The Voice of the People

To announce that there must be no criticism of the president - or that we stand by the president, right or wrong - is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Theodore Roosevelt

Many thanks to Cheri DeSalvo and the rest of the crew in Salon's Table Talk forum for helping to compile links to these great letters.

Defending Our Liberty

Dissenters and Democracy
Woodbury Voices, 1 June 2003
First Amendment rights not as secure as we think they are
Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, 27 February 2003
The Athlete and the Flag
New York Times, 27 February 2003
Real patriots must stand up to the erosion of our rights
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 23 February 2003
Our Civil Rights in the Age of Terror
New York Times, 16 February 2003
Where is moral courage to stand up against this?
(first and 2nd letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 5 December 2002
If you value liberty, resist homeland security
San Francisco Chronicle, 19 November 2002
Homeland insecurity
Sacramento Bee, 12 August 2002
Take back democracy
(third letter) Middletown Times-Herald, 29 July 2002
Patriotic Snitching
(last letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 26 July 2002
Operation Tips Is Scary Intrusion
San Francisco Chronicle, 22 July 2002
American sacrifices
(eighth letter) Sacramento Bee, 14 July 2002
Columnist has 'temerity' (and the right) to criticize
(fifth and sixth letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9 July 2002
Lost Rights
(tenth letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 24 June 2002
Indefinite Detention
New York Times, 19 June 2002
War on terrorism is disregarding our Constitution
(first three letters) St. Petersburg Times, 15 June 2002
Padilla case doesn't bode well for rest of us
(first, fourth, fifth letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 14 June 2002
If We Lack Freedom, No One Will Hate Us
San Francisco Chronicle, 31 May 2002

The War

Torture, Terror and the Law
New York Times, 19 May 2004
In the name of a lie
Toronto Globe & Mail, 18 May 2004
English lesson for our leaders
Boston Globe, 12 May 2004
Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo
New York Times, 10 May 2004
The Missing-Weapons Scandal
New York Times, 4 June 2003
A Marine's Story
New York Times, 8 April 2003
'Shock' Iraq? Some Are Stunned
New York Times, 6 February 2003
The real issues
Fresno Bee, 25 February 2003
National security adviser makes wrong comparison
(first letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 20 February 2003
Hollow words
Fresno Bee, 13 February 2003
A Test for America and Europe
New York Times, 12 February 2003
Poetic Dissent
New York Times, 5 February 2003
Millions of innocent people targeted
Spokane Spokesman-Review, 3 February 2003
Mothers, unite against war
Spokane Spokesman-Review, 2 February 2003
War and Consequences
New York Times, 4 December 2002
Iraq, oil and deceit
(15th and following letters)Sacramento Bee, 7 December 2002
Protesting a War on Iraq
New York Times, 1 November 2002
War With Iraq
Lakeland Ledger, 22 October 2002
War voices have dove backgrounds
Spokane Spokesman Review, 20 October 2002
Man flies 3,000 miles to make important point
(5th letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 20 October 2002
Iraq, the U.N. and Us
New York Times, 1 October 2002
Bush successful in diverting attention
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 6 October 2002
How many U.S. soldiers is Bush going to kill
North Port Sun Herald, 1 October 2002
Should U.S. act alone?
San Francisco Chronicle, 9 September 2002
War With Iraq?
(second through last letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 25 September 2002
Talk of waging war exemplifies administration's arrogance
(fifth and sixth letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 15 September 2002
Since Bush has asked, we should tell him no
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 7 September 2002
Pre-Emptive Strike
(second letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 5 September 2002
Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld not military men
(first letter) Northport Sun-Herald, 4 September 2002
Chicken Hawks
(fourth through sixth letters) San Francisco Chronicle, 2 September 2002
Rethink First Strike At Iraq
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 31 August 2002
Is Bush Listening?
New York Times, 21 August 2002
How many senators' kids will march off to war?
(fifth and sixth letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 21 August 2002
Congressional inaction on Iraq causes concern
St. Petersburg Times, 20 August 2002
National debate needed on Iraq war
San Francisco Chronicle, 20 August 2002
Deciding to invade Iraq
Sacramento Bee, 18 August 2002
The drumbeat of war against Iraq
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 18 August 2002
Attack On Iraq
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6 August 2002
U.S. continues to ignore world sentiment
(first letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 13 July 2002
Where's The Protest?
San Francisco Chronicle, 9 July 2002
Go beyond military solutions
(fifth letter) St. Petersburg Times, 27 June 2002
First strike at war
(first through fourth letters) Sacramento Bee, 23 June 2002
'First Strike' on Iraq
New York Times, 21 June 2002
Bush should reconsider plans to attack Iraq
St. Petersburg Times, 20 June 2002
U.S. invasion would compound the misery
(second letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11 May 2002
Reason, study needed before expanding war
(third and fourth letters) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 2 May 2002
Invading Iraq: The Right Path?
New York Times, 30 April 2002
Iraq and Election
(seventh letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 13 April 2002
Orwellian 'Peace'
(second letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 4 April 2002
'Chicken hawks'
(eighth letter) Sacramento Bee, 31 March 2002
Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war
Woodbury Voices, 27 March 2002
Gays in the Military
New York Times, 20 March 2002
A Plea to America, From a Friend
New York Times, 16 March 2002
Nuclear Planning: A Threat to Peace?
New York Times, 13 March 2002
Dangerous Military Aid
New York Times, 8 March 2002
Invading Iraq
(eighth and ninth letters) Sacramento Bee, 5 March 2002
Is Bush's war just a distraction?
Jacksonville Florida Times Union, 28 February 2002
Consider the real reasons for going after Saddam
(3rd – 5th letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 20 February 2002

