'Blame Bush for everything' crusade

Re "U.S. tosses lifeline to banks," Page A1, Oct. 14: Your obviously deliberate downplaying of Monday's historic rise in the stock market is shameful, to say the least. Is your "ends justify the means" political philosophy so extreme that there are no boundaries to your manipulation of public information?

After your party assumes complete control of the federal government in January, I wonder how long you will be able to string out the "blame Bush for everything" game to cover your own misdeeds. The rewriting of history to conceal the Community Reinvestment Act's role in the current crisis has already begun.

– John Bersinger, Folsom

Care about animals? Approve Prop. 2

Proposition 2, a November ballot measure backed by the Humane Society of the United States, the United Farm Workers, the Center for Food Safety and the California Veterinary Medical Association, has broad and diverse support.

Nearly every major African American political leader in the state has endorsed a vote of "yes" on Proposition 2, including all four African American members of Congress from California: Reps. Barbara Lee, Laura Richardson, Maxine Waters and Diane Watson. It's also backed by state legislative leaders such as Assemblyman Mike Davis, as well as Sacramento mayoral candidate Kevin Johnson.

Before voters took this issue to the ballot, a bill by Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally to ban the cruel confinement of farm animals in tiny crates and cages, where they suffer pain and spread disease, was stymied by entrenched agribusiness lobbying groups.

Proposition 2 combats some of the worst abuses in factory farming and reinforces the principle that all animals deserve humane treatment, including those raised for food. If you care about mercy and decency to animals, vote "yes" on Proposition 2.

– Megan Alexander, Granite Bay

Prop. 11, yes; Prop. 2, no – why?

According to The Bee, Proposition 11 is seriously flawed because it does not deal with congressional districts, yet you recommend the only "yes" vote for a ballot proposition in this election. On the other hand, you will not support Proposition 2 because other producers in other states are not covered, thus allowing unspeakable cruelty to continue in California for millions of creatures.

Please explain what the difference is when it comes to propositions that are "flawed." Why is cruelty to be tolerated in California, but incomplete redistricting is so important to be passed now?

– Walter Bremer, Roseville

He wants fast, but not too fast

What is it that we do not understand about posted speed limits? Is disobedience to traffic laws so popular that it has become accepted practice? Why has our society turned on the person who obeys the law? Why have our law enforcement officers resorted to arbitrary enforcement of traffic laws with no rational or consistent application?

If we applied this situation to the various sports we watch, we would never stand for such arbitrary officiating. Why do we tolerate it on the highway? Exceeding the posted limit is a crime.

The other side of the coin is our elected officials. If traffic travels safely at 75 mph, why don't we take a clue from our neighboring states (Arizona and New Mexico) and increase our limits accordingly? Drop the 55 mph for trucks and vehicles pulling trailers (not enforced anyway – and isn't that situation a rolling speed bump requiring unnecessary lane changes?).

Increase the limit to 75 mph for areas outside the major metropolitan areas and keep 65 mph in major metropolitan areas. Then do something unheard of: Enforce the speed limit.

– Albert F. Kammerer, Sacramento

McCain's checkered marital history

I wonder how many Americans are aware of how Sen. John McCain's first marriage ended. He conveniently omitted that period of time from his autobiography, according to the New York Times.

McCain has acknowledged affairs (plural) with young women during his first marriage. While still living with his first wife, Carol, crippled from a 1969 accident, he was already dating his future wife, Cindy. McCain was 42 while Cindy was a beautiful, very wealthy 25-year-old ex-model. Their affair was ongoing for nine months while he lived with his first wife.