Real life happens to real people: marriage, divorce, owning a home, the death of a loved one. A Superior Court judge affects real-life issues: divorce/custody, will/probate, a soured real estate deal, other issues that affect you, me and our community.

Where were all these elected smart people when we gave all the tax money to Iraq and the greedy contractors? Now that we are in a mess here at home they worry about our tax dollar -- boy, how is that for stupidity?

I guess I agree with the financial bailout, although I have some real problems with it, such as: I do not think us, as taxpayers, should pay for greed and irresponsibility. There should be consequences for people who willingly overspend.

It is my pleasure to recommend a vote for Carol Moser as our representative for District 8. Carol is an enthusiastic, hard working, compassionate, community centered contributor who has a well-established record for making our region a better place to live for all of its citizens.

As president of the Richland Babe Ruth Association, we struggle every year to find enough baseball fields to allow 140-plus Richland and West Richland kids to play baseball.

I would like a little more clarification on what the city of Kennewick plans to do with the $840,000 they expect to collect from residents if they add a runoff charge of $1.80 a month to our water/sewer bills.

Endorsements say a lot about an individual. Salvador Mendoza, who is running for Superior Court judge, has many prestigious and very important endorsements. The retiring judge Dennis Yule has had 22 years of experience on the bench, and he is now supporting and entrusting Sal Mendoza to take his seat. Both Benton and Franklin county prosecutors and sheriffs also endorse Mendoza, which is a historic achievement.

The recent events have shown us how John McCain would handle a crisis as president. First, he would drop everything to focus on the crisis, because heaven knows a president can't be expected to do more than one thing at a time. Then, once he began to focus on the crisis, he would decide that maybe a president could do more than one thing at a time. Then, as a solution appeared close at hand, he would run around the country declaring victory was at hand, sending out such surrogates as Mitt Romney to help lend credibility to his claim. The following morning he would wake up to discover that not only was he wrong once again, but that his own party had ensured failure.

First, in response to Robert Garrison's (Letters, Sept. 24) bold assertion that Olympia Democrats have never met a tax increase they didn't like "and often put bureaucracy ahead of people," I'd like to hear more about that because I have personally worked with so many Democrats -- and Republicans! -- in Olympia who work very hard, every single day, to make our lives better. This often requires making very difficult choices, especially now in this faltering and scary economy.

I read the letter by Bob Gifford (Forum, Sept. 28) and thoroughly agree with him about the teenagers working at the All Seniors Picnic. In fact, everything was well planned, from covered tables to plastic bags with eating utensils, napkins and wipes. Bottles of water were at each place and coffee was served as needed. The entertainment was great. Good job.

It has been a year since we lost our dear nephew, Cpl. Matthew Emerson, in service to his country in Mosul, Iraq. The grief was overwhelming, but while the family dealt with our loss, many of you helped ease the pain. People helped with airport details for his casket's arrival, and directed traffic for the motorcade. There were dozens -- if not hundreds -- of Freedom Riders on flag-bearing motorcycles to support the family and escort Matthew home.

Trust is an interpersonal interaction that can only be granted when repeated appropriate behavior, attitudes and actions have been observed over time. Trust can easily be lost with one flawed response. One time of making the wrong choice puts into question whether or not future behavior is predictable or can be trusted.

The supreme irony of this credit crunch is that it was started by a program meant to provide affordable housing to the poor. Even if there never had been a crash, the program did exactly the opposite by driving up home prices.

Rep. Larry Haler reaches out to the public to bring state government closer to the people. I met Rep. Haler at one of his many public coffees. The meeting was informative and constructive. We spoke about mathematics education and testing as I am a math instructor at Columbia Basin College. We discussed the shortcomings of the WASL as at that time I was the PTA president at Carmichael Middle School. I invited Rep. Haler to one of our PTA meetings, which he attended and listened to our legislative priorities.

