In 2000, George W. Bush reached the presidency through the use of personal attacks on his opponents. 

The past few days/weeks of your devoting so much space to Councilwoman Barr’s tax problems, is the epitome of using the old double standard, in my opinion. 

This morning I awoke from my Bristow home to discover that the campaign sign representing candidates Barack Obama and Joe Biden had been stolen from my front yard where I had placed it two weeks ago.

Intelligent people for Obama (Oct. 8)? There is a village somewhere in search of Ms. Guillen. 

On Sept. 8, four people were bound and robbed during a home invasion in Woodbridge.

The amusing “Corrections and Clarifications” explanations which unfortunately appear too often are the most entertaining part of the paper. I also enjoy reading the Letters to the Editor and now I feel that I have to have my voice heard as well.

The presidential election is nearing. Not only do I read and observe everyone being divided on very important issues facing our country, but I pay close attention to individuals and groups of individuals trying to control the way other people think. 

One thing that sets this nation apart from most other nations of the world is our public education system. 

The search is on to find the experienced people to lead the organizations to implement the bailout and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. 

Once again, I am disappointed in this paper’s obvious bias in the current presidential campaign. 

Retail managers! Whatever happened to the fine art of counting change? I’m tired of having change thrown at me. 

Delegate Lingamfelter highlights a curious shift in Republican strategies in his recent letter supporting Sarah (on a clear day I can see Russia, darn, you betcha, wink, wink) Palin. Evidently Republicans are selecting right-wing ideologues over qualified moderates. 

Now we are seeing the baby formula coming out of China with poison. Just like the dog food scare of last year and and the lead in the toys that small children stick in their mouths. 

This is in response to Ellen Guillen and her letter “Intelligent people for Obama and Biden.”

I read an article today announcing that John McCain plans to go negative against Barack Obama in the last month before the election. 

Thanks to Prince William’s Committee of 100 for sponsoring the Sept. 18, 11th Congressional District debate in Montclair between Gerry Connolly and Keith Fimian. 

This past September brought back many sad memories to this old soldier. I though about the 11 a.m. appointment that I had on 9/11/01 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Washington, D.C., and how slow the traffic had seemed to move, almost bumper to bumper, along I-395. 

Our economy is in big trouble.  There were 84,000 jobs lost in August. Those with jobs find that their income has been stagnant since Mr. Bush took office. 

Interestingly enough, the “nails in Sarah Palin’s coffin were driven there as a result of Charles Gibson and Katie Couric’s interviews. 

After looking at the futility of our Congress to get anything done, whether it being Republican or Democrat, I truly believe that one major problem with our Congress are career politicians. 

Mark Elliott, son of Tom and Karen Elliott and brother of Timothy Elliott of Alexandria, and our grandson, is currently serving in Afghanistan. 

In the letter from Mr. Cletis Neal, we are led to believe that our vote for president is a matter of Christian discipline: to follow good versus evil and to deny a woman’s right to choose and same-sex marriage.

While I am not surprised when I hear Barack Obama continually say he will meet with terrorist “potentates” around the world without “precondition,” an approach no one should be surprised by given his documented connections to the terrorist Bill Ayers and the radical anti-American commentator Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., it is the lying and backtracking by him I personally take the most concern with. 

I have been a Republican since I was old enough to vote and that has been 57 years. After this past eight years, I am now an independent. 

“FDR’s Bad Deal”, first published in The (Waynesboro) News Virginian, lacks factual balance. 

I’ve subscribed to the Manassas Journal Messenger since I went to college in 1971. I’m very concerned with the merger that is about to occur and the coverage of events in Manassas. My concern was accentuated with the Sept. 13 paper.

As a political independent, well-educated, active duty military officer with service both in the U.S. Army (enlisted) and the U.S. Coast Guard totaling 20 years, I honor and respect Senator McCain for the sacrifices he has made throughout military and political life. However, the buck stops there! 

A recent Washington Post (Free for All) column reminded me of a quote by Johann Wolf-gang Goethe (1749-1832), “There’s nothing more frightening than ignorance in action.”

I remember some nine years ago, then governor Bush ran on a platform of bipartisanship and touted the fact that both he and the Democrats had worked together to make the government of Texas successful.

Gas prices must be further reduced by a commitment to drilling as well as alternative energy.