Your paper delights in referring to Ralph Nader as being driven by "ego" [e.g., Winners & Losers, WW, Sept. 15, 2004]. Do you happen to know the derivation of this charge? In 2000, Gore sent a dozen liberal notables across America, and at each stop their job was to discredit Nader. This created some difficulty, since any fool could tell that Nader's analysis was vastly superior to the gibberish Gore was putting out. So rather than contest Nader on the merits, Gore's spin doctors told these notable liberals that their message was to be that Nader was just an "egotist." Now we hear the same line parroted by all your young writers, who presumably believe that they thought it up all by themselves.

Does it matter to you that serious people were urging Nader to run for 20 years before he was even willing to consider it? Or that Nader almost never talks about his deeds, despite having a record of accomplishment which dwarfs that of John Kerry (or any other presidential candidate within distant memory). While Kerry also rarely speaks of his own "accomplishments" in Washington, this is presumably because he has so few. Perhaps an accurate measure of his ego is that he seems to have had a cameraman handy to record his every sloggy step during his four months on the Mekong Delta.

Nader ran for president when he could no longer accomplish things in Washington, D.C. Democrats had joined Republicans in selling out to big corporations, leaving the nation's capital as "corporate-occupied territory." Understanding the stakes might cause reasonable people to do all in their power to restore sovereignty to human beings. That is what Nader is trying to do, and it is an effort which your paper should deal with thoughtfully, and perhaps even with some respect.

Gregory Kafoury
Oregon campaign coordinator
Nader/Camejo 2004

HOGS OUT OF WATER

Your "Hydro Hogs IV" story of Sept. 8, 2004, was entertaining and informative.

I suggest that the lucky winners of the Hydro Hog contest be provided with a copy of Marc Reisner's book Cadillac Desert to read while undergoing the Chinese Water Torture. For Dr. William Coit, a trip to Death Valley without water might heighten his appreciation that life on our troubled planet is not sustainable without fresh water.

Good citizenship should not await a government announcement that there is a water shortage. Water is critical to human survival.

Gordon Berg
Northeast 64th Avenue

NO ON 35

Did you know it is easier to check the background on a contractor remodeling your kitchen than it is to find out if your surgeon has a history of negligence ["Hospital, Heal Thyself," WW, Sept. 15, 2004]? Well, it's true. It is almost impossible to find out if your doctor has a history of reckless or negligent behavior. If we want to improve patient safety, we should crack down on reckless and negligent doctors.

Measure 35 won't do anything to improve patient safety, and it will hurt Oregonians. Before we amend the Constitution, we should try something less drastic. Voters should reject Measure 35.

Brian Mork
Southeast 35th Place