Alas, Mr. Romney, with the help of a friendly Supreme Court and the Koch brothers, has assured the Republican nomination so it seems a good time to clear the air on a number of issues. Right-leaning members of our community will find the following painful to acknowledge but - and this is such a nuisance - facts are facts: 1. President Obama's health plan is taken nearly whole cloth from Mr. Romney's Massachusetts plan. It is a shame Mitt doesn't enjoy the moment. It allows our nation, after all, to join all other first-world countries in providing coverage for pre-existing conditions, eliminating lifetime caps, containing exorbitant corporate profits, extending premium dollars and covering our children, among other benefits. 2. If God came to earth we'd be told that a stimulus is good, austerity bad - a discovery that Europe is making at this moment. However, if your goal is to kill the economy and clear the way for Republican candidates, by all means cut taxes for the rich, putting teachers, firefighters, park rangers, county road crews and the rest on unemployment. Blame Republicans, not Obama, for a failed economy. 3. Illegal immigration is currently net zero under our president. Regrettably, some of you will have to find some other group besides hard-working Mexicans to vilify. 4. Our dear president has lowered your taxes, too, but don't expect to hear that on Fox News.

Leaf Schumann

Deming