To the Ombudsman of the New York Times

In his 6 Feb 2009 column "Phelps Needs Less Idle Time, Not More", George Vecsey refers to unnamed "studies" that show that marijuana usage affects reasoning (the exact, and oddly pedestrian words were "...there are studies that say the stuff is bad...").

Which studies was he referring to? In a column in which the author condescendingly and flippantly assumes that our country's harsh drug laws are perfectly sensible, he should present the evidence for his view rather than waving his hands towards it.

Sent to the Downers Grove Reporter:

We need to do something, not nothing.

For the last thirty years, our politics have been dominated by anti-government ideology. Look around at the roads, our schools, and our economy. Has this ideology truly improved our lives, or our country? President Obama's stimulus package is necessary to begin to repair the fabric of our society from decades of neglect. Let's support our new President and give him the tools he needs to fix some of our country's problems.