Enron Is Not Unique in Its Practices

I read with interest the Dec. 4 letter from R.W. Tolbert on Enron. Yes, Enron did contribute to the Republican Party, but it also contributed to the Democratic Party. In the 2000 election Enron contributed a total of $1.6 million in soft money. Of this total, $532,000 went to Democrats and $1.1 million went to Republicans. This is how politics works; you must hedge your bet.

Enron has been around for years and is not a Republican phenomenon. Commodity trading not involving sales to the public is not necessarily subject to regulation. Enron and its executives are certainly culpable for bad management that resulted in losses to shareholders, losses in employee retirement plans and losses to its creditors.

David G. Sant

Paso Robles

At Enron, the all-powerful market forces have met their match: reality.

Art Hoffmann

Santa Ana