Letters: What gov's done for port and jobs

The channel-deepening project opens up a new world for possible port development and increased waterborne commerce. This benefits everyone, but particularly gives hope to working men and women in the Philadelphia area. I think that as the future unfolds, a much more nuanced and positive image of Gov. Corbett will emerge.

Robert Palaima, president,

Delaware River Stevedores Inc.

Start with the parents

Re: $1.5M grant to cut youth violence ( Daily News, Sept. 20).

What a waste of money this will be if it is solely directed at the youth. In order to change these children, the parents should be approached first. We have children having children and the rules of parenting are lost on them.

The majority of these children that this program is designed to help are too far gone to benefit from it. If 12 or older, they are already too far engrossed in the ways of the street.

It would be nice if this program would work, but it is another program that I feel will not reap the benefits it is meant to produce.

Paul D. Kelly, Sr.

Philadelphia

Blame the right ones

Christine Flowers' article on "Obama's Blame Game" (Best of the Blogs, Daily News, Sept. 28) at best is laughable and erroneous. She is a typical Republican in the bubble of non-reality. This country's downslide started during the last year of the Bush presidency. Bill Clinton was right: No matter which president took office back in 2009 he would have not been able to get us out of this deep rut in four years. The Democrats always have to come in with the brooms to clean up the mess left behind by Republicans, and if the clean up doesn't happen fast enough it's the Democrats' fault. Anyone with half a brain can see where the blame truly lies. This is why Mitt "The Twit" is behind in the polls because people who have sense can clearly see that the policies put forth by Republicans do more harm for the whole (middle class and poor) and more good for the minority (rich). The Republicans cared more about getting Obama out of office than getting people in this country back to work. In the end, that plan will backfire when Obama regains the White House.

Steven J Patten

Haddon Township, N.J.

Time for a boycott

Some chose to politely call it right-wing political strategy, but it's more accurately described as evil grounded in white racism. The timely emergence of this voter-ID law by Republicans is without question aimed primarily at African-Americans and Hispanics. All other rationales for it represent deviousness and denial. Specifically, it is a racist assault against that for which Dr. King and countless others lived and died. In calling evil by its rightful name, I am suggesting that every African-American and Hispanic economically boycott every state that retains the voter-ID law, and do so for at least the next four years. The only action to which racist right-wingers respond, given their moral deficiencies, is when you hurt their pocketbooks. To do otherwise is a shameless insult to the heroic legacy of the Civil Rights Movement.

Len Trower

Philadelphia

Lobbyists are winning

I agree that the well-paid lobbyists for the payday lenders have colored the thinking of some state lawmakers ("State lawmakers should lose interest in payday loans," editorial, Sept. 26.) Last week, I traveled to Harrisburg for the St. Vincent DePaul Society of Philadelphia to attend a hearing on HB 2191, a bill that would legalize payday lending at 300 percent APR. We were appalled at what occurred. The only people to testify in favor of these high-cost loans represented the out-of-state companies that stand to profit from them. On the other side were groups serving millions of Pennsylvanians - including the AARP, military veterans and the faith community. Given that Pennsylvanians don't want these predatory loans, you would think our elected officials would be inclined to oppose this bill. Instead, several committee members were somewhat hostile and disrespectful to the groups that attended in order to express concern for the bill's harmful impact.

We thank Sen. Stack and Sen. Farnese, who attended the hearing and asked insightful questions that revealed the long-term debt trap these loans perpetuate. While Sen. Williams was not at the hearing, we hope that all of these gentlemen will make the clear, simple choice to oppose HB 2191.

Dominick F. Bucciarelli, president

Northeast/S. Phila . district councils

St. Anselm SVDP Conference

Philadelphia