The Blessings and Curses of Power

As a recently retired Marine Colonel, I was amazed at Jon Meacham's hyperbole in addressing "The Story of Power" (Dec. 29/Jan. 5): "Many right-of-center Americans, too, find the conversation unsettling, for it inevitably leads to thoughts of a governing elite, which conservatives in recent decades have chosen to vilify for rhetorical purposes." For rhetorical purposes? Power is the most dangerous corrosive that human nature has yet to encounter. It works on the mind in a subtle, seductive and insidious fashion that self-justifies its use over time. Meacham speaks of the dark side of power as blithely as one who has never exercised life-and-death authority over fellow humans.
David H. Gurney, Editor Joint Force Quarterly
Washington, D.C.

This year may well be a good time to consider the nature of power, as stated in Jon Meacham's introduction, but it is certainly not the "last year of the first decade of the 21st century." Since the first year of the first century had to be the year 1, then the last year of any decade of a century must be a multiple of 10. To complete the reasoning, 2001 was the first year of the 21st century, and therefore 2010 is the last year of the first decade. Time flies fast enough, so let's not rush it!
Robert T. Foldes
North Bellmore, N.Y.

Reading "Saving the World, One Molecule at a Time" made me shout, "Yes, there is a Santa!" He can be found in the unselfish, brilliant scientist Jay Keasling, who, along with the pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis, will offer their malaria drug at cost to millions of mostly poor recipients. All this when greedy multinational corporations are earning outrageous profits. Wall Street has brought us to our knees, and with little good news in any sector, Jay Keasling and Sanofi-Aventis are bright lights in the darkness.
Theresa Hirschman
Jericho, N.Y.

Bravo! NEWSWEEK's tongue-in-cheek PR prescription for revitalizing the GOP was a hoot ("Your Mission: Resurrect the Republican Brand," PERISCOPE). From the international symbol for first aid made to look like an elephant, to the logo of another elephant looking as if it's about to take a dump on America, I was in stitches. I only wish the list of "re" words for the resurgent GOP had included "reality" and "reason."
Kurt Davis
Placerville, Calif.

© 2009