MAILBAG:

Regarding the letter by Chuck Cassity (“What I’ve learned,” Feb. 13), you really do need to learn some things — especially when you denigrate our president’s qualifications for office.

Two examples: One president who had almost no experience for the office — one weak term in the House of Representatives from Illinois. No other experience, domestic or foreign, except as a self-taught lawyer. Name: Abraham Lincoln.

Another president who presidential historians rank as one of the most qualified to be president in terms of experience — ambassador to foreign countries (Russia, Great Britain), member of the House of Representatives, secretary of state, senator, well educated, etc.

Now rated as the worst president in American History (although many rate “W” as that): James Buchanan.

Chuck, before you go ranting, please learn something about your subject first so the rest of us don’t have to groan intellectually.

DENNIS HURST

Overtime enough to hire more employees

In your newspaper (“Officials: Overtime pay is justified by services,” Feb. 13), it stated that some [city] employees earned as much as $80,000 in overtime pay last year.

Not regular pay but overtime pay.

With people losing their jobs, this overtime that just one person received, could easily employ two or three people and perhaps help them save their homes.

Salaries for city employees are already too high with job security, and liberal health and returned benefits compared to the rest of society.

One employee had 2,323 overtime hours. Say his regular hours are 40 in a week.

This overtime is almost 58 weeks of work (more than a year).

Another had 1,933 hours of overtime (more than $80,000). Divide these numbers and you get $40 an hour.

These and other numbers make you sick.

We need a new city manager and a full public investigation on all city employee salaries and benefits.

I always thought the purpose of government was to serve the public, not themselves.

How naïve can you get!

DON WILLIAMS