I can't wait to write a letter about the Valentine's Day promotions that could start up in two or three weeks.
Edwin E. Scully, Philadelphia
For quality education in Pa.
Thanks to Joseph P. Markham for stating in succinct language the need to reform the way education is funded in Pennsylvania ("Schools need long-term fix," Tuesday).
Our state constitution mandates that Pennsylvania provide a quality, nonsectarian education for all its children. But thanks to the inequities accurately described in this piece, which includes the fact that the state's funding formula continues to shortchange districts, it is easy to see why a student's zip code makes all the difference in the quality of his or her school.
I am particularly impressed with how Markham clearly puts the responsibility for this inequality where it belongs, with our state legislature, while exposing the myth of "school choice" for what it is: another means to balkanize and eventually deconstruct our system of public education.
Gloria C. Endres, Philadelphia, sisglo@aol.com
Make informed Election Day decision
I write on behalf of the so-called independent voters who show "indecisiveness and gullibility," and who are "irresolute and vaccillating," according to the letter "Independents can't see straight" (Oct. 22). If we accept the writer's assertion that 45 percent of voters will always vote Democratic and 45 percent will always vote Republican, then perhaps the undecided 10 percent should take even more time in deciding which candidates merit our support on Election Day. Having 90 percent of the people vote on the basis of "party" is a sad statement about how some treat the right and privilege of voting.
While my brain is not of rocket-science caliber, I love my country enough to want to make a valid, educated, and well-informed decision as to who should run our precious, but sadly ill, nation these next four years. Doing so involves listening to each and every debate, reading and evaluating all the news from both parties and the media, and watching carefully each of the candidates for as long as they are campaigning.
In other words, I intend to make an informed, conscientious, and highly personal decision that just might take until waiting in line to cast my ballot. The United States deserves no less from each of its citizens.
Sandy Sherman, Telford
Copy successful health-care models
David Koitz makes a common, but preposterous blunder when he argues that "we will only tame health-care costs when we pay for more of our care directly" ("The trillion-dollar question," Oct. 18). Every other advanced nation spends much less on health care, while relying much more on government and insurers than does the United States. Dumping the charges on individuals plays little or no role in their success stories.
Obviously we're doing something wrong. Instead of cooking up a weird parochial "reform" based on wild guesses about the health-care industry, we should look at what's working elsewhere and copy those models.
Tony West, Philadelphia, anthony.abbott.west@gmail.com
