LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Refreshing Viewpoint

What a refreshing change of viewpoint.

I agree that life's joys are best experienced in a conscious state, and heartily with the writer. It's time to just say "no" to drugs and "yes" to life.

We've been sold a bill of goods in the idea that a pill can solve our problems. No one ever said life is easy all the time. But when we work our way through the problems, we come out the other side stronger and often wiser.

Keep up the good writing!

Judy Carter

Clearwater

Bush A Weapon

Of Mass Destruction

George Bush has spent his entire presidency accusing other countries of concealing WMDs (weapons of mass destruction). Bush's "Captain Ahab" obsession has made America a joke and hated worldwide.

I cringe watching video feed of him stuttering monosyllabic arguments for his agenda, so desperately stumbling for words, he frequently says, "in other words," as if viewers are incapable of understanding the same language skills used by their own elementary school-aged children. Our country currently ranks 24th in high school math and science skills worldwide and Bush, shamefully, reinforces this fact to the world.

He has stood by and watched the United States self-destruct as a direct result of his administration's preoccupation with the Middle East. A preoccupation, documented in a Pentagon brief file, which has identified one out of five military personnel to return stateside, from Middle East service, with severely debilitating physical injuries and/or devastatingly permanent mental defect/damage. This is substantial since Medicare forecasts Iraq war-related disability and ongoing healthcare costs to be $70 billion to $150 billion in 2007 dollars.

Just as his father, the former President Bush, George Bush has sent the U.S. into recession and the worst worldwide stock declines since Sept. 11, 2001. Further humiliating the U.S. (front page of The New York Times) is the recent cash bail-outs from abroad to this country's largest financial institutions. Bush sold us out, and, to the very countries that are poisoning our products, profiting on $100/barrel oil ($45 billion year-end profits for EXXON alone) and not to mention trying to kill us/U.S.

My point is this: If President George Bush wants to find the "Weapon of Mass Destruction" all he need do is look in a mirror!

Garrett Hood

Spring Hill

Drugging Of Children A Diversion From Real Woes

This drugging of our children is a diversion from the real trouble many families face today. It can be socioeconomics, single parent families, insufficient schools, communities lacking resources for kids like after-school programs, respite or parent aids for parents.

It is easier to just label the kids and their parents and drug them. Therapy once a week, the psychiatrist once a month and the filling of prescription poison. I never noticed a change for the better when we were involved with this method of treatment. A whole set of new problems emerged.

It took me years to realize that I should have gone with my intuition of "Just Say No!" to the system that is. Then they say you are non-compliant and neglectful. The school works with the state Division of Children and Families with the courts, and I believe the system is not designed to make you better but to keep you as a forever client.

Data should be gathered on these unfortunate individuals and see that there is a clear pattern here and most end up in the system somehow forever.

Patricia Sabato

Sandyhook, Conn.

Romney Is The

Man For President

As someone who is familiar with liberal commentator Bill Press from his days when he was one of the co-hostsof the old CNN Crossfire program, I read his column that appeared in this past Saturday's edition of Hernando Today, and, despite what he says, the Democrats are deeply afraid of Mitt Romney taking the Republican nomination.

Let's look at the facts. So far, many of these primaries are what are known as open-primaries where anyone can vote for any candidate. Romney has been getting the majority of the Republican vote and Sen. John McCain the independent vote.

If anything, the Democrats are hoping for someone like McCain will get the nomination, knowing that he actually would be the easiest to beat because the most conservative Republicans would not vote for him. Does anyone remember the Keating Five scandal, which included McCain, or that he was the sponsor of the infamous McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Legislation that made it very for incumbents to keep their sets, not to mention his stand on illegal immigration, which amounted to amnesty?

Just because he served in the military does not mean he would make a good president.

As for the other Republicans, Fred Thompson just doesn't seem to have his heart into being in; Mike Huckabee is just another George Bush waiting to happen; Rudy Giuliani has too much baggage; and Ron Paul is not even really a Republican - he's a Libertarian.

No, the only hope to save this country from becoming a socialist country - and trust me on this, that is what the Democrats want to do - it seems to me the only chance right now to keep that from happening is Romney getting the nomination. As a conservative independent, he is the man for me.

Peter Stathis

Spring Hill