I encourage voters to re-elect Leo Bowman for Benton County commissioner. I have worked with Leo for more than 11 years and I can tell you he is honest, forthright, smart and hard working.

I can't think of a worse remedy for our current economic problems than the tax and spend proposals of Sen. Barack Obama. Obama says that only the top 5 percent will pay higher taxes under his proposal.

Just when I thought our country was falling apart, somebody gave me hope. My family has been a part of the Kennewick Grid Kids organization for the last nine years. The Monty Nelson Memorial Scramble graciously chose this organization to receive money made from their tournament.

When was the last time the federal government held firm on the price tag of any "project?" All have overrun their original cost estimates. Why should we, the taxpayers, believe $700 billion is the real cost of the bailout?

John Patrick (Letters, Sept. 7) insisted Dino Rossi is making up stories about Chris Gregoire being in favor of a state income tax. I'd like to inform Mr. Patrick, and the rest of the Herald readers, that Gregoire is most definitely in favor of Washington having an income tax.

For the first time in my voting life, I cannot vote for either of the major parties.

I wish to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and support for Leo Bowman for the position of Benton County commissioner.

The recent free mass CPR training at the Three Rivers Convention Center was a huge success.

This year's election is such an exciting one! I love to hear Americans talking about the many political issues that matter to us all. In the interest of becoming informed, confident voters, I urge you all to take advantage of the remaining candidate forums in the Tri-Cities, which are sponsored in part by the League of Women Voters.

It's time to wake up America. Do not be deceived. Our government, both Republicans and Democrats alike, are responsible for this current mess we find ourselves in. Passing bailout plans will do nothing but delay the inevitable.

Recently we attended a meeting where Leo Bowman discussed at length the issues facing Benton County. His presentations were clear with great detail and demonstrated an understanding of what is necessary to move the county forward in meeting citizens' needs and in support of economic development.

Drink legally at 18 -- absolutely no! Take it from one who could and did.

Our next governor will grapple with a $2 billion to $3 billion revenue shortfall for the next state budget. It resulted from the housing slump in turn triggered by corporate greed and excessive deregulation.

October is here and with it comes the start of the holiday season, which can be stressful for a number of reasons. Survivors of sexual abuse are more prone, than non-victims of sexual abuse, to react to these holiday stressors in a variety of harmful ways.

The first presidential debate was mostly about talking points. There were no specifics on either side on how they will restrain Iran. Both candidates had strong words against Russia since Russia's attack on Georgia, the most successful military operation in the post Soviet Era, has shattered the all-powerful U.S. image. Days after the Georgian invasion, the Western backed Ukrainian government was overthrown because of its anti-Russian posture. Clearly the U.S. has been unsuccessful in intimidating Putin.

I'm an Internet marketer and so I always do a lot of research before I buy anything. This being an election year I am going to be essentially buying a new representative for the state Legislature. So I went to Carol Moser and Brad Klippert's websites. I found that Carol knows a lot more about how to increase the number of jobs and improving the education and economy in the Tri-Cities area. She actually has a cohesive plan, which is rare for a candidate. Even though I support her, I think that it's important for everyone to make the decision for themselves, so I would recommend looking at both websites www.carolmoser.com and www.bradklippert.com to see who you want as our representative.

I recently bought a radio and CD player. I looked everywhere and only found those made in China. Is anything now made in the United States, or do we import everything?

After reading the Sept. 28 editorial, "Initiative 1000, Death with Dignity: Yes," I had to respond. The only thing that made sense was the second paragraph which states that the right to die is not a right but a guarantee.

To hear Sen. John McCain talk about how right he was about the surge, you would think the Iraq War started in 2007. Unfortunately it started in 2003. We now know that virtually every reason the Bush administration gave for invading Iraq was false. There were no weapons of mass destruction, no ties to al Qaeda, no Iraqi involvement in 9/11.

