Letters |

The war in Iraq is recognized as a disaster by the people of Iraq, the United States, and the world. President Bush's veto of the mild congressional bill suggesting a withdrawal date shows that this administration has no compunction about continuing - until a new administration is sworn in in 2009 - to allow hundreds of our soldiers to die, thousands to be wounded, and millions of Iraqis to be driven from their country or killed.

Even Congress makes no substantive move to stop the carnage. On April 28, I was part of a call to impeach Vice President Cheney and Bush, one of many such demonstrations across the country.

In Bryn Mawr, where one of our number carried a sign reading "honk for impeachment," that quiet suburban town suddenly sounded like Manhattan at rush hour. People in Fords, BMWs, Toyotas, buses and trucks; old, young, black, white, Asian and Latino filled the air with the sounds of car horns and shouts, along with thumbs-up signals.

Why won't the president and Congress listen? Even the media close their ears. Hear us!

Alice Kelley
Strafford

The residents of Philadelphia must have a say in the location of casinos, especially those of us impacted by the location of the casinos along the river. I am a longtime resident of Philadelphia and of Queen Village since 1980. My community has a huge investment in our homes and businesses. Casino gambling, while raising revenue for the state, does nothing to help people living near the casinos.

Gambling creates crime, despair and pawnshops. It lowers the property values of residents with long-term investments in the community. If the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board were not political and did not take to heart the interests of Rendell supporters with a financial interest in the current locations, it would have selected locations that make better sense for the community and the city.

The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard property could be one such location. First, it is a HUB zone and there could be financial incentives for developers. Second, a casino there, with shuttle service from the sports centers - these are the types who gamble anyway - would guarantee utilization.

A casino, entertainment, shopping and restaurant complex with a cruise ship terminal nearby (south of the Walt Whitman Bridge) would make Philadelphia a more desirable cruise destination, bring additional revenue and tax dollars from abroad to Pennsylvania, and give Phillies, Flyers and Eagles fans a place to go to after games other than home.

Stephen Rosenzweig

Philadelphia

"A bummer for boomers: Failing health" (April 23) presented startling findings about the declining health of the baby-boomer generation and reminded us that our physical and financial well-being are connected.

Today's retirement is truly a "Do It Yourself" job of save, plan and then save some more. If baby boomers are more stressed and in poorer health heading into their retirement years than previous generations, we in the financial services industry need to do our part to enhance education efforts to give boomers the courage to face their lengthy retirement years.

In spite of conventional wisdom, the greatest risk to boomers' retirement income may not be the impact of sweeping changes to Social Security or a prolonged market downturn. In reality, the most daunting destroyer of wealth looming over baby boomers is the potentially devastating cost of nursing home or in-home care.

As the rates of obesity, chronic illness and life expectancy continue to rise, boomers should no longer be asking themselves if they will need long-term care, but for what length of time they will need it. For a generation that places high value on independence, boomers must ask themselves how much of a financial and care burden they are willing to place on their adult children.

Jon A. Boscia
Chairman and CEO
Lincoln Financial Group
Philadelphia

My opinions on issues about which I feel knowledgeable usually are congruent with your editorial page's, but I take exception to the Cassandra-like wailing of "Pure hatred, for all to see" in the Lightning Round editorials of April 26.

I despair of reasoning with the "let's arm everybody" camp, but righteous bombast is not the answer. The "tree of liberty" is a metaphor, and, as such, would not bear the weight of State Rep. Angel Ortiz (D., Phila.). Lighten up!

John T. Magee
Haverford