Despite the budget deficit, I don't quite blame state legislators for cutting a deal with Apple. After all, it is a good idea to bring more jobs to North Carolina (especially when we are competing with Virginia).

Democrats are insistent that any health care reform plan include a government-sponsored plan, which would be offered to compete with private plans.

As America slides toward universal health care, you never hear discussions on where the doctors will come from to treat the 40 million to 50 million new patients.

Ford:It was as sure as shootin' that when I wrote a column a few months ago about letters prison inmates had sent to me and my department here at The N&O, those letters would proliferate.

My grandfather, dead these 50 years, always said that, no matter the party in control, the federal government's involvement could "foul up a two-car funeral." The latest example of this thought: broadcast television.

Columnist George Will evidently sees no problem with our current health care situation. Like many, including some congressmen, if he doesn't have a problem, so what if millions of others do?

1was thinking of ways to reduce my fiscal footprint on the economy by cutting back on expenses. I considered dropping several subscriptions, including The N&O (dating back to 1974) and getting news from CNN, the NET and Newsweek.

George Will's June 21 column stated a lot of facts. If you weren't paying attention, he made a compelling argument. In the interest of fairness, let's include a few other key facts.

My wife and I were covered by several private health insurance programs for many decades before being covered by Medicare for the past 11 years. Medicare is far superior to any of those private programs.

In typical government fashion, those of us who chose to drive gas-efficient vehicles get nothing from the "Cash for Clunkers" bill while those who contributed to the fuel shortage by driving gas guzzlers can get $4,500 in taxpayer money.

We hear a lot about the coming cost of health care overhaul for all Americans, especially those 50 million with no health care and 50 million more with minimal health care.

N.C. State University students showed imagination sketching futuristic designs for the Dorothea Dix Hospital property ("Students offer vision for Dix," June 29).

Your news report that Sen. Kay Hagan did not support President Obama's health insurance plan, filled me with dismay. While my first choice is a single-payer government plan, Obama's plan at least, has a public plan option.

Your June 28 article "Hard times, tough luck for Perdue" gave great insight as to how Gov. Beverly Perdue is staying focused on the long term health and well-being of the state of North Carolina.

As a policy analyst in the state's largest anti-poverty organization, the N.C. Justice Center, I would like to applaud U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge of Lillington for voting for the American Clean Energy and Security Act.

Regarding the June 25 article "What's a good deal when it comes to disease prevention?":

Each year our state spends roughly $100 million to provide legal services for indigent defendants, and each prison inmate costs taxpayers $22,000 to $32,000.

You report that approximately two-thirds of kids admitted to our state hospitals stay for one month or longer. Yet, the Department of Health and Human Services is planning to eliminate schools at those hospitals.

Education and human services in Wake County are facing a crisis. Not only do hundreds of teachers face layoffs, there isn't any new money in the proposed state budget for textbooks.

Last year at this time, American voters united to successfully oppose the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act promulgated by Bush & Company. This year, the man who promised change is now promising the same racist immigration scheme.

I am anxiously awaiting the return of my son, who has spent the past six months in Spain, in a safe, learning environment, among fellow students, and host families.

As we celebrate Independence Day, I think of July 4, 2006, when three generations of our family visited the Normandy American Cemetery at Omaha Beach.

Regarding your July 2 news article "Girls' choice: club or high school team": It's my impression that the "choice" Capital Area Soccer League is offering female high school soccer players is not much of a choice at all.

There has to be another way of cutting the state budget than firing teachers and teachers assistants and adding more kids per classroom! The United States has been accused of not raising children with the same intelligence level of other countries.

Regarding your June 22 article "Southern Baptists fight decline": There are more than 50 separate Baptist groups in the U.S. It is important to recognize the distinction. When you see a Baptist congregation in the South, it is not necessarily SBC.

The way to fix the American health care system is to wait for the first class session of Econ 101 to end, sequester those students with the charge of fixing the problem, and adopt their solution sight unseen.

I am an average middle-class American who has worked hard and paid taxes for many years. I am going to college now at age 51 so my family can have affordable health care.