'Bush Knew'

Bush did nothing to prevent 9/11
Boston Globe, 8 September 2004
Rice on 9/11: Did White House Do Enough?
New York Times, 10 April 2004
Ashcroft And Memo
(second letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 27 May 2002
Sept. 11 response draws attention from problems
(first letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 24 May 2002
Administration's assertion is pretty hard to swallow
(first three letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 18 May 2002

Rebutting the 'Spin'

Democrats Want Clear Election Rules
New York Times, 22 June 2002
Democrats have good military record from their veterans
Athens Banner-Herald, 1 May 2002
Plenty in GOP could be used as examples of draft dodgers
Athens Banner Herald, 4 April 2002
Conservatives ignore how few of their leaders are veterans
Athens Banner Herald, 4 April 2002
'Conservative crybabies'
(ninth letter) Sacramento Bee, 31 March 2002
Fed-Up Voters
Also: "Gore and Greens"
(fifth and ninth letters) San Francisco Chronicle, 6 March 2002

George W. Bush

Presidential lies resulted in more than 1,000 American troops dead
Northwest Indiana News, 26 September 2004
The President's Moment
New York Times, 4 September 2004
The president is a liar
Modesto Bee, 29 June 2004
Bush Ad Crass
Woodbury Voices, 24 March 2004
Time for Regime Change in the U.S.
Woodbury Voices, 24 March 2004
Bush needs to back up assertions with facts
New York Times, 18 March 2004
Exploitation of Sept. 11
Boston Globe, 14 March 2004
Bushspeak: Oh my God!
Boston Globe, 14 March 2004
Bush betrays US core values
Boston Globe, 8 January 2004
A make-believe president
Boston Globe, 5 December 2003
We must challenge lies, half-truths
Boston Globe, 23 November 2003
Presidential Lies
Lakeland Ledger, 24 September 2003
Bush's policies need rethinking
Beaufort Gazette, 1 September 2003
In the line of duty
Boston Globe, 29 August 2003
Dressing up President Bush
Sacramento Bee, 11 May 2003
Bush should keep faith to himself
Sacramento Bee, 27 March 2003
Nation Declines
Lakeland Ledger, 18 February 2003
Count me among those who think Bush is out of control
(8th letter) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 5 February 2003
'Will of the voters' pointed to Gore
Spokane Spokesman-Review, 3 February 2003
Are You Better Off Today?
Lakeland Ledger, 18 January 2003
Time to question country's leaders
Hendersonville Times-News, 18 January 2003
Bush's Global Strategy
New York Times, 24 October 2002
Bush ignores opportunity to lead by good example
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 13 October 2002
Bush will settle for nothing short of ruling the world
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 29 September 2002
Brought to tears by Bush
(third letter) Stars and Stripes, 1 September 2002
It seems fund raising is president's priority
(second letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 5 September 2002
Where's The Outrage?
(third letter) San Francisco Chronicle , 2 September 2002
Bush wants to keep country in constant state of war
Savannah Morning News, 23 August 2002
Wherever Bush goes, expensive party is held
(seventh letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 24 August 2002
Always blaming Clinton is getting old
(first letter) Toledo Blade, 31 July 2002
Questioning administration is unpatriotic?
(first letter) Toledo Blade, 15 July 2002
On what authority does Bush act?
(fourth letter) St. Petersburg Times, 27 June 2002
Castro's criticisms raise right issues about Bush
(third letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 6 June 2002
Subpoenas wouldn't be needed if Bush/Cheney were honest
Athens Banner-Herald, 31 May 2002
There's no value in pie-in-sky schemes
(third, fourth, and fifth letters) spi, 1 June 2002
Frat-Brat In Paris
(third letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 29 May 2002
Bush not one to talk about fair elections
(fourth letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 24 May 2002
A web of secrecy around Bush
(first letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 25 May 2002
Imagine the outcry if a Democrat stonewalled
(seventh letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 26 May 2002
Bush thumbs his nose at boundaries of authority
(fifth letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9 May 2002
Bushes don't shed tears for others with problems
