE

Lakeland

Let's Get Real

"Is Aldi Cheapest?" (Business, Oct. 11) was interesting, but you were comparing apples to oranges. To compare Publix with Aldi, Walmart and Save-A-Lot - all discount stores - doesn't seem right. You should be comparing Publix to "real" grocery stores like Sweet Bay and Winn-Dixie.

The stores with which you compared Publix do not have the same services or selections. You have to bag your own groceries, pay for bags and carts, etc. That is a nuisance, and I would just as soon pay the few cents more to know that I am shopping at a full-service grocery store.

LANI CZYZEWSKI

Temple Terrace

Leaving McCain In Lurch

I find it totally amazing that Sen. Barack Obama is way ahead in the polls of Hispanic voters.

Obama has done nothing for Hispanics, especially Mexicans. Sen. John McCain has spent his entire career protecting illegal immigrants. How ironic, considering their children, who are now of voting age. These same children who owe their citizenship and right to vote to him are planning on stabbing the savior in the back.

That bodes the question: Should we cork this loophole? Do we really need Americans who would be so disloyal? My wife is an immigrant citizen, but she did it the right way.

GREG STEINMULLER

Plant City

Class Comes First

Poor performance on the SAT and ACT is the explanation for some students being rejected by colleges. This is unfair. In some cases, it comes down to financial aid. Certain students aren't able to receive desired scholarships due to low test scores. Furthermore, standardized tests do not assess students' ability.'

And in some ways, the SAT has become more of a money-maker. Also, in each honor's class that I am taking, there is a hefty amount of homework each night. Studying for the SAT would cut into time for my education.

When it comes down to studying to pass a standardized test or understanding material for my class, school comes first.

KATIE STRASSBERG

Tampa

Economics Class

Hurray! Free enterprise works. Can you imagine that the price of gas has fallen $1 a gallon without government intervention? It fell because the price went to $4-plus, and Americans slowed down their consumption. Supply increased; demand fell. Economics 101.

HARVEY E. BOUCHARD JR.

Riverview

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