Comments about ‘Letter: Lee made a sacrifice’

Lee didn't make the sacrifice. His bank did.

No one forced Lee to run as a senator and if he could not have figured out he couldn't afford a home on what a senator would make then maybe he shouldn't be a senator.

Seriously ???? Seriously ?????

Lee's "sacrifice" was to accept a $400,000 benefit from J P Morgan Chase, in the form of debt forgiveness. It seems to me that the bank is the one that made the sacrifice, except for the fact that it is better characterized as an investment in buying Lee's everlasting devotion and vote on all matters important to the bank.

Lee knew what congress paid before he applied for the job. Once he got the job,, he was unable to make the payment for his house, so he did a short sale and the bank is out $400,000.

Senator Lee decided this powerful prestigious job was worth the money he lost by becoming a senator. To him this was an agreeable trade. His bank, is just out the money however. It didn't get anything in return for its loss of money.

Please explain again how Mr. Lee made a patriotic choice of self sacrifice?

"The good man left behind a very lucrative job to serve his country ..."

I read that the law firm he worked for filed bankruptsey and couldn't pay him the $100,000 they owe him and that led to the need for a short sale. So the question is, did he run for the Senate because he saw the writing on the wall regarding his "lucrative job" and if so, why did he buy the $1.0M dollar house in the first place. Did he really need it? Or would a $400K house been enough to house his family?

I think Senator Lee signed a contract to pay the full price of the house and then, in the end, failed to meet the terms of that contract. Isn't it just that simple?

Mr. Lee knew what the pay was for a Senator, yet he chose to take out a mortgage and even a second. If Senator Lee had a ounce of self respect he would resign today.

Merit has nothing to do with the criticism of Lee. When you dislike him, anything is worth exploiting no matter how trivial.

Further proof that people will believe what they want to believe, regardless of the facts.

Party politics is the #1 priority for many here in Utah. Even if it means calling the selfish and reckless acts of someone, as "sacrificing" and "patriotic."

Oh please. Lee left the taxpayers holding the bag for $400K on his "dream home." Nothing he can say about "living within our means" rings true anymore. Mr. Lee, what you do rings so loudly in my ears I can't hear what you say.

Why dont we just call the 400,000 dollars a campaing contribution. Or some lobbiest bribe. I love how you people use the word patriotic to describe people who are just the opposite. Lee is an obstructionist. He refuses to work with democrats to do anything. He is a total failure, and Utah knows it. Lee is a joke. Utah is a joke. Their senators are a laughingstock to the rest of the nation. Hatch is just like Mitt, he will say anything to get re elected. Trouble is, he will be re elected. Only in the pretty great red state of Utah could this happen. Well maybe in alabama with the snake charmers. Isnt it weird that crazy people are always religious. From muslem extremests, to southern christian snake charmers, to mormons. These people have No place in pollitics, especially in the presidency. OBAMA 2012

I find it offensive that anyone would describe Lee's actions as a sacrifice or as patriotic.

That's spitting on the graves of real patriots and makes a mockery out of people who truly sacrifice.

I'm sorry that Lee couldn't afford his million dollar plus mansion. I'm sorry that he couldn't "live on" 200k per year, health care for life, and all the many other perks that comes with being a senator.

Pathetic!

I think this letter writer is writing sarcastically. I'm sure he doesn't really believe that behavior that is functionally equivalent to stealing money from one's creditors makes someone a patriot.

Hey James, I recall one lawyer built a 7 million dollar house and lost it. He also lost his job at his law firm, remember "One Call That's All"? People ought to start living within their means and buy houses that aren't bigger than the conference center to house their families in. The "Oh I'm a rich lawyer so I have to have a huge house" sounds like many instances in the Book of Mormon regarding the Nephites and their getting rich and arrogant when they are being blessed.

Lee made a choice to run for and get elected to the Senate. He should have had a normal house in an normal neighborhood. Church leaders preach to live within your means. A huge show off house with a huge payment isn't doing that. Take Kearns for instance. We have many houses that are just fine to raise a family in. I can afford to move, but what is the point? Do I want to show off? No, I'm just fine where I am. I have a nice comfortable home, recently re-modeled so why move.

Lee deserves any criticism that he gets.

No need to worry. After just a few years as a Senator "serving" his country, Lee will have become a millionaire thanks to the special interests and corporations he will have helped.

To say nothing of the opportunities to be found in insider trading.

"...a truly patriotic sacrifice...".

Truly patriotic sacrifice includes 175k + benefits + lifetime job security (see Hatch).

Good is bad...bad is good...up is down...down is up.

Got it.

" Isnt it weird that crazy people are always religious. From muslem extremests, to southern christian snake charmers, to mormons. These people have No place in pollitics, especially in the presidency."

Perhaps the above is just a little beyond good taste?

Buying a Million $ Home is financially conservative? Wish I could be that conservative. What will he do through the years in Congress?

Sorry, but serving in the Senate is not a sacrifice but an honor. He has to have the people's respect to serve and being hypocritical like that is not respectful. He says the federal government needs to cut back and make these drastic changes which I agree with by all means, but he should practice what he preaches. You serve in the Senate to serve the people and get some recognition; everyone knows that so why hide it? His problems don't disappear because of "patriotism". If he really was patriotic, he would have followed his own example and lived with in his means and not opt himself out from what he demands the country do. I say its fair game to attack this since he violated his own campaign pledge.

Soldiers making $9 an hour, living in tents, and dying are making sacrifes and are patriots.

Utah Senator Mike Lee [Mr. We should be fiscally responsible and live within our means] is nothing more than a Hypocrite, period.