Letters to the editor

A thank-you to Pizza Hut for student luncheon

North Augusta High School would like to thank Pizza Hut Carry-Out on Georgia Avenue for sponsoring our Student Recognition Lunch on Wednesday, Jan. 18.

Pizza Hut manager Cornella King graciously donated pizzas to feed 85 students who were being recognized by their teachers for having improved behavior, attendance or grades. Positive recognition goes far in eliminating negative behaviors and positively impacting academic success.

Thank you, Pizza Hut, for helping our school.

Gwen Spivey

Concerned over wasteful government spending

This letter to the editor is about the wasteful and what I would classify as fraudulent spending by our federal, state and local governments by forcing taxpayers to pay taxes on their properties and yet giving very, very little services in return. I do not know the exact figures, but in regards to the do-nothing and fraudulent crowds at Brookhaven School Administration, the SC State Department of Education and the Federal government, I am convinced that the email and paper trail that I have gotten over the past month clearly shows the definite "passing-of-the-buck" from U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint's office to the SC Department of Education to the Aiken crowd of do-nothings at Brookhaven. I will ask you, the taxpayers, "Should this (passing-the-buck) be tolerated when I specifically told these agencies about the terrible conditions at six school buildings in Aiken County?"

When you pay for goods at the grocery store, the department stores, the automobile technicians, etc., you not only get the goods that you pay for, but you even have the freedom to shop around for the best products for the price that you are willing to pay. Do John and Jane Citizen have the freedom to do this when being charged by the government for taxes? I truly believe that everybody knows the answer. Fellow citizens, this is not a question of Republicans and Democrats; this is the definite situation that waste, fraud and very, very much excessive salaries to do-nothing politicians and bureaucrats and supposedly public servants are getting six to 10 times more in salaries than the average people that are truly the workers of this nation!

I urge and challenge everyone to please, please stop being sheep-being-led-to-financial-slaughter, but let us band together to stop the financial class system, because we are the only ones that will do it.

Timothy (Tim) Monroe Bledsoe

Says Gov. Haley owes SC apology, explanation

In the Jan. 21 South Carolina Republican Presidential primary, Speaker Gingrich decisively and overwhelmingly defeated Gov. Romney by more than 75,000 votes or 40 percent to 28 percent. As the Republican governor of South Carolina, elected by the South Carolina voters and tax payers to be the representative for the people of South Carolina and to support the voice of the people in her state, why then is Governor Haley continuing to support Governor Romney? Why is she not supporting the voice of South Carolina's people, as associated with the Jan. 21 primary?

Of Aiken County's 76 precincts, Speaker Gingrich decisively won in 72 precincts of the 76, or 95 percent of the Aiken County precincts.

In Aiken County, Gingrich secured 49.3 percent of the votes to Romney's 25.4 percent; in Barnwell County, Gingrich, 54.9 percent to Romney's 22.4 percent; in Edgefield County, Gingrich, 60.2 percent to Romney's 18.4 percent; in McCormick County, Gingrich, 50.2 percent to Romney's 31.8 percent.

In these four S.C. counties, there was an overwhelming majority and no question that Speaker Gingrich decisively defeated Gov. Romney. It is no question in South Carolinians' minds that Speaker Gingrich is South Carolina's choice as the most electable Republican candidate and the best Republican candidate to defeat the current White House administration of President Obama. Then why, on Sunday did I read statements such as "Haley Still Romney Fan," "SC Gov. Nikki Haley said Saturday that she'll continue to campaign for Mitt Romney," and "Gov. Haley stated, 'I still believe Gov. Romney is the right candidate.'"

Gov. Haley may personally believe Gov. Romney is the right candidate; that's her choice. But the people of South Carolina who elected her overwhelmingly do not share her opinion. Gov. Haley may personally want to support a candidate who:

1) initially believed in the right of a women to decide about her own abortion. Now, he opposes abortions.

2) agreed when the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts said the state couldn't deny same-sex marriages. Now he opposes gay marriage.

3) who in 2006 favored amnesty for illegals. Now he supports a border fence.

But the people of South Carolina have voted not to support the above type candidate.

I readily admit that I am not as highly educated as Gov. Haley. Neither am I in a high profile public job, as is Gov. Haley. But I can recognize a potential presidential candidate who is undecided, has a hard time making decisions, does not stand for foundational principles and has a track record for political "flip-flopping," as Gov. Romney does ...

If it is not Governor Haley's intent to defeat President Obama's administration in November, then why is she continuing to support Gov. Romney and not the South Carolina people's voice and their choice, as represented by Speaker Gingrich? The Constitution of the United States was established for "We the People," not for the personal advantage or advancement of the elected governors, congressmen, senators and Washington bureaucrats. Could it be a possibility that, perhaps Gov. Haley and Gov. Romney have struck a behind-closed-doors deal to enhance her political career advancement upon Gov. Romney gaining the Republican nomination and potentially winning the November election? What would you think? Personally, I think it's time to get the lead out of your skirt, Gov. Haley. You have lost any of my future votes on your behalf and any other South Carolina voters whom I can convince to do the same. But for the time being, you still work for the South Carolinians who elected you. And you represent the voice and the choice of the people in the state of South Carolina. You do not work for Nikki Haley, Mitt Romney or Washington, D.C.!

William "Bill" Thweatt