Kennewick Port Commissioner Linda Boomer tendered her resignation from the port effective Dec. 31 because a changing work schedule no longer accommodated attending mid-afternoon meetings. Boomer was resoundingly elected to her seat because voters had faith she would positively impact the future of that port, which she has done. Boomer's forced resignation based on a few hours difference in meeting time twice monthly will be a great loss to constituents. How sad.

I am voting for Brad Klippert for state House of Representatives, 8th Legislative District, Position 1. Brad realizes that the state of Washington has been irresponsible in its handling of the public trust and will face a $3.2 billion deficit next year unless actions are taken to control spending. He is a true fiscal conservative who can make the difficult choices, will not allow others in Olympia to spend beyond their means, and will say "no" to unnecessary spending.

In regards to Bob Dreiling's letter on "Dangerous Intersection" by WinCo and George Washington Way, I couldn't agree more.

The latest round of Sarah Palin uproar is in response to a video of a guest Kenyan pastor praying for her in church. He asks for God's blessing, protection and provision. The greatest reaction has been to the fact that he asked for God to protect her from witchcraft.

Some time ago the Herald asked what kind of news/stories would we like to see in the Herald.

I would like to urge your readers who reside in the 16th Legislative District to consider voting for Terry Nealey for the State House of Representatives.

Hi. My name is John. I am in second grade at Christ the King School. I live near Lynnwood Loop Park.

Both candidates for president have suffered adversity -- Sen. John McCain as a prisoner of war, Sen. Barack Obama a child of a mixed-race marriage ultimately raised by a single mother. Adversity -- understandably -- has shaped the character of each.

This year I am a freshman at Pasco High School. Like the Southridge student who wrote in earlier, when I arrived at school on Sept. 11, I was expecting something, even something as small as a moment of silence, as a memorial of the terrorist attacks seven years earlier.

That Sarah Palin is woefully inadequate for any position near the highest levels of the federal government has already been well-documented on this page. She has met only the minimum constitutional requirements of age and citizenship. There is no body of work to evaluate, no record of serious speeches and no substantial legislative record.

Using a cell phone while driving is not only illegal, it also is dangerous, stupid and rude!

Imagine my surprise when I opened the Tri-City Herald to see the headline of the huge amount of money our government invested in an insurance company, possibly averting a depression, but it didn't avert my depression.

In 1950, less than five years after WWII ended, I worked briefly at the Veterans Administration District Office for veterans' insurance in Oakland. My feeling was that the VA was poorly administered because it employed a large number of ex-military officers whose skills were not a good fit. I then transferred to the OASI (Social Security) regional office across the bay where things were different. For example, veterans' file folders were frequently missing or misfiled but Social Security had procedures in place to maximize accuracy of filing and also to find and file misplaced case folders.

John McCain has shown the whole world he is reckless and lacks judgment by choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate. When we know three of the last 11 presidents have come to power unexpectedly, we can see Palin would be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

It will be interesting to see how Doc Hastings and other Republican politicians who call themselves "conservatives" vote on the "bailout" package that the Bush administration is pushing.

People have said they would vote for John McCain and Sarah Palin, "because they are just like me."

Washington is a great place to call home. I am a Washington resident now; I moved here from Nevada in August 2007.

I am voting for Brad Peck for Franklin County Commissioner from District 1 because he comes into this campaign with a vision of where this county could and should be going.

It has been my pleasure as a Franklin County resident and retired judge of the Superior Court to have known and worked with commissioner Neva Corkrum for more than a quarter of a century. Her performance of her duties as a longtime Franklin County commissioner has been superb.

Wake up liberals, breaking news -- Bush/Cheney are going, going, gone.

The official who tossed Hanford center Ryan Craig for a late hit against a Braves defender on the third play of the Kamiakin game was dead wrong.

Political propaganda is rampant nowadays and many attack ads are terribly misleading. It is your responsibility to know the facts regarding the candidates before casting your vote.