(second letter) Savannah Morning News, 11 May 2002
As America Spurns Another Treaty
New York Times, 8 May 2002
Does the U.S. have a foreign policy?
San Francisco Chronicle, 28 April 2002
Bush and F.D.R.
New York Times, 25 April 2002
Bush's take on Venezuela shocking
(sixth letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 18 April 2002
Venezuela's Democracy, and Ours
New York Times, 17 April 2002
Democracy Wins
(third letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 17 April 2002
Bush's Welfare Proposal
New York Times, 14 April 2002
International Court: U.S. on the Sidelines
New York Times, 14 April 2002
Americans should question Bush's policies
(seventh letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 13 April 2002
The Treaty-Shy U.S.
New York Times, 9 April 2002
Mail Shots
(first through third letters) San Francisco Chronicle, 7 April 2002
Dissing Presidency
(third letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 4 April 2002
President's 'polishers' really earn their salaries
(first and second letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 3 April 2002
Speaking of Religion
New York Times, 3 April 2002
Tough guy?
Lawrence Journal-World, 2 April 2002
Public Housing Evictions Unjust
(first letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 29 March 2002
Bush and his party fund military but not Medicare
(third letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 29 March 2002
Bush On Latin Trade
(second and third letters) San Francisco Chronicle, 28 March 2002
Bush exacerbates the dangers country faces
(second letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 22 March 2002
Zimbabwe Election
(sixth and seventh letters) San Francisco Chronicle, 19 March 2002
President or fundraiser?
(third through sixth letters) St. Petersburg Times, 13 March 2002
Dubya's Dynasty nothing but trouble
(second letter) Toledo Blade, 9 March 2002
We're Bitter Because He Didn't Win a Majority
(near bottom of page) OpinionJournal, 8 March 2002
Bush as president
(sixth and seventh letters) Sacramento Bee, 5 March 2002
Bush not likely to set dogs on corporation
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11 February 2002
Bush Poll Numbers Increase Danger
San Francisco Chronicle, 10 February 2002

Corporate Scandals

Saving the S.E.C. From Itself
New York Times, 2 November 2002
Rudderless ship of state is headed for nearest reef
(third through sixth letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 12 July 2002
Corporate integrity in short supply here
(first and second letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11 July 2002
Bush doctrine on corporate corruption
(first through sixth letters) San Francisco Chronicle, 10 July 2002

Enron

Bush and Enron -- If the Scandal's Shoe Fits, Wear It
(first letter) Lakeland Ledger, 18 July 2002
Stop blaming Clinton for Enron mess
(fourth letter) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8 February 2002

White House Secrecy

Invasions of Privacy
New York Times, 21 April 2002
Questioning Tom Ridge
New York Times, 24 March 2002
There's nothing about Bush's proposal reader likes
(second and third letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11 March 2002
Cheney vs. the GAO
(first letter) Sacramento Bee, 5 March 2002
I want to know who is meeting behind closed doors in the White House
New York Times, 18 February 2002

Alaska National Wildlife Refuge

Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will profit oil interests, won't address oil dependency
Athens Banner-Herald, 24 March 2002
No environmental or economic reason to drill
(last letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 5 March 2002

Energy Policy

Taylor's view of energy future is very outdated
(fourth and fifth letters) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 13 April 2002
Energy Chief's Duty
New York Times, 29 March 2002
Nuclear Trash Cans? Not in Nevada's Yard
New York Times, 16 March 2002
Fuel efficiency will lessen our dependence
(sixth letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 12 March 2002
Conservation? Just Ask
New York Times, 7 March 2002
Readers weigh in on Yucca Mountain site
Reno Gazette-Journal, 23 February 2002

The Environment

Unwanted in Montana
New York Times, 8 April 2002
Value of Ecosystems
New York Times, 23 March 2002
Fuzzy Math on Greenhouse Gas
New York Times, 19 February 2002

