To the editor:

As my good friend Kurt says, it's the same, but different.

The "same" part is Mansfield's town officials spending money the town doesn't have.

The "different" part is that those officials now employ a new tactic: spend and apologize rather than yesterday's more demure approach of threaten and spend.

The latest fiscal fiasco is the cry for an override to support spending on new classrooms. A couple of months ago, it was demonstrated that no override for the schools was warranted, but apparently some irresponsible genius figured that, well, we'll just get the classroom project going, commit to the expenditure, then say "whoops!" No money, so sorry, all we need is a tax override. The "same" part is town officials doing whatever they well please to placate the ever-changing whims of the Volvo-minivan-driving yuppie crowd.

The "different" part is the (apparently) new spending tactic: 'tis easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission routine practiced by so many people these days. This arrogant approach has now all too commonly become business-as-usual.

And, before the ink was dry on this tome, I sadly read Thursday's Chronicle: "Mansfield to ADD additional first grade teacher." The article indicates the superintendent says the money is available. At the very least, let's get our stories straight: either the money is available, or it isn't or it is if an override is passed, or it's the third Thursday in June before the summer solstice.

It would seem the town is being backed up to a position where funding must come from a tax override. The dollars have been committed and there is no money. Unless we lay off some workers, cut some services, and so forth.

Well, guess what, employment is not guaranteed, all services are not constitutionally protected, and there is fat in the budget. The town must not spend what it doesn't have. Every resident needs to reject any override attempt, now and in the future.

Bob Foley, Mansfield

By this standard you can blame GOP as well

To the editor:

On June 15, Joseph Chabot's letter blamed the Democrats in Congress for virtually every bad thing that has happened in this country since January 2007, as though the cause of these problems was solely up to the Congress. Unemployment up to 5 percent last month? The Democrats. OK, so when the unemployment rate went from 4.76 percent in 2001 to 5.99 percents in 2003, that must have been the fault of the Republicans, since they controlled Congress at that time.

Oil prices skyrocket? The Democrats again, since apparently the party controlling Congress is the only force effecting the price of a globally traded commodity. So the production interruptions caused by the Iraq War and the refining interruptions following Hurricane Katrina must have been the fault of the Republicans, who controlled Congress at those times. Foreclosures on the rise? Yep, all because of the Democrats. So the interest-only and other subprime mortgages loaned to people whose income may or may not have been verified, or who didn't fully understand the amount their mortgage payments would rise in four-five years must be the fault of the party controlling Congress when they took out those mortgages, the Republicans.

It is obvious to me that there are many outside forces that affect the American and world economies, that the party in the White House or in control of Congress is not the only, or indeed the main factor in the highs and lows of the economy. It is very disheartening to me that we live in such a divided country that some simply say "It's their fault" because "it" happened on "their" watch. It is time to look at all the reasons behind this country's problems, not to simply point fingers.

Ellen Curran, North Attleboro

Kudos to honors grad for standing for rights

To the editor:

In response to Carolyn McCrosson's guest column June 18, "Top students deserved recognition":

It is obvious to me that your parents raised a very bright, insightful young lady who expressed herself eloquently in the article. They have imbued you with a keen spirit to stand up for what you believe is right.

You, as well as those mentioned in your article, should feel a profound sense of disappointment at your lack of recognition at the graduation. Having worked at the high school, even I was not aware of the rigorous curriculum and activities you had to accomplish to achieve what you did. Although nothing can now be done to make up for the lack of oversight on the part of the administration, we can only hope that this will not occur again.

This all seems very humorous, and at the same time rather sad that this took place at a time when our esteemed superintendent, Pia Durkin, had to take time during a recent school committee meeting to explain why she took school department officials away from their jobs to celebrate the occasion of her daughter's graduation from college.

Wouldn't it have been equally as nice and appropriate to be able to acknowledge those students under her leadership!

Not only were you and your families cheated out of this recognition, your teachers who work extremely hard to prepare you for this occasion were cheated. I know many of those teachers, and I can tell you that they do not look for the glory, the adulation, and the praise; however, a pat on their backs is also appropriate. They do a great job.

Carolyn, I'm sure you as well as myself will anxiously await a response from the superintendent, but do not be surprised if you do not receive one, or if you do it will come with the usual justifications. As long as people in charge can justify anything it makes it right, at least in their eyes.

Congratulations to you and to the entire class of 2008. I wish you all success and happiness.

Howard S. Levine, Attleboro

Committee should do duty on impeachment

To the editor:

The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee refuses to take up Congressman Dennis Kucinich's 35-count resolution for impeachment of President Bush. Is the Judiciary Committee shirking their duty?

We the people should be protected by the action of this committee. The president should also be given the right to defend his actions. All veterans and active military personnel who pledged to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States have a right to know the president is doing just that.

We need to know if liberty is still a protected value here in the U.S. Veterans and all concerned citizens need to inform our U.S. congressmen that we want the U.S. House Judiciary Committee to act on the 35-count resolution for impeachment. I have called my U.S. congressman. Will you?

Arthur Kenyon, Attleboro