I am inexpressibly sad to write this letter to the editor. My husband and I are proud to live in the Tri-Cities. We chose to remain after retirement because we believe our town represents the best of our country's values. When we went for a walk this morning and returned 40 minutes later, eight Obama signs in front of eight different houses had been lifted from our block. I want you to know I would have been equally upset if a thief had stolen eight McCain signs from the block where I live.

How can you justify giving a page A5 placement of the important news that Congress decided to allow an expiration of the moratorium on offshore drilling? There's a photo of a bird eating a fish on the front page of the Tri-City Herald on Sept. 25. However, the news of the offshore drilling decision is in a small obscure article inside. The story on Pelosi/Reid leading Congress had to capitulate to demands of the public.

I hope you share my concern for our country and the direction this administration has taken us. We are in the middle of two wars costing $12 billion every month. Our financial institutions are crumbling, Lehman Brothers -- bankrupt; Indy Mac -- failed. And now taxpayers are expected to shoulder the burden of the bailout by the government of Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and now an $85 billion loan to the largest insurance company in the world American International Group, known as AIG, that just failed.

I have heard Franklin County Commissioner Bob Koch justify the substantial raise he'll get if re-elected based on the two-year study paid for by Franklin County to assess its employees salaries. I was one of the members on the committee that conducted the study and I can confirm that the commissioners and elected officials were not included in the study the committee conducted.

Why would we not re-elect a proven leader who has a record of listening to the citizens of Benton County?

This is a letter in support of re-electing Bill Grant as our state representative.

Editorialize much, Tri-City Herald? In the Sept. 23 Herald there was a photo on page B2 of the Mid-Columbia section. The caption in bold read, "Saying yes to life." Really? Is that what those folks were doing or were they signing up for a "40 Days for Life" prayer vigil event? So then if I didn't sign up I must be "against life?" Thanks for the tip.

A change in Washington state government is clearly needed. Dino Rossi, candidate for governor, and Terry Nealey, candidate for the state House, 16th Legislative District, are uniquely qualified to implement this required change.

I am writing in support of Terry Nealey for Washington State Representative 16th District. Over the years I have found Bill Grant one of the more conservative members of the Democratic Party but, nonetheless, a committed Democrat. In a recent forum in the Tri-Cities I had the first opportunity to listen to both Terry Nealey and Bill Grant, and again I found Bill Grant fairly politically conservative in his responses.

Now is the time to maximize the effectiveness of the proposed mental health/crisis center near the Justice Center. I'm afraid a major outreach may be overlooked -- that of drug evaluation and treatment. Jail space will need to snowball unless incarcerated addicts get treatment. Jail does not reform or cure an addict, and they mostly return to old habits when released.

I support Larry Haler for state representative. Larry is for bringing more businesses to Washington state. He is for families and children who have developmental disabilities. He is for our education in the schools and he is against the WASL and has fought hard to get rid of it.

I encourage you to vote for Larry Haler for State Representative, District 8. I have known Rep. Haler for the past 11 years. While I was the superintendent of schools for the Richland School District, I worked with him in drafting legislative language to positively change our state assessment system.

I have known and worked with Carol Moser since I was appointed to the Utility Advisory Committee in 1995. I found Carol to be an eager and thoughtful student of the utility business and while we agreed that the staff of that time was misleading the council into decisions that were adverse to the interests of the citizen ratepayers, Carol found herself in a minority position and therefore effectively sidelined.

This letter is written in regard to Bruce "Buck" Spanner, who is running for Benton Franklin Superior Court judge.

The County Commission race between Jim Beaver and Claude Oliver is one between two well-known politicians, each elected numerous times.

Moderate Republicans who only want what's best for the Tri-Cities and the 8th Legislative District should take just five minutes to look at Brad Klippert's website at bradklippert.com.