The Value of Dissent

United States Needs Loyal Opposition For Balance
Lakeland Ledger, 18 November 2002
People have obligation to voice their concerns
(2nd letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 28 September 2002
Dissent Is Critical
(third and fourth letters) San Francisco Chronicle, 6 July 2002
Will I Be Arrested for Writing a Letter?
(first letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 6 June 2002
Citizens can speak out
Jacksonville Times-Union, 5 June 2002
Our American values are being threatened
(first letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 4 June 2002
Cheney insults people who have questions
(sixth letter) Seattle Times, 29 May 2002
Government afraid of those who disagree
(last letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 25 April 2002
It’s time for loyal opposition to speak out
(first letter) Toledo Blade, 19 March 2002
If we lose freedom, bin Laden wins
(first and second letters)San Francisco Chronicle, 19 March 2002
A Duty to Question
New York Times, 18 March 2002

The Budget, the Economy, and Tax Cuts

Squeezing the Poor
New York Times, 10 February 2003
Investment Tax Cuts
New York Times, 10 February 2003
Assisting the Poor
New York Times, 26 January 2003
Tax Breaks for S.U.V.'s
New York Times, 25 January 2003
Rich get richer while the poor suffer under Bush's plan
Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, 22 January 2003
Bush and Co. don't seem to care about average folk
(first letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 14 January 2003
DeLay and the Jobless
New York Times, 14 January 2003
Social Security Tricks
New York Times, 22 June 2002
Bush squandered surplus
(fifth letter) Florida Times-Union, 16 May 2002
Right wing a threat to Social Security
(fourth letter) St. Petersburg Times, 15 April 2002
Medicare Cuts
(fifth letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 19 March 2002
Bush proposal amounts to Band-Aid solution
(second letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 12 March 2002
Giveaway to rich has nothing to do with fairness
(fifth letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 12 March 2002
Bush is taking us down wrong path
Spokane Spokesman-Review, 7 March 2002

The Courts

Bush and the Bench
New York Times, 12 March 2003
Faith and the Judiciary
New York Times, 8 April 2002
Insensitive in the Senate
New York Times, 9 March 2002

The War on Terror

Only Path to Security
New York Times, 29 October 2002
Oppressors of Women
New York Times, 25 June 2002
Hard Lessons, Born of Tragedy
New York Times, 25 June 2002
Homeland Security
(sixth and seventh letters) San Francisco Chronicle, 24 June 2002
New secretary would be ready to hang 'em high
(second letter) Savannah Morning News, 15 June 2002
New rules won't fix bumbling FBI
(first letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 1 June 2002
Homeland gullibility
Sacramento Bee, 13 May 2002
Americans must debate war on terrorism
(last letter) Billings Gazette, 24 March 2002
The Enemy Is Poverty
New York Times, 11 March 2002
Nuclear Threats, Real and Imagined
New York Times, 7 March 2002
An Afghan Nightmare?
New York Times, 5 March 2002
32 blocks from Ground Zero
TruthOut, 14 February 2002

John Ashcroft

Ashcroft steps way out of line
Las Vegas Sun, 18 October 2002
Ashcroft's Beliefs
New York Times, 22 April 2002
Court doesn't allow Ashcroft's agenda
(first letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 21 April 2002
Announcing Indictments
New York Times, 15 April 2002

President Clinton's Legacy

You can't blame this on Clinton
Port Charlotte Sun-Herald, 11 September 2002
Political party infighting just as much to blame
(first letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 1 June 2002
Parties were on flip side when Clinton reigned
(fourth letter) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 16 May 2002
Anti-Clinton reader needs to cite sources for his claims
Athens Banner-Herald, 11 March 2002

Politics in General

Race Stoked GOP's Rise
Washington Post, 6 September 2004
Electronic Voting: Not Ready for Prime Time
New York Times, 7 February 2004
Election Scandals, Past and Future
New York Times, 4 December 2003
Separating government from its people
(2nd letter) Christian Science Monitor, 21 October 2002
The GOP has its own brand of voter fraud
(last letter) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 15 October 2002
Ken Lay, $103 million; mothers, $100 million
(fifth letter) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 June 2002
Religious fanatics stand in the way of medical research
(second letter) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 6 June 2002
Diplomats Bicker, Young Girls Suffer
New York Times, 13 May 2002
Liberals show problems out of love for country
(fourth letter) Savannah Morning News, 15 April 2002
Mail shots
(second through fourth letters) San Francisco Chronicle, 24 March 2002
Who Will Treat Elderly Patients?
New York Times, 19 March 2002
Gop Ruins Its Chance
(second letter) San Francisco Chronicle, 8 March 2002

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