Our president is asking auto manufacturers to come up with vehicles of increased gas mileage (up to 40 MPG). The process will likely include fat subsidies to accomplish this.

Last week I had the privilege of volunteering at Baxter school as a representative of Junior Achievement. I was in the class of one of the teachers you saw listed in Tuesday's paper (Dec. 11), Ryan Ryshavy, a first-year teacher. He is one of those enthusiastic caring men that you love to see working with children.

During World War II why did our military leapfrog across the Pacific chasing the Japanese until we gained the final victory? Because Franklin D. Roosevelt knew if we didn't finish them off, they'd attack the U.S. mainland next time.

The associate chair of the Crow Wing County DFL offers some more of what can only be taken as biting satire, ala Al Franken, when he tells us that "it is clear (to the associate chair of the Crow Wing County DFL) that Keep America Hooked has become even more important than Keep America Safe among the president's priorities." The associate chair of the Crow Wing County DFL complains that the president has not offered "a cold turkey plan for America's oil addiction."

A recent letter writer reports that "Obama's speech thrilled a massive Berlin crowd" and that Obama had "a 3 to 1 lead" over McCain in Europe and that electing Obama based on his "worldwide popularity can't hurt." How many ways can one guy be wrong?

Spurred on by Sen. McCain's July 28 promise that off shore oil "could be exploited in a matter of months," the clamor to start poking more expensive holes in the ocean floor has reached a crescendo.

Just when all seemed lost on the energy front, Texas oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens rides into town with the Pickens Plan. That plan would replace the 800 billion kwh produced annually in the U.S. by natural gas power plants with power from wind turbines. The gas thus saved would then be available to fuel our cars and trucks with compressed natural gas (CNG), replacing billions of gallons of gasoline annually.

My son's history class at Forestview has 36 students in it. It is also my understanding that there are quite a few classes throughout all grades in the district that also have 30 plus students. Can somebody explain to me why we have now decided to open up our district to open enrollment?

Opponents of constitutional amendments defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman deceptively argue: You can't use civil laws to force your religious views on others.

It seems to be human nature to grumble and complain before we consider what we are complaining about. I, for one, am very thankful four our city's fine street department. In my opinion, they are among the finest in the state.