There are a number of law firms and tax consulting companies who advertise their ability to obtain dramatic relief from IRS and credit card debt. One ad claims it was able to settle and IRS tax lien of nearly $170,000 for less than $2,000. Some seem to be able to obtain forgiveness after years of failing to file income tax forms. Another company announces it can reduce a $10,000 or more credit card debt by 50 percent or more.

When you need heart surgery, you choose a cardiologist who has a strong record of successful surgeries. When you're having your kitchen remodeled, you want a contractor who knows kitchens from top to bottom.

According to an article in the Herald on Sept. 22, the White House is pushing Congress to sign the "bail out bill" so members can concentrate on their November elections. That's incredible! Shall Congress fiddle while America burns?

I appreciate everyone that assisted and supported my campaign for the House of Representatives. I hope that you will now join me in supporting Terry Nealey in his bid for State Representative in the 16th District. As evidenced by the number of candidates that came forward to oppose the incumbent, it is time for a change! I believe that Terry has the integrity to defy the special interests and will represent the citizens of the 16th District. Vote for Terry Nealey!

For several years, I observed Carol Moser's dedicated active participation and sound judgment on the Richland City Council and her tireless work in achieving many benefits and improvements for Richland and the entire Tri-City area. That dedication and hard work was noticed in Olympia, resulting in her being appointed to the Washington State Transportation Commission, where she has taken a leadership role representing Eastern Washington.

This letter is an endorsement of state Rep. Larry Haler. This year's political campaigns, local, regional and national, continue to set new lows on human dignity and behaviors. We seem hell bent to demonize the other side creating barriers to cooperation and abilities to work together for common good, not Larry Haler.

Obama is not the candidate of job growth. He vows to institute even more government programs, thus, create more jobs through the government or government subsidized "industries." However, using tax dollars to fund job growth is like feeding your dog its tail when it is hungry. There may be short-term satisfaction, but there is long-term loss.

Tri-Cities is at the higher end for gas prices in the state. Currently we are paying around 25 to 30 cents a gallon more, on average, than the cheapest areas in the state. We have been doing this for a long while now. We have a couple of independent stations to help provide competition in prices, but we are still near the highest in the state.

Ann Van Dan (Letters, Sept. 17) thinks that folks voting for McCain/ Palin do so because Sarah Palin makes them feel "excited" and "good." That is why Ann is voting for Barack Obama. The man's only ability is his oratory.

Recent letter writers claim that the Democrats now "control" Congress. Eh, what! The Senate has 49 Democrat and 49 Republican members and two independents.

I have observed Sal Mendoza over the past eight years in the courtroom, in the hallways, in his office, and in the community. He treats all people with courtesy and patience. He listens carefully with his full attention. He is honest and follows through with his commitments. He protects people from inappropriate criticism and harsh attacks. It has been a pleasure to watch Sal Mendoza practice law.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization. League does support or oppose issues that our members have studied. It does not support nor oppose candidates.

The Sunday my family and I become a part of our new church home, Carol Moser and her family had us over for an impromptu lunch. It was a great way to be welcomed!

In regard to recent articles on progress at Hanford, particularly transuranic waste retrieval, it is reassuring to see the site being cleaned up. Unfortunately, little mention has been made of decisions to end the Hanford Transuranic Waste Certification Program.

As a person suffering from both Parkinson's disease and type-1 diabetes I must say that I resent Governor Gregoire's use of these diseases to attempt to paint her opponent as insensitive and uncaring. She has had four years to make good her promise to make Washington a center of life science research and innovation and all she has accomplished is more rhetoric. It is bad enough that her promises mean nothing but to parade the heartache of those two people for the sake of political position is horrific.

Whoever insists that John McCain and Sarah Palin are the right ones for the next four years is either well-set financially, and doesn't care about anyone else, or is living in a dream world.

In May, Richland's Parks and Recreation Commission approved trial dog parks at Lawless and Badger Mountain parks but notably not at Lynnwood Loop Park. This avoided imposing a special purpose area inconsistent with the purposes of neighborhood parks, yet later it appeared some were reconsidering it.

