No Gov't Health Care To The Editor:

Where in our United States Constitution does it state that the federal government can be involved in health care? The federal government's powers are very limited. Our healthcare system is one of the best in the world. It has become expensive due to government regulations and inflation. The federal government causes inflation by printing money that has no gold or silver backing and this causes a deficit which causes prices to rise. In addition, the U.S. taxpayer will have to pay for this program through higher taxes.

No one should be forced to have health care. If the federal government would get back to the size that it is supposed to be according to the U.S. Constitution, the free market can regulate prices and everyone can afford health care, if they want it.
Yours truly,
Janet McCarthy
Flushing

Kudos To Bloomberg

Let me say, "Kudos to Mayor Mike Bloomberg", for his tenacious efforts to see to it that mayoral control gets extended to 2015. I also would like commend all those who got behind the mayor from the state senate to Randi Weingarten, the past president of the UFT. In the end, many people got on board with Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein, for they had to agreed [sic] that they did right by our 1.1 million students. They wanted the students to be all they can be and that has been a good thing that has achieved results with higher test scores and lower dropout rates. A case for accountability has made N.Y.C. schools a model for other school systems around the country. Our students have proven to be the real winners of mayoral control and our Mayor has fought hard and long to prove these methods work. Now for that I say, "Thanks, Mike".
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Glen Oaks Village

Has Lots To Say

I have a great deal to share with the Gazette readers this week in the editor's column, concerning news heard on TV, radio and read in your Gazette issues.

I am dismayed, appalled and really disappointed that the Broadway Post Office is one of those that are on the closing list.

We live in a community where senior citizens depend upon the post office for money orders and working people who do not have much time use the post office which is nearby.

Why close a branch that is centrally located?

Too many changes that are supposed to be cost saving are on the drawing board but money is being wasted for cars for clunkers and other pork barrel programs that do not affect the lives of people.

Mail delivery service is necessary and not all people depend upon e-mail.

So many people are immigrants or foreign born and depend upon the Broadway branch to buy stamps for mailing letters and packages for the relatives in their foreign countries.

This postage situation seems to have been getting worse.

Stamps increase and service deteriorates and I hope that the free mailing privileges for Braille and recorded and large print materials for the blind and physically handicapped are not intended to be scrapped.

It seems that the elderly and the disabled somehow are targets and victims of budget cuts. A fair hearing should be held prior to the closing of any branch of the post office and the demographics of the area must be considered first before any drastic measures are done.

I am glad that there was a Queens night out where people showed that they can defeat crime by being outside and ban[d]ing together. Speaking about police protection, it is sad that our city wasn't one of those who would receive Homeland Security money for protection. This was based on the fact that our city is safe and crime is reduced, but there is still crime and NYC is never safe, always at a code orange level since 9/11. We are, God forbid, a target for terrorism.

Other places in our nation that are smaller were given that money. What a shame indeed.

These leaders better wake up and realize that although things may be quiet now, good heavens if something were to happen.

The incident at LaGuardia Airport with that deranged man and the bomb scare really shows lack of coordination and there was massive confusion amongst the people not knowing where to go.

There should be drills at airports so people would know what to do just as there are fire drills in businesses and senior centers and hospitals.

An unprepared public adds to confusion and confusion adds to chaos.

I am also disappointed that our Senators and Representatives on the federal level do not tell us more about the health plan that may be passed since there are so many rumors.

In 1993, when the other one was being planned by Hillary Clinton there were town meetings.

A well informed public is necessary and it is the democratic spirit for all of us to know what legislation will be considered for passage since the legislation affects all of our lives.

I also am glad that Northwest Queens will be having smart meters.

This will help in preventing other blackouts such as the one that devastated that area in 2006. Also it seems that rates [for] cable, telephone, electricity, gas, stamps and food rise and the quality of service is not the same. Where is the work ethic of yesteryear? With this new technology people are not as personal and things seem to be messed up at times.

I do appreciate that Bill Clinton did use his talents to rescue those two [Asian]- American women from years as labor camp prisoners.

That is a positive news item.

That accident on the Taconic Parkway in which the children were killed and three men in an SUV were killed due to a woman driving that van with the children inside who took drugs and drank heavily, shows again that stringent laws of driving must be considered and utilized.

Cars are dangerous and in fact more dangerous than firearms.

Let safety be considered first and human life be protected, since it is so precious.
Cynthia Groopman
Long Island City