Letters in the Editor's Mailbag.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Postal Service delivers

Once again the president is looking into privatizing the U.S. Postal Service. I hope that it's every bit as cost effective for me as deregulation of telephone service and the airlines.

Oh, wait: I now pay 75 cents for directory information that used to be free! I also get hounded by telephone solicitors to sign up everyone I have ever known to get a discount on long distance service. Speaking of long distance, I have to dial the area code when calling Vida from my home. And speaking of airlines, I sure hope that United honors the tickets I've purchased for next year. I know my flight from Eugene has been cancelled.

How does this apply to privatizing the post office? For 37 cents, nobody except the post office will pick up a letter in New York City and bring just that piece of mail to my home 12 miles away from the nearest city. Nor will anyone except the post office then forward it on to me (for free) if I've moved to, say Rockbridge, Ohio. A private company will not know my name well enough to deliver mail with a transposed number.

The post office has and continues to provide an amazing service to every single address in the United States, every delivery day. No surcharges for distance, no surcharge for forwarding no surcharge for holding your mail. No surcharge for carriers showing up to deliver mail after natural disasters and terrorist attacks.

I urge everyone to write his or her government representatives and put a stop to this nonsense.

HALLIE EDWARDS Marcola

Medical errors reported

I read the diatribe by Jerry Sagen in the Dec. 15 Commentary section of The Register-Guard. He is a very bitter and angry man. Though he attempted to make some valid points, they are weak and were drowned out by his ranting about money. Granted, he is grieving and lashing out, placing blame whether it is deserved or not.

I worked in the medical field for more than 30 years. I know of mistakes, errors and even negligence - all reported and investigated by numerous review boards. Deaths are reported; no one is snuck out the back door. The vast majority of doctors do not make as much as lawyers, and certainly not $500,000 a year - Medicare and lawyers have seen to that.

I could not figure out what Sagen is truly mad about. Is he saying that doctors are killing millions of people because they just don't care and are too busy counting their ill-gotten money? Is he mad at drug companies, health maintenance organizations, hospitals, the overworked nurses, the whole world? Or is he angry at the jury that awarded him only $925,000, and not the millions his lawyers wanted?

RICHARD M. DONNELLY Coos Bay

A worrisome nomination

For years I have privately harbored suspicions that the government's handling of the railroads will one day prove to be a highly subsidized boondoggle. Needless to say, seeing the president select railroad executive John Snow to guide the economy as Treasury secretary triggers all my latent suspicions and seriously clouds my confidence in the immediate future for the economy. This nomination also shatters my tenuous faith in the president's overall good judgment.

What is the president thinking?

NANCY I. CAMPBELL Eugene

Sending visitors away

As owner and manager of rental properties in Springfield, I'm interested in keeping my dollar in Springfield as often as possible. This policy of mine always comes home to me when I cross over the bridge to the fair city of Eugene. On one such recent occasion, I used and fed a parking meter for an hour. I didn't quite make it back in time to give it additional change, and found a $10 parking citation.

Surely Eugene city fathers, from the mayor on down, can answer their own concerns about the decline and death of downtown Eugene. I see no comeback in the near future.

As a gesture of good will in the future, why not allow, for the month of December at least, free parking at all downtown meters? Just a thought.

In the meantime, I plan to spend my retail dollars in Springfield or downtown Salem.

SANDRA DILBECK Springfield

Keep folks at home

As a home care giver, I am deeply concerned about Measure 28 not passing in January. No one likes taxes being raised, but if this measure doesn't pass, caseloads will overburden senior and disabled services providers, and many necessary services for our seniors and our disabled citizens will be lost or will decline to a dangerous level.

The cuts will hurt all Oregonians. Many will be placed in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, which is totally unaffordable. In the long run, by passing Measure 28 we will save Oregonians from having to pay unnecessary expenses and will keep home care and elderly care in the condition of dignity and respect it deserves. Keep folks home where they live.

Join us in voting yes on Measure 28 in January.

ANGIE HAZELTON Blue River

Poverty is exhausting

What comes around goes around, and for nothing else is this truer than money.

If we do not keep money circulating in Oregon, we will once again be dying for money. Many Oregonians were children during the last major recession. They may not remember all the people who lost their homes and businesses.

During the Reagan administration, research on poverty was replaced with research on welfare fraud. The poor were scapegoated for economic problems, and human service budgets were slashed.

Up to this time I thought poverty was a meaningful experience. I learned that there is nothing meaningful about poverty caused by economic collapse. Poverty is physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually exhausting. It robs our young of opportunity and destroys lives and families. The damage continues for years - and for some, a lifetime.

Restraining government spending during good times is essential. Restraining government spending during bad times is horrifying economic ignorance. Cutting budgets during bad times makes things worse. This is when we need to pump up our economy with government spending.

Please, in January protect yourself by voting to support government spending. What goes around comes around.

CAROL SEATON Eugene

Hero fights for victims

Janet Lovelace deserves a standing ovation from every parent in the state (`Mom wins battle over sentencing," Register-Guard, Dec. 12). I cannot imagine her pain in losing her daughter, but Lee Stubbs' cowardice, lies and deceit in covering his hit-and-run crime had to make her pain that much more intolerable.

I applaud her for fighting his release and for her tireless work in changing the law. How our laws protect the guilty instead of the victim is beyond me, and knowing that Lovelace is fighting for the protection of all future victims makes her hero in my eyes.

I hope she keeps fighting - Lovelace has my gratitude and admiration.

ROBERTA NELSON Eugene

Could Ducks save pool?

'Twas the night before Christmas, and the Oregon athletic director slept well after a year of remarkable achievement. Deep into his dreams a smiling apparition appeared wearing a business suit, matching hat and running shoes. It was Bill Bowerman, the spirit of Christmas past. He showed how happiness could be achieved in an old stadium which cost only $1 million to renovate.

Then came Len Casanova, as the jolly and generous spirit of Christmas present. He showed how many of the less fortunate in the community were able to enjoy the benefits of physical activity through the healing warm waters of the Easter Seal Pool. There was Tiny Tim, challenged in his ability to walk, along with the arthritic Mrs. Cratchit and the late Jacob Marley's elderly better half. All were enjoying Christmas despite their challenges, but their fear that the pool would not be around another Christmas was hard to put away.

Then came Ron Bellamy, as the spirit of Christmas yet to come. "No!" awoke the athletic director with a shout. "Don't make me go with him! I get it already!" So he went to his office and mobilized his able staff, who mobilized the generous donors who renewed Autzen Stadium for $100 million.

Cut to the rededication ceremony of the Easter Seal Pool, saved for the equivalent of spare change, now decorated with noticeable O symbols.

"God bless us every one," shouted Tiny Tim, as the athletic director cut the ribbon. Merry Christmas - and Happy Easter.

WILLIAM DiMARCO Junction City