Letters to the Editor.

Sam Day Made a Difference

In the 1970s and early 1980s, Sam Day was my mentor, my editor, and, at times, my co-author on articles for The Progressive about the dangers of commercial nuclear power plants and nuclear proliferation ("Sam Day, 1926-2001," Editor's Note, March issue).

He guided me through the scientific jargon of this formidable field so readers could understand the myriad problems faced by radiation workers and the public in this country riddled with leaking radioactive waste dumps, accident-prone nuclear reactors, and spent fuel pools.

Sam was an expert at cutting through mounds of research to the essence of a story. And he encouraged me to stay with a story until it was finished.

I remember Sam suggesting I write about a hypothetical accident involving a meltdown at the Zion Nuclear Station's spent fuel pools in Illinois. That piece took fifteen months and five drafts to complete--with the technical assistance of leading scientists around the country.

But Sam never gave up. He persisted with questions, edits, and comments-until the article was finally published in September 1980. Sam wanted to get the story out, but more than anything, he wanted to get the story right. As always, Sam Day made the difference.

Catherine Quigg Barrington, Illinois

Paycheck Protection Problems

I enjoyed David Moberg's article about the labor movement ("This Time, Labor's Ready") from the February issue. I was just wondering, however, about the reason for opposing the "paycheck protection" law.

I support McCain-Feingold in its current state, but it seems fairly hypocritical to claim that requiring unions to get permission from their members to use their dues money on campaign lobbies is a violation of free speech while labeling corporate donations corrupt. Is there any ideological basis to this claim, or is it merely a way to keep Democratic support for the bill intact?

Two things have become evident through the debate over McCain-Feingold: First, politics will not be free from dirty money until publicly financed campaign laws are passed on all levels of government, and second, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Jay Trucker Collegeville, Pennsylvania

Molly Made Me Sick

Molly, we love you, but your closing reference in "After the Putsch" (February issue) regarding your vote--and mine--for Ralph Nader made me feel like throwing up. You said these votes were cast "in the smug certainty there wasn't a dime's worth of difference between the major...