Don't let the kids down

I'm of retirement age, have no kids or grandkids in North Thurston Public Schools district, but I voted in favor of the levy, and so did all of my retirement-age friends.

We realize how vital those funds are to the welfare of the kids of this school district. I didn't learn about the results of the levy election until returning from Haiti, and discovered, incredibly, that the levy had been defeated.

That looks like people are objecting to educating kids, but I know that is not the case. The levy election defeat reflects people's frustration at inflated real-estate values.

Houses cost too much all along the Interstate 5 corridor, and even the small levy demands were too much for too many people. The North Thurston Public Schools district is very responsible, is wise, prudent and thrifty in the way it uses its funds. I urge everyone to reconsider if he or she voted "no" and to change that to a "yes" in the May rerun.

C'mon folks, we can't let our kids down.

James D. Fett, Lacey

Air Force decision will cost McCain

Mark my words: Not only did the Pentagon's decision to award the Air Force tanker contract to the EADS-Northrop-Grumman team cost our region thousands of jobs, it also cost John McCain the election.

Michelle Plank, Olympia

Our senators are lightweights

Scoop and Maggie, where are you when we really need you?

It is hard to imagine that the U.S. Air Force would have awarded a multi–

billion dollar contract to a French contractor on the watch of former Sens. Henry Jackson and Warren Magnuson.

EADS-Northrop-Grumman is merely a front for the French Airbus company, and will basically only bolt together French-made assemblies in Alabama.

It is a sad commentary on the effectiveness of our senatorial and congressional delegations that this occurred. Our two senators are real lightweights in the arena of senatorial clout.

I'm sure that Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell tried to help Boeing to the best of their abilities, but that's the point; it's their abilities that are in question. If they stay in the Senate for a half-century, they still won't hold a candle to Scoop and Maggie.