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No one disagrees that all these bailouts are giving the American taxpayer heartburn, but why are the automakers under such tight scrutiny when AIG quickly received about twice as much as the Big Three are asking for? In both cases, awful management created the need for a bailout, but suddenly Congress is getting a conscience about spending our money? Yes, one might say that financial companies are more important, but letting automakers fail could push a bad recession into a depression. Jason Toney, PITTSBURGH, PA.

Our Man Mike

Michael Scherer's review of Mike Huckabee's new book, Do The Right Thing, is an attempt to trivialize the mission of an extraordinary public citizen [Dec. 15]. Instead of noting that TIME once listed him as one of America's five best governors, Scherer identified Huckabee as a "Baptist pastor with crooked teeth," and "Huckabee's America" sounds like something from The Beverly Hillbillies. Those who dismissed Huckabee as a third-tier candidate when he continually argued for energy independence, infrastructure spending and better preventive health care should take a closer look at Barack Obama's priorities. Huckabee's accomplishment was inspiring, his voice was heard, and his book should be read by everyone. David E. Anderson, ELLICOTT CITY, MD.

I Want My 401(k)!

I read Justin Fox's article with horror [Dec. 15]. The basic premise: a government-run pension is more secure than my 401(k). Curiously, I saw no mention of a current government program called Social Security--one the government has handled so expertly I probably will never get to collect from it. Now those same people think they can do better with retirement funds? It is easy to make decisions when the rules don't apply to you. No members of government will have to worry about their pension or medical care. The market works; government does not. Charles van Ravenswaay, HOUSTON

Allowing individuals to invest their savings in real growth opportunities is the best path to financial security. The government cannot guarantee a 3% return over inflation. And we already have a national pension system called Social Security, which is going bankrupt. All pension plans, regardless of the form, depend on real economic growth. You would better serve your readers by educating them to these realities rather than indoctrinating them with the obfuscations of self-serving Democratic politicians. There are real solutions out there. Time should uncover and report them. Thomas Maskell, POLAND, OHIO

What's in the Water

Thanks for the revealing look at the global water crisis, but fixing the problem involves way more than wise use and conservation [Dec. 15]. You failed to mention anything about stewardship of our limited water resources. It doesn't matter how much water we have if it is rendered unsuitable for human use or consumption. We have an additional responsibility to take care of the water we have as if our life depended on it. Water quantity and quality are not mutually exclusive: without clean water, and enough of it, we simply cannot survive. Jennifer Peterson COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS

The Road to Mumbai's Tragedy