Reply All | Letters: The 10.21.12 Issue

I thought your cover illustration told the whole story of Paul Ryan. Like a perfect koan, nothing more could have been added — the boy is a cartoon. The entire presidential campaign has become an exchange of non sequiturs in place of serious argument. A cartoon campaign is not worthy of a democratic society. EMANUELE CORSO, Penasco, N.M.

Beneath Ryan's aw-shucks Midwestern bonhomie and earnest policy-wonkish demeanor beats the heart of a hard-core trickle-down plutocrat. He cannot hide his penchant for privatizing Medicare and Social Security. But what makes the prospect of a Romney-Ryan victory truly frightful is the presence of the foreign-policy adviser Dan Senor and his Straussian ilk. The United States can ill afford another war of choice — against Iran, Syria or any member of the fungible axis of evil. Fifty years ago, J.F.K. chose jaw-jaw over war-war in defusing the Cuban missile crisis. Détente and diplomacy appear to be missing from the gospel according to Representative Ryan and Governor Romney. ROSARIO A. IACONIS, Adjunct Professor of Economics and Political Science, Briarcliffe College, Bethpage, N.Y.

That Ryan is a "professor" is a big part of the hype that Mark Leibovich bemoans between the lines. And Congressional Republicans are more than happy to feed the hype. National Review's Robert Costa, for instance, wrote in August that Ryan's fellow members, especially the Tea Party-rich freshman class of 2010, are like "students.". . . Paul Ryan is a "professor" to the extent that his "students" are woefully and comically underinformed. And it is on the back of this ignorance that Paul Ryan the ideologue may ride into the U.S. Naval Observatory. SCOTT GALUPO, in the State of the Union blog on theamericanconservative.com

Regarding Ryan's PowerPoint on the national debt, the importance lies not with citing concepts that are beyond the grasp of "fifth graders" but in taking the matter seriously. We do; the left doesn't. And yes, it is mathematically and politically possible to remain revenue neutral by leaving effective tax rates in place while broadening the base and lowering marginal rates. Of course, all clamor for details on which deductions, credits or incentives will be eliminated. Those items get negotiated in committee and caucuses, do they not? Finally, some of your characterizations of Ryan, when juxtaposed with his rivals, are striking. You write of a "full-faced smirk" coming from Ryan, yet Joe Biden's debate behavior merits only a euphemistic label of "amped-up mannerisms." JOHN J. MADDENTE, Delafield, Wis.

THE WHITE-HOT MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

Excellent reporting from Afghanistan, but the headline focuses on the negative. The important part of this article is the security chief who is trying to maintain order, the old man who oversees the water distribution and the hospital staff that soldiers on despite few supplies. It is the ability of so many people to do the right thing in such a fierce environment that most impresses me. STEPHEN LANDRIGAN, West Roxbury, Mass., posted on nytimes.com

When Bush proclaimed his axis of evil, Iran was a possible ally in the struggle against the Taliban. In fact, Iran had a better record in opposing the Taliban than the United States at that time. Iran-backed political leaders like Ismail Khan were the ones fighting the Taliban. Luke Mogelson shows the possible costs to the United States and to the anti-Taliban movement of persistence in foolish ideology. Iran was — and perhaps still is — the natural ally in fighting the Taliban. IAN BEDFORD, Sydney, Australia, posted on nytimes.com

'IF YOU FIX CITIES, YOU KIND OF FIX THE WORLD'

We just returned from Las Vegas, where we spent a good amount of time downtown. Tony Hsieh's vision is working — restaurants are sprouting up, arts festivals are happening on a regular basis, there's a thriving farmers' market and the area seemed safer than the last time I was there. It's a nice break from the strip — people are friendlier, the vibe more relaxed. SAMUEL MORGENSTEIN, Toronto, posted on nytimes.com

I applaud the effort to reinvigorate a community, but I'm also curious about Hsieh's choice of Vegas, considering the dire future of water in that region. Maybe Hsieh can apply his prodigious talents to sustainable solutions on that front. PEGGY GILGES, Charlottesville, Va., posted on nytimes.com

DO C.E.O.'S MAKE GOOD PRESIDENTS?

Once upon a time, the country had a president who had been a brilliant mining engineer and an extremely successful businessman and later a humanitarian. His name was Herbert Hoover. We all know how that turned out. JOHN BINKLEY, Franklin, N.C., posted on nytimes.com

T.C. BOYLE, DOOMSDAY PREACHER

I am saving that moment when I can use the expression, "My dear fellow," as T.C. Boyle's affectionate condescension here. @rockcru, via Twitter

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