During the early '80s, as I recall, the French conducted an underwater test by exploding a nuclear bomb in the Pacific Ocean breaking a treaty promising not to do that very thing. When confronted about it, they denied this saying it was not a bomb but merely an exploding device.

About that same time, in the first Reagan presidency, some lower ranking cabinet member declared ketchup a vegetable for school lunch programs. We all remember that outcry.

Then, in the '90s, we had President Clinton with "that depends on what the definition of ‘is' is."

Last October, Reps. Barney Frank and Chris Dodd were telling us "this is not a bailout, it's a stimulus bill, and we must pass it before the weekend or the Dow could fall to 8,000." Wouldn't we love to see those prosperous days again?

Now I read in Sunday's Times that part of the SPLOST VI monies will go toward paying off part of the $21.2 million debt Hall County has incurred establishing sewer services. But we aren't told that. Why?

Now comes the greatest spin job ever contrived by none other then Hall County spin doctor himself, county attorney Bill Blalock. In the article, he said "it is not necessary to list past sewer expenses on the ballot because it isn't really debt."

I ask you, Mr. Blalock, if it isn't really debt, do we really have to pay it off? I mean couldn't we just save $21.2 since it isn't really debt and ignore this bill when it comes due?

Mark Twain once said there are three kinds of lies. Lies, damn lies, and statistics. His statement comes under the latter.

There are many families in Hall County who live paycheck to paycheck. Many more go to bed worrying about if they will have a job the following week. Your excuse not to tell voters how their money is to be spent is lame at least and misleading at most. Do you realize how arrogant and pompous you must sound to these very people?

We look at the slick bookkeeping and spin at AIG, Citibank and General Motors and the billions it has cost us and wonder how this can happen. Yet, we have to look no further then right here in Hall County to see the same thing.

It is not what you tell us, Mr. Blalock; it's what you don't tell us that worries me. You may have told the truth. But you also told us a statistic. If nothing else, you have helped me to decide how I will vote in the SPLOST VI election.

As you are aware county employees are on a furlough day once a month without pay and that by holding this election in November of last year could have saved the county $45,000? Oh, that's right. You didn't know what would be on this SPLOST VI project at that time.

Don't insult me!

Kerry Cook
Flowery Branch

Vote ‘yes' on SPLOST for a better Hall County
As a lifelong conservative who named his first born Reagan, I think anyone would be hard-pressed to challenge my political leanings.

I hate taxes. And I hate big government. That being said, I love my community and feel a very strong commitment to do whatever I can to make it better, even if it costs me 1 cent on my purchases.

I am sick of reading all the letters about the SPLOST being a so-called tax increase, though it is just a continuation of one.

Additionally, all the talk about secrecy and undefined operational costs is a bunch of bunk. I've read multiple articles in the media and attended multiple community meetings where every question has been answered and every dollar has been accounted for.

And finally, some claim to be upset that these are merely quality-of-life projects and shouldn't burden taxpayers. I guess to those who are antisocial or just like to stay home 90 percent of the time this argument could be made. However, as someone who enjoys being active in all aspects of our community, I am thankful to sacrifice the $83 per year the average taxpayer pays in SPLOST funds to enjoy the benefits.

For the new roads and intersections in South Hall that cut my commute in half to spend more time with my family, I am thankful. For the new sewer lines that brought multiple grocery stores that resulted in lower prices on food and gas, I am thankful.

For the new libraries, shopping centers, and restaurants that help make our community more attractive to new businesses, I am thankful. And for the parks, trails and community centers that teach my children there is more to do in life than play Nintendo Wii, I am thankful.

I encourage all my Hall County neighbors to get out and vote "yes" for SPLOST on Tuesday. And for those of you who do, I would like to personally say thanks for the reasons above and many more that were not mentioned.

Lance Compton
Flowery Branch

President can't make deals with our enemies
Saturday, I heard on one of the news channels that President Barack Obama stated that we are losing the war in Afghanistan. The reporter also reported that the president said that we need to be talking to the Taliban.

I cannot believe that a U.S. president, the commander in chief of our armed forces, would make those kind of statements. If the United States had a president like Obama during World War II, we would have lost that war in Europe and the Pacific. Those kind of statements alleged to have been made by Obama shows me he is not a leader or president, least of all a commander in chief.

The other people we have in Washington, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, are no better. Between our Washington leaders who have no backbone whatsoever and the ACLU, our nation is in bad trouble. Unless we have some real leaders step forward, our nation will not get out of the trouble we are in.

I had relatives serve in Europe, the Pacific, Vietnam, Korea, Iraq and currently in Afghanistan. I hope their service and the service of so many other brave soldiers was not wasted. I don't need to be reminded who I am as an American, but I think many of our national leaders do.

George J. Roshau
Gainesville