Foxx still has a lot to learn
Editor:
In her latest tirade, Rep. Virginia Foxx laments the federal government's involvement (read "money spent") on public education. Does she cite the highly successful Head Start Program? No (although she has voted against this). Does she cite student loan programs for our college-bound young people? No (although she has voted against this).
Does she cite the federal Pell Grant Program for low-income undergraduates? No (although she voted against this).
Foxx cites the failed Bush policy, "No Child Left Behind," the scourge of public education today. Our teachers are forced to "teach to the test" and our children lose countless classroom hours with practice tests, actual tests, make-up tests, and more tests. But federal dollars are linked to the test results, and our administrators and teachers jump through the hoop not to lose their funds. It is a Bush legacy of folly.
If anyone is wondering, this is the same President Bush who Rep. Foxx enthusiastically and unequivocally supported, and promoted with her vote, for the first seven and a half years he was in office, going so far as to publicly kiss him after his first State of the Union Address. The last six months of his term, Foxx distanced herself as far as she could because she saw the way the wind was blowing, and she didn't want to be associated with his failing administration. So, she conveniently "threw him under the bus" and watched out for her own political life. She now believes a "no" vote will save her future in Washington, as she tries to ride the wave of discontent in government.
Now, this "former educator" wants to stop federal spending on education, and make this spending discretionary among the states. Such a plan would be a disaster. One envisions some states with Head Start Programs, some without, some with a student loan offering, some without. The only way to insure all children benefit equally from these programs is to have federal funding. In addition, school districts depend on federal dollars to balance their already tight budgets. Under Foxx, is this to end? Do we sacrifice our children's education for the almighty tax dollar?
It's sad, that as a former educator, Foxx still has a lot to learn.
Tom Lanno
Blowing Rock


Virginia Foxx is out to destroy Medicare and Social Security
Editor:  
Rep. Virginia Foxx says she wants to "fix" your Medicare and Social Security. Here's her plan:
•Cut Medicare benefits
•Up the age for eligibility
•Raise taxes on working Americans
•Privatize social security
Why is Rep. Foxx trying to stiff working Americans even more than we've already been stiffed? Aren't we already spending sleepless nights just trying to figure out a way to pay this month's heating bill? Why does Rep. Foxx tell us we now need to hand over what little we have left of our hard-earned money to Wall Street?
 While asking hard working Americans to bite the bullet, Rep. Foxx supports giving 52.5 percent of all tax cuts to the richest 5 percent of Americans.
That's because she is one. Rep. Foxx, who is worth at least $2.4 million and who is the richest member of the North Carolina delegation in the House of Representatives, says these tax cuts for the richest benefit the middle class because they unleash investment that create widespread economic prosperity for all.
 Well, now, how's that working out for you?
 Here's how. The top 1 percent of richest Americans (those earning $398,900 or more a year) have now lifted off the backs of working Americans TWO THIRDS of all of America's income growth!  They've been getting a lot richer, while the bottom 99 percent of us have been getting a whole lot poorer.
 Instead of soaking working people again to "fix" the messes created up there in Washington by Rep. Foxx, how about giving working people a break?  Here's how to "fix" Medicare and Social Security:
 (1) Medicare: Repeal the tax breaks for the top 1 percent richest people in America (people like Rep. Foxx) back to where they were before these guys got their big tax windfall. Right back where they were under Dwight Eisenhower.  Put that extra revenue into Medicare.
 (2) Social Security:  Currently the taxes coming out of our paychecks for social security are capped at $106,800 of earnings. Drop that cap.
 The tax laws that allowed this mess to happen to the middle class are still in place.  Congress is currently looking to repeal them.  Rep. Foxx says she'll vote No.
 That's because Rep. Foxx is much more concerned with her safety net than yours.
Diane Tilson, Chair
Watauga County Democratic Party


