Our foreign automakers have been given the green light over the past four decades to proceed with sales in the United States. Our government has handcuffed our domestic automakers by allowing unionized management to demand excessive salaries and benefits that reached double the nation's average pay and benefits. Currently, the cost of building a car in the United States is approximately 15 percent more than its finished valued. No one can blame the foreign automakers for taking advantage of this kindness. As you have recently heard, the results of this gift are costing us more than $100 billion, and the industry is in limbo. Our kind government in action.

The recent increase in auto sales has increased the foreign auto sales much more than sales of our vehicles. Also, many of the clunkers were not operative, and when traded in for a new vehicle, it put a vehicle on the road that would chalk up double the mileage of the clunker that was traded in.

When the foreign auto makers have their board meetings, there must be some hilarious laughs at what we are doing for their businesses. I'm sure the question is, Have they lost their minds?

Millions of American families and thousands of businesses are seeing their hard-earned monies being handed to the auto industry, and the foreign automakers are getting the better part of the gifts. The taxpayers do not need to have their dollars distributed to companies that do not work as hard and yet pay far in excess of the average American wage.

Karl Barbee Garner

Cartoon wasn't funny

Your Aug. 5 cartoon depicting Sarah Palin as America's crazy ex-girlfriend was not amusing or funny in any way, in my opinion. In the cartoon, men were having a conversation about Palin. Could it be that men, at least some of them, feel threatened by a conservative, intelligent, articulate, outspoken, beautiful woman who exhibits outstanding leadership abilities and high morals?

Iris H. Sullivan Macon