The political race for president and others have been going on for over a year now. The politicians have promised everybody the world and a solution to all their problems. But we all know when the time comes and they are sworn in that those promises are somehow forgotten. It is sad to say but this election you almost have to flip a coin to decide who you want to vote for in the presidential race. You put Clinton, Obama and McCain in the same pot and turn it over; I assure you all three of them will fall out at the same time. I think the race we should really study and decide on is the politicians who are running for Congress. Don't they really have the power and make the final decisions? The president can veto or argue but they usually win. And then we have the other politicians running for governor and lieutenant governor and so forth. I can truly say I have contacted Richard Moore about some problems I was having and he took care of the matter in no time. I have contacted others and just got letters stating they would see what they could do. A nice way of saying don't bother me. But Mr. Moore made a statement that bothered me as well. He stated that minimum wages should be raised because people could not live off the range of $800 per month. Mr. Moore I have to say this to you and all the other politicians. You say people can't live off $800 a month but the government expects people on disability or social security to live off $860 per month. If they receive over that amount, their Medicaid and food stamps are cut off. They can not receive any help. People on Social Security have their Medicare deductible raised or cut off. Thousands of people live at the poverty level because of the guidelines that are set by Congress in the 60s. I think it's time that the government takes a look at these guide ines and change them. Don't set one set of rules for certain people and another set for others. We the American citizens should all be treated equally. The government can go and destroy other countries and take billion of dollars to rebuild them. They can help other people from other countries, but can't take care of their own people. So when you vote this year, vote for who you think will serve you in Congress not the White House.

Preston Holmes

Rocky Mount