City voters want glimpse behind closed doors

In The Sun's account of the success of Question P, the measure that will reshape the City Council, Baltimore City Council President Sheila Dixon explained her opposition to the measure that will reconfigure the council by saying, "The people looking from the outside sometimes don't have a real understanding about what goes on" ("Voters OK reshaping of City Council," Nov. 6).

How ironic that Ms. Dixon's refusal to allow "the people" to have an opportunity to understand "what goes on" by observing council deliberations led an appeals court judge to find the council in violation of the state's Open Meetings Act and thus strike down the council's bid to derail Question P ("Appeals court voids council's election plan," Oct. 1).

The overwhelming support for Question P is a reminder that being denied the insider's view doesn't inspire the city's electorate to defer to the officials "in the know."

Instead, the public has a "real understanding" of the powerful message sent by a closed door: "Something is going on and those of you who are 'looking from the outside' probably won't like it."

Jane Ball Shipley

Baltimore

Lurch to the left hurts Democrats

In the editorial "Democrats bushwhacked" (Nov. 7), The Sun makes the case that the Republican victory was "tactical and not ideological." Nonsense.

The Democratic Party I knew and loved included centrist people of dignity such as Sen. Henry Jackson and Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Those people were strong on defense, weren't craven supporters of unions and meant it when they preached fiscal responsibility.

The Democratic Party of today looks more like picnic day at the University of California at Berkeley. And what is the Democrats' solution to the Nov. 5 losses? To move the party -- and its ideology -- further to the left.

I wish them well on their lonely journey.

Bill Irvin

Woodbridge, Va.

Time for Democrats to sing a new tune

The Democrats lost badly. Why? On the state level, because of their continuing failure to help the very people they claim constitute the party's base and their arrogant assumption that no one would ever dare challenge their candidates, however weak and failure-ridden they might be.

On the national level, the same arrogance led Democrats to demean the president while presenting no ideas of their own, except the same tired criticisms.

Let the Democrats make excuses and The Sun call a mere "tactical" victory for the Republicans ("Democrats bushwhacked," editorial, Nov. 7). Keep on making excuses and presenting the same worn-out views and worn-out candidates.

You'll be doing the Republican Party a great service.

Douglas B. Hermann

Baltimore

Description of Steele carried racist tone

I disagreed with your gubernatorial endorsement ("Townsend for governor," editorial, Nov. 3). However, what motivates me to write is the incredibly racist description of Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s running mate, Michael Steele, whom The Sun says "brings little to the team but the color of his skin." I find this statement so insulting that it makes my skin and stomach crawl.

In addition to practicing law, Mr. Steele has operated a business and consulting firm in Prince George's County. Over the years Mr. Steele's skills as an attorney, speaker and natural leader have always impressed those who have come in contact with him. In 2000, the state's GOP was so pleased with his leadership abilities that he was elected chairman of the Maryland Republican Party.

Mr. Ehrlich made a terrific selection of a running mate.

And I wonder: If Mr. Steele had been the running mate on a Democratic ticket, would The Sun have ever made such a racially insulting remark?

Liz Rubin

North Potomac

Michael S. Steele is a Johns Hopkins University graduate who was student body president of the Class of 1981. He attended Villanova University and received his law degree from Georgetown University.

He is active in politics and is state party chairman for the -- oh, wait, he's a black Republican. Apparently The Sun thinks that makes him an Uncle Tom who can be targeted for his skin color.

Imagine the outcry if Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend had had the courage to select an African-American running mate (say, Kurt L. Schmoke) and The Sun had made the same racist comment about him.

There may be many good reasons to criticize Mr. Steele, but such criticism was conspicuous by its absence from The Sun's editorial.

Please have the courage to stand up and take back your unfair criticism.

Eric Belk

Finksburg

It's the Ehrlich team who played race card

As I read the numerous letters regarding The Sun's remarks on Michael S. Steele "bringing little to the team but the color of his skin" ("Demeaning Steele was truly offensive," letters, Nov. 12), I couldn't help but recall the huge posters outside voting booths throughout the city on Election Day, conveniently in black-majority districts, with a large photo of Mr. Steele and the words: "Let us make history -- first black lieutenant governor."

The Republican's weren't saying, "Vote for us because of what we stand for." They were saying, "Vote for us because Mr. Steele is black."

The posters did not mention Mr. Steele's professional accomplishments, credentials or what he stood for -- only the color of his skin.

So why is it wrong (or, as some have said, racist) for The Sun to mention Mr. Steele's skin color, but acceptable for the Ehrlich team to do so?

I also recall the Ehrlich team stating many times that they would not "play the race card." Well, I saw the race card, and it was 8 feet high near my voting booth.

Joseph Munchel

Baltimore

Divided vote hurts African-Americans

African-Americans have allowed the unthinkable to happen. We allowed our voting power to be split.

The Jewish vote wasn't split, the Republican vote wasn't split -- just the African-American vote.

We deserve what we get.

Charles Woodford

Baltimore

Give freed prisoner a job, living wage

I think that sending Bernard Webster out in the cold is an atrocity ("Wrongfully held 20 years, Md. man to be freed today," Nov. 7).

The justice system is responsible for his spending 20 years in jail by mistake.

The least we could do is give this man a job (preferably with the city) that carries a living wage and a place to live.

Turning our backs on him now is like giving him the death penalty.

Allen W. Czolba

Woodstock