On the subject of the Bush tax cuts, David M. Walker, comptroller general of the General Accounting Office, said that by 2040 federal revenues may be adequate to pay little more than interest on the federal debt.

The debt will pass $10 trillion soon, and Hall County voters must face reality. In reality, those tax cuts have little if any benefit to the average middle-class taxpayer, certainly not $2,000 or even $1,740. The $1,740 figure continues to be justified by politicians like George Bush and a tax calculator created by the Heritage Foundation. But the real proof of this comes from the IRS, not the Heritage Foundation or Bush.

Bush has made various claims in the past seven or so years that have undermined his personal credibility and the concept of presidential authority. As president, he often pledged to capture Osama bin Laden dead or alive. But when asked recently about bin Laden, he dismissed the question by saying, "I don't even think about him anymore." Bush was as thoughtless about the Katrina tragedy and the "Mission Accomplished" banner.

The online tax calculator can't be used to file your taxes. The calculator is too flawed. These flaws prompted the warning that the calculator provides estimates only and should not be used to compute your taxes.

The best source of accurate tax information remains the Internal Revenue Service, which provides statistics from real tax returns. According to the IRS, families who have children and make $40,000 a year got an average of $400 in child tax credits. The Child Tax Credit for Tack Cornelius, James Pilgrim, Tommy Sandoval and others is a $2,000 credit for working families being doled out by the GOP and Bush.

But in reality, working families making $40,000 aren't getting the $2,000 credit, or a total tax cut of $1,740. But more than $4,300 in credits goes to taxpayers making $150,000 per year, regardless of family size.

Working families are getting the same benefit from the Child Tax Credit in 2005 as they were in 1999 before Bush threw away trillions of dollars. Our debt increased a half-trillion dollars a year for tax cuts that do not go to the middle class. The middle class doesn't need more empty promises from rigged elections, broken tax calculators and self-serving politicians.

The current batch of self-serving politicians and their weak-minded supporters have pressed our nation to the edge of destruction, buying votes with broken promises and tax cuts for Paris Hilton.

Michael Parker
Flowery Branch

It's time to enforce our immigration laws
As a military veteran and an American citizen, I am very concerned that illegal immigration is out of control and that everyone with authority is afraid for one reason or another to take a stand. Either those lawmakers who can enforce immigration laws don't because they are doing what helps keep them in office, or they gain financially by keeping silent.

Here are some suggestions:

Any employer who hires an illegal alien would be levied a very large fine or have their company confiscated by the federal government. The owner, CEO or president of the company and the hiring official would spend a minimum of six months in prison without time off for good behavior. If the jobs dry up for the illegal aliens, they will go home.

All illegal aliens who are in our prisons should be deported to their home country immediately, with the exception of those on death row; they should be executed as soon as practicable so as to save our tax money.

All children of illegal aliens should not be allowed to attend our public schools. American taxes are paying that bill, too.

All attorneys who are suspected of aiding illegal aliens should be investigated, and if found to be guilty, should be imprisoned and disbarred without any reinstatement of their credentials.

All immigration documents issued by the federal government should be reissued on paper that is not easily counterfeited.

It is important to note that illegal aliens are not immigrants. They are criminals, and a threat to our borders and our way of life.

Certain voices tell us that these illegal aliens are performing jobs that normal Americans would not do. This would not be true if our lawmakers would rewrite the unemployment laws to help these industries with labor from unemployed Americans and those who are on welfare who are able to work.

John Carter
Flowery Branch

Community has many options for recovery
In his recent letter, the Rev. Damon C. Nix seemed unaware that Gainesville is known around the state as a strong recovery community, a wonderful place for alcoholics and other addicts to learn how to stay clean and sober one day at a time.

Clearly, the Rev. Nix was unaware that local churches are a part of this effort. Some churches have their own recovery programs. Others support "Friends of Recovery," a group representing the gamut of people and organizations involved in recovery; preachers often steer alcoholics and other addicts to traditional recovery meetings in the area.

I run a Christian-based, residential program, with a special program designed for women, and I encourage my residents to attend traditional recovery meetings.

Here in Gainesville, those in need of recovery also benefit greatly from having a model drug court program.

The Rev. Nix is looking for transforming experiences. To be free of addiction is a transforming experience for individual alcoholics and addicts. Being free of addiction, one day at a time, opens them to a spiritual experience, which often includes becoming active in a church. It is a way both to sustain recovery, and to find the ultimate recovery, which is growing spiritually and living in God's will rather than self-will.

This community has transformed how it deals with addiction, which is why Gainesville is widely noted for being such a strong community of recovery. The Rev. Nix might want to check out recovery in Gainesville in order to enrich his own writing about the matter.

Donna M. Keener
Flowery Branch

Memorial Day parade was a first-rate event
Since Gene Shadburn, God rest his soul, started the Memorial Day Parade in Gainesville, it seems to be bigger each year. I cannot thank everyone who was involved enough for their help in making this one of the best.

I know the Gainesville Police Department must have had to call everyone in to work; I was so impressed with the traffic control. It was so very professional in every way. They also had to work the 5K run on Saturday at the Riverside Military Academy. Good job, men and women.

Roger Keebaugh
commander-elect, American Legion Post 7, Gainesville