As a parent, I wish network TV channels (even during "family" hours) did not have to be blocked due to violence and outrageous sexual content; pop music was not lewd, crude and rude; fashion merchandising did not sexualize kids; and the Internet and video games were somewhat socially responsible.

As a Washington state legislator and former police officer, one of my priorities has been keeping our justice system strong. At the local level, Tri-Cities residents will soon have the opportunity to choose a judge who has the right knowledge and expertise to fill that important position.

Leo Bowman has been a Benton County commissioner for 12 years and I've known him longer.

I have known Larry Haler since his election to the Richland City Council in 1990 and observed his performance during two terms as mayor. I always was impressed with his dedication to the Mid-Columbia and the economic development issues necessary to replace the jobs that were being eliminated with Hanford's changing role. He constantly stressed the need to concentrate on our economic future.

As a Republican voter, I find little importance to party affiliation in local elections. Many communities have done away with party labels because it has no relevance. The fact that Neva Corkrum considers herself a Democrat bears minimal influence in her policy formulations and decisions for Franklin County.

I am responding to Cher Araya's Sept. 22 letter against the three-strikes law.

I am writing to support building a Consolidated Crisis Response Center (CCRC) in the Tri-Cities. The center would bring together mental health services, evaluations, housing, treatment, detoxification and other services that are almost nonexistent in the Tri-Cities.

The Democrats have been foolishly spending our tax money. One example, millions and millions have been given to Planned Parenthood, an agency that provides abortions. If a lot of this money would not have been spent, a good bill would have made sense for medical insurance for the poor families among us. There was a bill for medical insurance for children only. It did not pass.

As a small-business owner, I have worked with state Rep. Larry Haler by providing him with campaign printing since his service on the Richland City Council. I also associated with Rep. Haler in the political arena during my recent campaign to be elected as his seatmate in Olympia.

For more than 10 years I've known Brad Klippert, and during that time he has impressed me with his integrity, faithfulness and dedication to his family and work. He is one of those rare people for whom the phrase. "What you see is what you get," is especially true.

Sept. 18 was a good day for me. I helped serve about 1,400 seniors lunch and I had the good luck of working with a bunch of teenagers from Tri-City Prep School of Pasco.

The possible impending failure to renegotiate the Tri-Party Agreement starkly reminds us of U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings' failure to serve. When Hastings first took office our previous congressmen told him that to represent us properly he must serve on the Energy Committee. Instead he chose to do the bidding of his party on the "ethics" committee. We are the ones who are paying the price. Under Doc's watch, Hanford-related employment has dropped by a third, down about 6,000 jobs!

Gov. Sarah Palin's executive ability is the subject of heated and divided opinion. She displayed her administrative style when appointing Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg.

Where but in the good U.S. could a humble boy from the pleasant family-friendly town of Prosser raise himself from the proverbial bootstraps through his persistent work-ethic, intellectual curiosity and affinity for jurisprudence to become the first in his family to matriculate through two highly regarded universities: the University of Washington and UCLA Law School? That person is Sal Mendoza Jr.

We should look at historical alliances on the world stage as we decide which executive team will lead us on the national stage.

The Bush administration is seeking total unchecked power from Congress to buy Wall Street's bad collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) that Warren Buffett has called "weapons of mass financial destruction," and Credit Default Swaps (CDS) with over $60 trillion owed through secret contracts in an unregulated market created, financed and owned by Wall Street firms. Home mortgages are a small factor.

There are a few folks who ought to pay the cost of the current proposed home loan bailout. They are folks who lied on applications to get home loans they didn't qualify for; folks who falsified loan applications so that they could give loans to unqualified borrowers; executives who bundled risky loans and sold them to unwary investors; executives who risked investors' money on risky loan bundles.

