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What happened to government for the people?

How many people in Richmond really care about the Roosters leaving? No one can afford to buy tickets. Are the previous owners going to pay back the money for the improvements made to McBride Stadium? Once again we taxpayers get the shaft. Just like the 1 percent tax for the great convention center. We weren't asked if we wanted it. They're going to decide that for us. Whatever happened to government for the people?

We didn't ask for NAFTA or CAFTA. Do you think we would knowingly let our manufacturing jobs go to China? When are the American people going to stand up and say, "We've had enough"? They send billions of our tax dollars to Africa just to go in the pocket of some tyrannical government. The people over there are still starving and the AIDS epidemic grows. We are not the world's caregiver.

We are in the middle of a world war and all that the legislators can do is filibuster a federal judge appointment. We elect these people to go to Washington and do our bidding and all they want to do is their own bidding. When is it going to stop?

One more thing -- let's not get in too big of a hurry to get out of Iraq. You can't negotiate with people determined to kill every man, woman and child that doesn't believe in their bent look at the Islamic religion.

Don't get me wrong. I love my country and my hometown. I think it's the greatest place on the earth. But someday there will be another attack in our country. Let's not wait until then. Let's get them in their home instead of ours. Don't forget the thousands of Americans killed on 9-11. And all those other Americans killed elsewhere.

God bless the U.S.A.

Kevin Watts, Richmond

Originally published July 14, 2005