While I think everyone is pleased that the Governor has restored funding to allow North Attleboro to rehire firefighters, I can't help but think they never should have been laid off in the first place. These folks work too hard and have far too dangerous a job to be used as political chess pieces.

Governor Patrick is providing stimulus money from the Obama Gravy Train. It's the first instance I have heard that the "Stimulus" money for something that actually creates jobs; $75 million dollars from this fund went to re-building five border crossing shacks with Canada. These crossings, which already had fairly decent facilities, have an average of two cars per day each.

Returning this money to the taxpayers while trying to get political capital out of its distribution is analogous to a bank robber stealing a million dollars, then returning one or two dollars. Its not an even exchange, and had we employed a few less hacks in this state with do-nothing six figure jobs, we would never have had to layoff any teachers or firefighters to begin with. Instead, we save jobs that never should have been lost.

There were more than enough projects, such as roofs for schools, elderly complexes and other government buildings that would have put people to work right away, but instead we spend money on projects that are years away. The state stole money from cities and towns, then showed up to save the day with money borrowed from my grandchildren. Just type in "stimulus waste" to any Internet search engine for an eye opening look.

The White House can claim millions of jobs "saved" all they want. (No economist has shown a formula or statistics on how they come up with these pretend numbers). The fact of the matter is that the unemployment rate is rising, the stimulus is being spent on pork and not a lot of jobs are being created. Someone needs to tell Mr. Obama that his Presidency is sinking fast.

Gary Johnson, North Attleboro

Picture future where elders are put to death

To the editor:

Breitbart News has recently uncovered a truly shocking video, now posted on Youtube, and can be found by searching, "Robert Reich: What An Honest President Would Say About Health Reform." The audio is of Robert Reich speaking at UCLA Berkeley on Sept. 26, when he was an advisor to presidential candidate Barack Obama. Reich, while addressing the subject of health care reform, said, "We're going to have to; if you're very old... we're going to let you die."

I did not take his words out of context. The context of his remarks were stated by himself within the first 35 seconds of the video, where he says that no one is willing to speak the truth about health care reform.

Robert Reich, advisor to candidate Barak Obama at the time he gave this speech, told his listeners at UCLA Berkeley, on September 26, 2007, that no candidate is willing to speak the truth about health care reform, but that health care is, "too expensive," and that the solution was to let the very old die.

The liberal Democrat health care reform being discussed in the U.S. Senate right now claims to cut Medicare expenditures by $500 billion. Just where do you suppose liberal Senate Democrats expect to cut $500 billion from Medicare? If you guessed, "By cutting health care to the very old and letting them die," you are correct!

Now is the very time to inundate our two U.S. Senators, John Kerry and Paul Kirk, with faxes, phone calls, letters and emails to oppose the current Senate Democrat health care reform effort and try to save the lives of our elderly from the liberal Democrat "health care reform" proposal.

Harold F. Crowell North Attleboro

She's well qualified to

serve on Attleboro council

To the editor:

It is my pleasure to write this letter endorsing Cherie Felos, candidate for Ward 1 city councilor.

I have known Cherie for close to 10 years. Cherie and I served on a city board together that I chaired and she vice-chaired. Only because of her support and enthusiasm I was allowed to do this. She has played an active role in politics and worked on numerous campaigns since I have known her. Besides being politically savvy and wise to the ways of the world, she recently obtained her law degree. Going to law school is tough enough, but doing it as a mother of five is a testament to her ability to overcome and achieve.

It is with that same drive and determination that I know she will represent Ward 1. She is energetic, caring, and compassionate. Ward 1 would be lucky to have Cherie Felos as their representative on the municipal council.

Please vote Cherie Felos for Ward 1 city councilor on Nov. 3.

Mark DesLauriers

Attleboro

He's shown devotion

to solving problems

To the editor:

My son Joe Lazzerini is running for Ward 1 city council and I ask you to support him. My son had to earn my vote just like he is going to earn yours on Nov. 3.

My son has always been an active member of the community. When he was 10 he went out to raise money after seeing an animal control officer on TV talking about the shelter and its needs. He raised a little over $100. Two years later he started a non-profit organization to raise money for cancer research and got his friends involved in the community.

My son has always cared about the environment and that's why he has organized community cleanups in South Attleboro. Joe also received the 2006 Community Excellence Award for his work with people with disabilities through the Arc of Northern Bristol County.

When he told me he wanted to run for city council, like any parent would, I asked him why and we talked in detail about all of his community service efforts to date and what he would like to accomplish for our community. My son knows what real public service is and he has always been a strong and engaged listener; as a councilor I know we can count on him to listen to the taxpayers. I am proud of my son and I am asking you to vote for Joe because I know that he will bring the same level of dedication and passion to the city council that he has committed to all of his endeavors to date. Go for Joe Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Natalie Emerson

South Attleboro

Put this hard worker

on Attleboro council

To the editor:

My son Joe Lazzerini is a candidate for Ward 1 councilor and he is also in the Army Reserves. He has committed himself to running for office because he believes in public service and has a passion for working hard for our community. Joe has always been committed to service and the Army Reserves have strengthened his commitment.

