Please tell me why the media is not required to verify statements for their veracity.

As Charles Krauthammer stated, there is not a Bush administration ban on stem cell research (“Kerry, Edwards play cruel card by offering false hope,” Oct. 15). It is available along with government grants to groups performing the testing and research. It is an arduous and lengthy scientific research program with a great deal of failure risk.

The perpetual accusations by the Kerry camp of companies moving businesses to less costly manufacturing locales by the Bush administration when Mrs. Kerry has dozens of Heinz plants that have been moved or established in Mexico, Canada and other locations is another hypocritical issue.

Why has Patty Murray bashed Bush for being pro big business when a report by the National Federation of Independent Business documents her voting against several significant issues backed by that organization?

It also reports during the congressional session Sens. Murray, Ted Kennedy, Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Edwards have a 25 percent voting record on issues supported by NFIB. Maria Cantwell shines with 29 percent. These no votes include the Tort Reform Patients First Act and The Jobs Growth Act.

Perhaps these senators are really big business-funded and puppets for the largest donors and wealthiest of all congressional persons. It would appear that the true meaning of the word “report” been distorted to be a “living definition” devised for the convenience of an unreliable, biased media. Presenting distorted views and throwing crumbs to uninformed voters who rely on newspapers and television is apparently the tactic preferred by liberals. A vote for Bush, Rossi and Nethercutt is a step in the direction of honesty and responsibility.

Steve Coleman

Everett