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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 20, 2009

Dealing with lawyers

Reading the letter from S. Hemingway ("Simplify legislation," Letter of the day, Oct. 16) reminds me of an article many years back written by Westbrook Pegler, a noted conservative, for The New York World Telegram.

He wrote about his grandfather who had just purchased his neighbor's farm land. Not having any paper, the deal was written on a paper bag and sealed with a hand shake. The point he was making was that in Pegler's day and, of course, now, almost nothing can be done without a lawyer.

This has been accomplished over the years that we have elected lawyers to Congress. They have made through laws a situation where we can do nothing without an attorney and written laws in legal language that only an attorney can interpret.

And all to the benefit of those whose money got them elected - another good reason for term limits.

STEPHEN KAYE

Lutz

Moderate voters

Extremism dominates American politics. When the Republicans take us too far too the right, the American electorate votes to move us back in the other direction. When the Democratic party takes us too far to the left, the American electorate votes to take us back the other way. This is because the majority of American voters are moderates, slightly left or right of center.

The problem is they are disenfranchised as soon as they elect the extremists.

The liberals and the conservatives call us moderates indecisive. We have another word for we moderates: rational.

MICHAEL CROUCH

Seffner

Americans first

In response to the letter "What's in a name?" (Letters, Oct. 18): How about we get rid of all hyphenated American titles altogether and just celebrate being Americans?

African-American, Mexican-American, Spanish-American etc. ... Putting anything in front of "American" is the biggest insult of all. There is nothing wrong with celebrating one's heritage, but we are Americans first and then whatever, after.

KEN REILLY

Plant City

Lost melting pot

With regard to "What's in a name:" Letter writer Greg Steinmuller has it all wrong. He wants every hyphenated nationality celebrated individually. That's exactly what is wrong in this country

We won't act and speak as a nation until we are all Americans. This is what the concept of the "melting pot" was all about and what made this country great and, sadly, is what we have lost.

CHARLES HEMRICH

Wesley Chapel

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