LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Stop stealing political signs

I awoke this morning to my "Yes on Measure 36" sign and my "Bush for President" sign stolen from my yard.

Please, fellow citizens, remove the evil from your hearts. If you don't agree with me, come knock on my door and talk rather than stealing from me. This is America, not Iraq of years past. Remember the First Amendment.

Oh, sorry, I forgot - you don't care about America. You steal.

PETE SLOCUM

Eugene

Physicians are leaving Oregon

I left Eugene last year to start a new neurosurgical practice in Idaho. I miss living in Eugene and my friends there. I miss working with a tremendous medical community. I miss the relationships that developed with patients during the six years that I practiced in Eugene.

I don't miss the threat of having my family devastated by a malpractice suit that could take my home and savings.

Jury awards for pain and suffering are now commonly greater than $100 million in states that have not put a cap in place. Doctors in high-risk specialties are leaving those states. In many places patients must be transported long distances when they need a doctor the most - in an emergency.

In Idaho there is a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages awarded in medical malpractice suits. Malpractice insurance costs one half as much in Idaho as it does Oregon. There are now two former Eugene neurosurgeons practicing in Idaho. A third Eugene neurosurgeon is leaving. Please see the correlation.

Medford now has too few neurosurgeons to cover its emergency room full time. Already a patient has died in transport to Eugene. There is a reason the American Medical Association lists Oregon as a crisis state.

Measure 35 is the first step in solving this complex problem. Voting no insures that you retain an astronomical chance of hitting the jackpot with a medical malpractice case. A yes vote insures that you will have a doctor in Oregon to take care of you.

GLENN L. KEIPER JR., M.D.

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 

Cheneys overreacting to Kerry

Vice President Dick Cheney has expressed his opposition to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. During Cheney's debate with John Edwards, the moderator stated, referring to Cheney, "you used your family's experience as a context for your remarks" concerning legalizing same-sex unions.

Edwards brought up the fact that the Cheneys have been willing to talk about their gay daughter Mary, along with pointing out that they embrace and love their daughter.

When asked by Bob Schieffer whether he thought homosexuality was a matter of choice, President George Bush said that he was not sure. I guess he never talked to the Cheneys about Mary.

John Kerry's answer was that homosexuality is not a choice. He used Mary Cheney as an example.

On Aug. 11, 2004, a Southern California columnist reported that Lynne Cheney earned a Ph.D in literature and had written a book titled "Sisters." The column states that throughout the pages are fornication, incest, adultery, contraception and lesbian couplings. Also mentioned in the column is the fact that lesbianism, adultery and contraception would offend some Bush voters.

Now Bush supporters say Kerry is not a good man for mentioning Mary, that he will say anything to get elected. Lynne and Dick are angry parents.

Are they overreacting? What about "Sisters"? Apparently the Cheneys will say and do anything to keep the real issues off the air and out of the press in order to be re-elected.

ALEX CAMPBELL

Florence