From Muskegon, Mich. to Boone, N.C.
Editor:
Hi, my name is Cassandra. But my friends call me Cassie. I have blond hair and blue eyes. I like to hang out with my friends and I like to play volleyball, softball, and football with my cousins. My birthday is on March 8th. I will be 14 years old. I have one little brother and his name is Chace. He is going to be 7 years old on April 7th.
I live in Muskegon, Michigan. I'm an eighth grader at Orchard View Middle School. Our record is 212 for total responses back from our letters. The state that sent the most responses back was North Carolina. I was hoping to be able to beat that record. My parents have been talking about moving and right now it is between Florida, North Carolina, or just staying in Michigan.
The reason why I am writing to you is to request you to please put my letter in your newspaper. We are learning to write letters in my English class and our teacher Mrs. Dirkse thought it would be fun to learn more about different states and how they can look and be so different than our state. And we are hoping to get some post cards and letters and things that show how great your state is.
Thank you for reading my letter. Also thank you hopefully for putting my letter in to your paper. I hope to get some responses back from your readers. Thank you and have a very nice day.
Cassandra Lang
Orchard View Middle School
35 South Sheridan
Muskegon, MI 49442

Let he who is without sin shoot the first buck
Editor's Note: The following letter is in response to an article published on Wednesday, Jan. 27. The article stated, in part: "The prospect of Sunday hunting has got a number of residents up in arms.
Last year, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission adopted a regulation to allow bow hunting on Sundays. During the public-comment period before the rule was enacted, the required threshold of 10 protest letters were submitted, sending the issue to the General Assembly.
While any action on the measure could be decided during the short session of legislature this year, people concerned about the erosion of the 140-year ban on Sunday hunting have taken preemptive action. On Jan. 4, Mark Hagaman presented a petition to the commissioners that held 753 signatures of people he said were opposed to Sunday hunting, citing a variety of reasons, including religion, safety of hikers, and the desire to have a day of peace and quiet. While the current regulatory discussion is concerned with bow hunting, Hagaman said the signers were asking for no bow hunting, rifle hunting or muzzle hunting."


Editor:
The people who I know who have signed the anti-Sunday-hunting petition are the last people who should be worried about morals.
As for the rest of the petitioners, they more than likely are not hunters and moved in here from other parts of the country. I'm not saying that everyone who owns a bow should hit the woods every Sunday, but if a man wants the choice then should it not be up to that individual?
As one who tries to obey the hunting regulations, I'm appalled at the very brashness of the people who have started this petition.
From the originator to several of the backers of the petition, it is apparent that they are a "do as I say, not as I do" group.
The self-righteous people of this crowd will sit in a church on Sunday getting ready to fly away to heaven and Monday morning will be road hunting, poaching, trespassing, harvesting more than the legal limit or a number of other things.
Hunting on Sunday is no worse than that crowd going to a restaurant or Wal-mart or fishing or filling up their deer feeders on Sunday.
At least if I hunt Sunday afternoon, I did not keep other people from attending a church somewhere as you did.
Should God hold you accountable for the people that you restrained from attending church? If I watch you at church and then watch you during the week breaking the law what are the ones that do not attend church think?
Most of them think "Well, I cannot even break the law; have a good time and I'm as good as or better than they are."
Are there hunting guide services in Watauga County? I think that at some point there was one guy in Blowing Rock and if he is still in business then I don't think that Sunday hunting is going to make him or break him.
So far none of the excuses will hold water. As for the hikers, well, what's the difference in a Sunday hike than any other day of the week during deer season?
Bottom line is other than your just causing trouble, come up with better excuses.
Thomas Matheson


Thanks for helping community clinic
Editor:
The Community Care Clinic (CCC) would like to thank all those who so generously supported our mission this past year, to provide health care to persons in our community who do not have health insurance.
Thank you to all of the committed and enthusiastic community volunteers who help with the numerous aspects involved in operating a free medical clinic. Thank you to the dedicated medical professionals who volunteer their time to see our patients and to those who provide non-medical support so that the clinic runs smoothly.
We would also like to thank all those individuals and community partners who donated items, supplies or services of all kinds. These in-kind contributions provide direct services to our patients allowing more money to be used to purchase much needed medical supplies.
Finally, we would like to thank all of you in our community who made financial contributions in 2009. The response was overwhelming and made it possible to expand services and hours of operation thereby increasing the number of patient visits.
The Community Care Clinic is committed to the belief that community-based support and volunteer involvement are essential to carrying out our mission to provide health care for the uninsured in our community.
Your contributions of time, talent and treasure mean a lot to those who depend on us. We could not do it without you!
Rebecca Moore, MA
Executive Director
Community Care Clinic
Boone