The Reserves have strengthened his leadership skills and his ability to build consensus in order to reach shared goals. It has also taught him about listening and attention to detail. I know that if we elect Joe on Nov. 3, Ward 1 will have a city councilor who has already benefited greatly by serving our community and country. Joe is a listener; he's an effective communicator and he works hard to really dig into issues and gain a complete understanding of complicated problems.

The campaign he's run has been typical Joe - you've probably met him as he's energetically gone door to door asking for votes and listening to the concerns of his neighbors or seen him doing a visibility or attending city council meetings.

He's a hard worker and I have no doubt that he'll work just as hard on the council as he has on the campaign trail. Joe has proven to me he is up for the job and on Tuesday, Nov. 3, I hope you will join me and cast your ballot for Ward 1 city councilor for Joe Lazzerini.

Kevin Emerson

South Attleboro

She'll champion needs

of Attleboro students

To the editor:

This is a letter in support of Jackie Romaniecki for the Attleboro School Committee.

Jackie and I have been colleagues and friends for almost 30 years. I know how dedicated she is to supporting and enhancing education in her community.

Jackie is a problem solver. She has spent countless hours researching educational issues with the aim of improving teaching and learning.

She stays current on important legislative issues, particularly those concerning education. One thing that has always impressed me is her belief in educational opportunities for all students - those who are especially talented, the mainstream (average) students, and those who are physically or mentally handicapped.

Although she may on the surface appear quiet or reserved, I can attest to the fact that when it comes to children, she is a staunch supporter of their rights to the best education that can be provided.

In this difficult economic climate, I know that Jackie will fight for what is educationally and economically possible for the Attleboro community, and I am proud of her past accomplishments and endeavors on behalf of all students.

Carolyn Smith

Norton

He's got qualities

that Attleboro needs

To the editor:

I am writing in support of Richard Conti for city councilor at large. Rick brings a wealth of experience in city government and local civic organizations, but I have always been most impressed with his true passion for serving this community.

More importantly, Rick delivers results. Recently my husband and I were fortunate to work with Rick and the Attleboro Rotary Club on the club's yearly charity auction. Rick played a major role in leading the effort to transform the auction by creating an online bidding format. The auction was hugely successful and the beautiful new playground at Nickerson Field is a direct outcome of this project. This is just one example of the many ways I have seen Rick make valuable contributions to improve our community.

I am confident that Rick's unique combination of experience, leadership, creativity and dedication to this city will serve us well. Please join me in voting for Rick Conti on Nov. 3.

Leda Notchey

Attleboro

Fresh perspective would be

welcome on Attleboro council

To the editor:

Joseph Lazzerini is a candidate for Ward 1 city councilor and I think he deserves a chance to serve the community in that role.

Joseph has been active serving the community with the best interest of its citizens at heart.

Although Joseph is a young man, he is old enough to vote and to serve his country in the Army Reserves and should be given an opportunity to sit on the city council. He has a fresh, young perspective that will bring new ideas to the council and should be given a place and a voice.

I am giving Joseph a vote, join me.

Irene Davey

South Attleboro

Picture future where

elders are put to death

To the editor:

Breitbart News has uncovered a shocking video, now posted on Youtube, that can be found by searching, "Robert Reich: What An Honest President Would Say About Health Reform." The audio is of Robert Reich speaking at UCLA Berkeley on Sept. 26, 2007, when he was an advisor to presidential candidate Barack Obama. Reich, while addressing the subject of health care reform, said, "We're going to have to; if you're very old we're going to let you die." I did not take his words out of context. The context of his remarks were stated by himself within the first 35 seconds of the video.

Reich told his listeners that no candidate is willing to speak the truth about health care reform, but that health care is, "too expensive," and that the solution was to let the very old die.

The liberal Democrat health care reform being discussed in the U.S. Senate right now claims to cut Medicare expenditures by $500 billion. Just where do you suppose liberal Senate Democrats expect to cut $500 billion from Medicare? If you guessed, "By cutting health care to the very old and letting them die," you are correct!

Now is the very time to inundate our two U.S. Senators, John Kerry and Paul Kirk, with faxes, phone calls, letters and e-mails to oppose the Senate Democrat health care reform effort and try to save the lives of our elderly from the liberal Democrat "health care reform" proposal.

Harold F. Crowell

North Attleboro

Finally, stimulus funds

put to a practical use

To the editor:

While I think everyone is pleased that the governor has restored funding to allow North Attleboro to rehire firefighters, I can't help but think they never should have been laid off in the first place. These folks work too hard and have far too dangerous a job to be used as political chess pieces.

Governor Patrick is providing stimulus money from the Obama Gravy Train. It's the first instance I have heard that the stimulus money for something that actually creates jobs; $75 million dollars from this fund went to re-building five border crossing shacks with Canada. These crossings, which already had fairly decent facilities, have an average of two cars per day each.

Returning this money to the taxpayers while trying to get political capital out of its distribution is analogous to a bank robber stealing a million dollars, then returning one or two dollars.

