Inmate healthcare is fine

Re: your April 15 article, "Inmate health plan may cut into budget":

California lawmakers say a request to spend $7 billion to improve medical and mental healthcare for prison inmates could mean deeper budget cuts to other state programs.

After reading that article, I became outraged. I cannot believe this. It is a travesty.

What other programs? The schools have already suffered. Also, where is all the lottery money going? In someone's pockets.

My husband doesn't have medical insurance. He's been laid off. Maybe he should break the law so he can get it for free. What's happened to California? We voted for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, believing he was different and that he would help California schools and the people. Instead, he supports $6 billion to build additional medical units and $1 billion to retrofit existing infirmaries.

I say, let the inmates go without, just like the rest of us. The way our economy is today, how can this be justified?

How can these people in power sleep at night?

— Marilyn Rodriguez, Simi Valley

Gas-tax holiday only temporary

Re: your April 16 article, "McCain advocates suspension of gas tax":

Isn't it great that Sen. John McCain is calling for a "gas-tax holiday"? Thanks, but no thanks. The petroleum companies will be so quick to directly offset the price at the pump, it's likely we'll never see it. The industry enjoys seeing the pump price near $4 a gallon, and changing it lower could be a visual disservice to them. At the end of the "holiday," placing the tax back on the pump would, in effect, create another 18.4-cent-a-gallon increase. Since the fuel industry only seems to operate at nine-tenths of a penny, make that a 0.189-cent increase.

— Mike McDermott, Thousand Oaks

Obama disappoints

I thought I actually had someone to vote for — not the lesser of evils. I thought Sen. Barack Obama would be different and a step away from the norm. Then I came to realize his brain has not quite solidified yet.

When asked about children, he said his children were a miracle. When asked if later in life his daughter became pregnant, what would he do, he said he would not make her be punished with a baby. He makes miracles, and the rest of us make punishments.

Then he said we get desperate and turn to guns and religion. I have no time for religion, but my creator and redeemer play an important part in my life, and he has done more for me than any politician. And my rifle has put a lot of food on a lot of people's tables.

How many meals has Obama missed? How many girls has he rescued from incredibly cruel pimps? He needs to get his hands dirty and feel what he claims to feel. Watching something on TV is not the same as doing it.

— Jim Barros, Simi Valley

Pope cartoon offensive

Re: John Sherffius' April 17 Opinion page cartoon:

I saw the "cartoon" lampooning Pope Benedict, titled "Deeply ashamed."

As a Catholic who has followed the events in our archdiocese, I have been encouraged at what I have seen the church doing to correct this terrible wrong to children and all Catholics. I was gratified to hear the pope and know the issue is being faced at the highest levels.

The Star's cartoon was deeply offensive to me and, I'm sure, to all Catholics who know the shame expressed and the resolve the pope has to rid the church of this problem.

I will find it difficult to read The Star without thinking that there is a bias against Catholics that I cannot accept.

— Angelo P. Calfo, Thousand Oaks

Professor on right track

According to Snopes.com, it's true that Professor Indrek Wichman of Michigan State University sent an e-mail telling Muslim students to leave the country.

Why do we never read articles like this in the newspapers? Is it a case of the newspapers being afraid to print the truth, afraid that these "peace-loving Muslims" will come in the dark of night with their faces covered and in the name of their Allah burn down buildings? I and a lot of other Americans agree with Wichman and think it is time our media quit supporting these barbarians and any others who don't like America and put them on a slow boat back to their native homelands.

And while we are at it, we should give the Jane Fondas and the Rev. Jeremiah Wrights the Benedict Arnold treatment and never let them set eyes on the United States for the rest of their lives.

I know that this is too strong a message for The Star to print, but isn't that sad that I don't have a First Amendment right.

— Stephen J. Sampson, Simi Valley