This letter is written to address the man that came into the grocery store and harrassed my son because he wants to join the military.

First, let me say that for any young adult that wished to give their time to serve our country, we as free citizens of this country should be thanking them for having the desire and the gumption to want to join. This is what happened.

‘Think’ ... RAIN. That’s it. Just one word. Simple?

Amy Dale-Ivory — Franklin, N.C.

When President Clinton left office in 2001, Americans paid 20.6 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in taxes. President Bush twice cut taxes and gave major tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, resulting in a reduction in our total federal revenues for each of the past two years to just 14.6 percent of GDP, the lowest rate in the last 60 years. Seventy percent of these tax cuts went to the wealthiest Americans. Bush created the myth, “You cut taxes and the revenues increase” which so many Republicans still believe.

Federal deficits are clearly a major problem today. Under Clinton with fair taxes on the wealthy our national debt, as a percentage of GDP, was reduced by 9 percent.

I have just received a notice from Senator Jim Davis that the NC Senate passed a bill requiring women who are considering an abortion to have an ultrasound.

I would be more impressed if the Republicans who voted for that kind of control over women in this state exercised the same kind of concern for the babies once they are born. The cuts to supports to the poor in North Carolina will result in many more families struggling to care for another child. These cuts will also affect the health, education and well-being of many North Carolina’s children now and in the future.