I decided I'd had enough of the high fuel prices in the early '80s when I converted my car to 100 percent propane power. I was paying less than 50 percent of gas prices.

Does your family make more than $250,000 a year? If your answer is, "Not by a long shot," then you would have lower taxes under Sen. Barack Obama's economic plan.

Some things are just too funny to pass up. Sunday's Herald ran a story about a woman arrested in Portland for inline skating ... in the nude. OK, I understand that part. But the reason police responded in the first place was that ... wait for it ... local construction workers had called the police to complain!

Regarding the Sept. 17 letter by Ann Van Dan berating John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin for "good looks (and gender)" leading to "mindless adulation." Really, looking good is bad? I recall considerable commotion made over the appearance and style of Sen. Barack Obama.

Washington needs Brad Klippert in the House of Representatives, 8th Legislative District Position 1. I have known Brad for over 15 years. I know that this man loves and serves his country, his community and his family. Brad has the right combination of training, experience and integrity to make those things happen in Olympia that are important to Eastern Washingtonians. He is a man who cannot be swayed by anybody's rhetoric.

Effective October of this year, the Department of Corrections will lose funding to 90 percent of the canine search teams in our corrections facilities around the state. These patrols will be eliminated in the Connell facility along with others. This means Christmas in October for those incarcerated, with a steady stream of drugs re-entering our prisons.

How many more accidents? How many more fatalities? Why doesn't the city of Richland correct the signal process at the intersection by Winco at George Washington Way?

Easy ways to increase state revenues:

Polling shows that voters favored Sen. John McCain's judgment on Iraq by 51 percent to Barack Obama's 44 percent. This favorable rating is driven by McCain's life experiences of imprisonment in the Hanoi Hilton and his 22 years in the Senate.

Rob Welch is the man to vote for when looking for honesty, integrity and strength.

I'm proud to support Brad Klippert for State House District 8 Position 1. Brad is a committed Christian who believes in the value of human life and in the sanctity of traditional marriage. Brad served as a deputy sheriff and knows how to use his words to persuade people and build a cooperative environment. He also serves in the Army National Guard and Reserves. Brad is a politician with convictions who knows what he believes in and doesn't waiver from those beliefs.

The first time I met Brad Klippert he was a life guard at a summer camp.

I am not sure how a faithful Catholic, or any Christian, can justify a vote for Sen. Barack Obama.

It's amazing that Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin have the ability to avoid legitimate questions and in a stealth manner convince a huge segment of the American population to be willing to pledge their support for the McCain/Palin ticket, despite what they are hearing with their own ears and alongside the recent history and current legacy of the Bush administration knowing of McCain's support and affiliation.

Sen. Barack Obama lacks the qualifications to be the president. No less than when Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Joe Biden made that case months ago.

Everyone seems to appreciate the historic significance of the elections this year. What an exciting time to be an American, and exercise our freedom to vote!

Please don't vote if your decision is based on race or sex.

It boggles my mind when I see how many people are forgetting what happened to our government in the last eight years and are complacent enough to let it continue by voting for Sen. John McCain.

Regarding Elizabeth Koski's letter on Sept. 15, perhaps Elizabeth just doesn't "get it." Those columns on the stage at the Democratic National Convention had nothing to do with symbolizing the cradle of democracy. They were just another way to display Sen. Barack Obama's audacity of arrogance hype. By the way, no other candidate has ever redesigned the seal of the United States with his name. Talk about precedence!

The average voter will not become a criminal defendant, but they or someone they know or love will, at some time become a victim of crime. Victims in Benton and Franklin counties need and deserve a judge that has an expertise in criminal law. By allowing a judge on the bench that does not have criminal law experience, we may be at risk for letting defendants run free, and we are definitely letting down the people that need protection the most, the victims. As a victim/witness coordinator for Benton County Prosecutor's Office, I see firsthand the impact that judges have on our victims.

