Letters: Keillor's Cup Runneth Over -- With Bile

Keillor's Cup Runneth Over -- With Bile
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Garrison Keillor's Op/Ed column, "Even GOP Deserves Good Care," is another of his witty, cynical rants.

The big guy with the nice baritone has lost all sense of reality. He is consumed by his hate and contempt for those whose political and social opinions differ from his own.

What a shame to see such a talent descend into a swamp of anger, confusion, and hypocrisy.

One thing we agree on: All citizens should be cared for. I hope Keillor gets the care he needs. When the time comes to lower him into his final resting place, don't be surprised to see the coffin lid yield to a shaking fist and a last gasp for the crucifixion of George Bush and the GOP -- albeit, served by good care.

Rives Hardy.
Callao.

The Marshall Plan is arguably the most successful and positive piece of U.S. foreign policy and is only briefly mentioned, at best, in high school history classes. I hope the 50th anniversary of Marshall's death will revive his presence in school curricula and that future generations will have the opportunity to learn about such an upstanding American hero.

Anna Moncure.
Richmond.

Databank USA collected data on state individual income taxes for fiscal 2007. Virginia's per-capita state income tax of $1,334 was exceeded by that of only six states -- California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon. Taxpayers in 43 other states paid less in state income taxes than Virginia taxpayers.

Now for being the best-managed state: It seems that every few months Virginia has to make millions in budget adjustments and cannot meet some of its core obligations. The state cannot meet its infrastructure needs, can't afford to keep open some rest areas, and is considering closing prisons and mental-health facilities.

The best-managed, low-tax state? Let's be realistic. The facts speak for themselves.

Alan Roth.
Midlothian.

I suggest that my clients follow these rules to increase their likelihood for success:

(1) Know what you want in a name and convey it clearly. Establish parameters for the creative process before you begin.

(2) Do legal and linguistic due diligence on favored names. This precludes not only trademark issues but negative word meanings and cultural associations as well.

(3) Do not share finalist names with anyone other than key decision makers until they've been vetted for legal and linguistic issues.

(4) Be sure the final name appeals to your target audience and conveys the right things to them. Controversy garners attention, but not always in a good way.

We are a dignified city that knows how to have fun. Our baseball team name could have conveyed both of those things. Had the team owners asked me for help, I would have done it in exchange for season tickets and a baseball cap for my daughter.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm thrilled the team is coming. Take me out to the ballgame and I'll cheer for my home team. But the Richmond Flying Squirrels? Oh, my.

The last squirrel I saw "flying" ended up roadkill.

Elizabeth Thalhimer Smartt.
Richmond.

• First, an across-the-board 30 percent pay cut for all congressmen and -women and their staffs. Stop all congressional pay at the end of any fiscal year if all budget bills are not complete and prohibit retroactive payments.

• Second, rescind Public Law 101-194, the Government Ethics Reform Act of 1989, where annual cost of living and congressional pay raises are enacted automatically without congressional voting. All future raises must be subject to a specific bill and require a recorded vote and two-thirds majority to pass. Enforce Title 2, Section 39 of the U.S. Code (no work, no pay) that permits deductions for dates absent from their duties.

• Third, eliminate all congressional medical perks. Members can purchase their own medical insurance and participate in Medicare when eligible.

• Fourth, revise the Federal Employee Retirement System and cap total benefits. "Congressional pension benefits are 2-3 times more generous than what a similarly salaried executive could expect to receive upon retiring from the private sector" (NTU.org).

• Fifth, require all members participating in junkets to submit a post-junket report, specifying objectives, detailed itinerary, detailed expenses, and results obtained. Post-junket reports to be posted on the Internet within five days.

Any elected official who supports these measures will have my vote.

Doug Blaha.
Hayes.