MAILBAG:

Joe Bell’s column (“Compromise is the way to go,” Nov. 13) reflected little insight about the core issues involved in the pro-life platform.

As always, Bell employs his “I’m such a reasonable nice guy” attitude to suggest that both sides should admit abortion is “sorta” wrong.

True pro-life activists fight for what they believe is the preservation and dignity of human life, once it has begun in the womb. They are not reactionary prudes who think sex is dirty and must be punished by the burden of having a child.

When pro-choice advocates can respect that premise, then they will have some common ground to begin discussion. But, frankly, how can you argue with a person who is trying to defend a life that has no voice?

PEGGY NORMANDIN

Costa Mesa

By being elected, Obama refutes reader

I am writing in regard to the triumph of goodwill over narrow-minded thinking.

In the June 18 Pilot, reader Ila Johnson wrote, “....Obama is unelectable. He is fatally flawed and has no chance of overcoming John McCain ... ”

I know we shouldn’t gloat, but ...

BILL BENNETT

Newport Beach

Clean energy will help America

With a new administration coming in, one of the first things on the agenda will be repowering America with 100% clean electricity.

With a 10-year plan, we can expect to see new jobs, stable energy prices, and freedom from dirty fossil fuels and global warming pollution. This can be achieved through energy efficiency, renewable generation and a national unified smart grid. See the plan at repoweramerica.org.

KIVA MORITA

Costa Mesa

Country must stop building coal plants

As important as the economy seems to those of us working, it will mean nothing to generations to come.

How we deal with the true economy, nature, will be remembered by those not yet working, those not yet born.

America needs to bite the bullet and stop building new coal plants. Repowering America with clean energy is something we can do.

We should have acted long ago when the science was first understood. Instead we’ve allowed commercial interest that can’t see past the next quarter’s results to hold sway. Scientists now say we are approaching the tipping point, after which we lose our chance to claim a decent future for our children.

MARK TABBERT

Newport Beach