Thirty-five years ago the Supreme Court legalized abortion. Back then abortion supporters talked about poor women and rape victims, but today it is obvious that abortion is a matter of personal choice and convenience. Millions of Americans have passively accepted the idea that in order to have a comfortable life in modern society, a certain number of innocent human beings have to die. To be sure, they would never say such a thing, or even think it; which is why they do not see it.

In answer to Ann Van Dan (Letters, Sept. 17):

No candy from China please: Trust if you must, but I for one don't. There is proof that additives to food products, toys, shoes and baby items are tainted enough to cause death in children.

I support the re-election of Gov. Gregoire. She has moved Washington to a new level of understanding for people of all races and orientations.

Please join me in voting for Larry Haler for state representative. His proven leadership can't be adequately summarized in only 200 words.

As law enforcement officers, dedicated to protecting the lives and property of Kennewick's citizens, we know how important it is to elect a qualified, capable judge. That's why the Kennewick Police Management Association is endorsing Bruce Spanner for Benton-Franklin County Superior Court judge. Bruce has more than two decades of legal experience, and we know he will capably decide law enforcement issues in a fair and impartial manner. We believe his intelligence, decisiveness and strong work ethic are qualities that will serve him and our community well as judge. Please join us in voting for Bruce Spanner in November.

Nancy Pelosi's daughter Alexandra recently appeared on a TV talk show lamenting McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate, indicating she was very disappointed. This sentiment has been echoed by many Obama supporters, including several who have written the Herald.

Last week's editorial on "building a new bridge" was a start, but what we really need is a new county. If a portion of Benton and Franklin counties merged to form a new county with a newly defined city (yes, merge the cities), many of the growth frustrations plaguing the Tri-Cities could be resolved without the redundant and competing bureaucracy of four (or more) cities and two counties focused on narrow self-interests.

Apropos the recent letter suggesting that Sarah Palin is another Margaret Thatcher; I beg to disagree.

Tri-City Animal Control has the nerve to complain about the two people who dropped five dogs at the animal shelter. Should these poor dogs have been like Chocolate and been dumped off out of town? According to Webster's dictionary, shelter means something that covers, protects or defends, so these two people were trying to give their unwanted dogs protection.

I'm a senior at Pasco High and sophomore at Columbia Basin College. I just turned 17 so I won't be able to vote this year but if I could, my vote for Benton-Franklin County Superior Court judge would go to Salvador Mendoza. I feel that he's the most qualified and experienced candidate for the position. He has over a decade of experience in the legal field working as deputy prosecutor, defense attorney and has served as a judge pro-tem. He has clearly exercised his good judgment and hard work in these positions by serving in Municipal, District, Juvenile and Superior Court.

At the 9/11 ceremonies in New York City, I witnessed two candidates for the presidency of the United States present a single rose at ground zero. One candidate bent over and gently laid his rose on the others. I recognized a humble man who suffered great physical pain demonstrating his sincere compassion.

Mike Wilson (Forum, Sept. 14) was woefully inadequate in content; he didn't tell you everything and in a venue with unlimited words he had every opportunity.

I've been out of politics for some time now, out of pure disgust. Everything seems like a charade on television. Then Ron Paul ran for president and I began to get involved. I have found local politics to also be of interest. This go-round, during the primaries I met Brad Klippert. He is the real deal and not a politician at all. Just an honest man with experience and guts wanting to truly represent us as a representative in the state Legislature. Not only is Brad for lowering taxes, but he also is a true conservative. He stands on solid principles and believes in small government and U.S. sovereignty. I encourage you to support Brad however you can this election season. It is not all too often that we have someone with such a high regard for others running for office. For more information, go to www.bradklippert.com.

I agree with Roger Briggs (Letters, Sept. 16) when he says slogans can have more than one meaning. Barack Obama's slogan is "hope," but hope for what?

The crimes associated with poverty, youth and drug addiction are the main ones that are cau