To the Editor:

The view of the operation and special laws that (cover up) for our state and county governing bodies (Sunday 3-13) was right on the “money.” However, you stopped short of completing the list. Our federal government holds a No. 1 spot on that list.

The Constitution of The United States of America was written by honest and genuine patriots who wanted a better life for every citizen of America. It has since been altered (by our elected representatives) to suit their own political, financial, and personal pathway to power and greater authority. As a result, our Constitution today has less than a “0” value for the ordinary citizen and taxpayer of our country.

As citizens and taxpayers, we are required by law to pay taxes on everything ą except for the air we breathe ą and since God alone gave that to us, hopefully the politicians can’t find a way to tax that.

Now, accountability comes into play. As taxpayers, we cannot ask to whom or how our tax dollars are spent. However, the many organizations, agencies, bureaus, etc. (that have been established as covers for all the covert operations run by our government) do not have to account for what purposes these funds are used. Not even Congress or the president can question their use. This makes a citizen wonder who or what is really ruling this once great country that we live in today. Many of these covert operations don’t even have to ask for the funds ą they simply transfer them from another organization to which Congress has allotted the funds previously (example ą the HUD scandal). Again, no accountability by reason of for the good and safety of National Security.

Being a 72-year-old citizen, whose husband, children and grandchildren ą like every U.S. citizen that works ą I was required to pay FICA taxes into Social Security, a fund set up to provide some security for old age. These funds were never meant to be used as a private slush fund for our government’s covert operations. We, senior citizens, are now being told that the funds are running out but we are not being told that the funds were borrowed?, dipped into? and never repaid. For the last three years, seniors did not get their raise in January.

One wonders where the funds were transferred to and which covert organization squandered our money away while we dropped another level deeper into poverty.

I would really not be surprised to hear that ą for the good and safety of the National Security ą our Social Security Administration will no longer be sending the senior citizens their monthly check to pay rent, buy food and pay lights and heat bills.

SHELBY WILLIAMS

Belhaven