It's not an even exchange, and had we employed a few less hacks in this state with do-nothing six figure jobs, we would never have had to lay off any teachers or firefighters to begin with. Instead, we save jobs that never should have been lost.

There were more than enough projects, such as roofs for schools, elderly complexes and other government buildings that would have put people to work right away, but instead we spend money on projects that are years away.

The state stole money from cities and towns, then showed up to save the day with money borrowed from my grandchildren. Just type in "stimulus waste" to any Internet search engine for an eye-opening look.

The White House can claim millions of jobs "saved" all they want. (No economist has shown a formula or statistics on how they come up with these pretend numbers). The fact of the matter is that the unemployment rate is rising, the stimulus is being spent on pork and not a lot of jobs are being created.

Someone needs to tell Mr. Obama that his presidency is sinking fast.

Gary Johnson

North Attleboro

Protect personal choice

in all matters of prayer

To the editor:

I think it is high time for Rep. Betty Poirier to sit back and mindfully, meticulously peruse the part of our Constitution and Bill of Rights which clearly and concisely delineates the necessarily legal separation of church and state. No person or organization ever has or ever will have the "right" to force anyone to utter any type of prayer, including one which is a part of any particular religion, in any way, anywhere, at any time.

At a church service, before meals, or on certain other occasions, people may freely choose to pray, or refrain from doing so, if they wish. A strictly voluntary moment of silence, of course, is a sensible, fair, acceptable alternative.

However, children, parents, and school officials including teachers, not any elected or appointed legislative body, are the only ones who should make this decision. Ms. Poirier would never, I firmly believe, stand idly by and allow anyone to pass a mandate abridging or eliminating any of her cherished and hard-won basic, inalienable rights and freedoms. Therefore, she should immediately abandon her ill-conceived attempt to do this to anyone else. Equal rights, practiced equally for and by all, means just what it says, Ms. Poirier.

David Daugman

Attleboro

Be way of politicians

who have 'green view'

To the editor:

I wish folks would get their facts straight about "global climate change." They used to call it global warming. Then, after almost a decade of flat or dropping global temerature, the name was changed to global climate change. Yet they still want to stop what they falsely claimed caused global warming - the use of any fossil fuel.

It is clearly evident that our earth has gone through many cycles of cooling and heating over its lifetime. We are in one of those cycles, which data seems to indicate is going from a heating cycle towards a cooling one. As a young adult in the late sixties, early seventies, I distinctly remember stories of the coming Ice Age. Then, more recently, we saw stories of how the deserts would take over America. I'm sure, based on current conditions, the return of the Ice Age stories is not too far off.

If you want to do something that will help America, look into the so-called "green views" of your potential representatives and bear in mind that if those who thing green get their way, the world will indeed change. But that change may not be as positive a change as they would have you believe.

Joseph Chabot

North Attleboro

Young will be paying

for elders' health care

To the editor:

I am one of those "elitists" who doesn't want a government take over of health-care, and for a number of reasons.

A former secretary of health and human service, administrator for the EPA and former governor of Utah have said in a published report that changes to the health-care bill being considered in Congress have flown under the radar. Changes that equate to income redistribution. The costs of health care will shift from the older, sicklier, higher income folks to the younger, healthier and lower income workers if these components pass Congressional muster.

"Guaranteed issue" means that insurance companies must sell you a policy regardless of any pre-existing health conditions you might have. Simply put, this changes "insurance" to "welfare." Let's call it what it is.

"Community Rating" would limit insurance companies' ability to charge higher rates for higher risk customers.

These two components would be relatively innocuous if healthy young people could simply choose not to purchase health insurance until they were older and more at risk for health problems. But, no.

"Individual Mandate" would require that all workers buy health insurance.

Who wins? Older folks with higher incomes more at risk for health issues who will have their higher costs subsidized by younger healthier folks who are poorer.

Who loses? Everyone else. And when you throw in "the government option" you add a "health- insurer" who can operate perpetually in the red because it can reach into your pocket to make payments. What private business will even want to compete with that , much less be able to?

There are better ideas out there for health care reform, it's just that the proponents of Obama-care don't want free-market solutions that will wrest control of your life from the government.

Henry V. Soldat

Norton

Give fellow soldier your vote in city

I have had the opportunity to work with Joe Lazzerini in the Army as a fellow soldier. I learned quickly that Joe is a hard worker, and once he commits to something he is in it for the long haul.

Joe learns quickly and has common sense. He is going to work hard as a city councilor for Attleboro's veterans and soldiers who are overseas, and I know that he will represent us in a smart and responsible way.

Joe is knowledgeable about so many issues facing the Attleboro community, and has researched those issues thoroughly. One thing I look for when I vote is a candidate's military service, and Joe has that. He is committed to our country and he is committed to Attleboro. I am asking you to vote for a fellow soldier and a friend, Private Joe Lazzerini, on Nov. 3.

Zachary Gleiter

THIS WRITER is an Army private first class stationed at Fort Sam Houston.