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From the RoundTable blog

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• Finally, a reality check for Roanoke council
• Creative compassion
• Medicaid expansion would break Virginia’s bank
• The best advice? Don’t give it

I understand that Roanoke will again honor those who have served in the military by staging a Veterans Day parade. To this veteran, it seems that the event should be a nonpolitical and noncommercial tribute to those who served in the uniformed services of the United States.

That said, may I suggest that nonveteran politicians and others seeking attention from the public should have the sensibility to view the parade from the sidewalk while applauding those who served.

ALVIN DELONG
ROANOKE

Obama's re-election shows a naÏve nation

By re-electing Barack Obama as president, the American people seem to think it is OK to have the national debt multiply by leaps and bounds, to have more people on welfare than working and to be borrowing money from a communist country.

We obviously see nothing wrong with depending on other countries as resources for energy, when all along we could have been digging and drilling for it right here in our own territory. Wait a minute, I forgot. We are supposed to be scared of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The American people are willing to gut their own military and take it down to a skeleton force. We have to be the most naïve nation on this planet to believe we can continue to survive like this.

No country can exist primarily on social programs. Has anyone studied what has happened in countries like France and the Netherlands in the last 50years? Are we really so blind? I can only say God help us, please, because this administration will not.

DANA JACKSON
FAIRLAWN

Get back to work and pass the Farm Bill

This year's historic failure by Congress to reauthorize the Farm Bill before it expired on Sept. 30 left vital beginning-farmer, research and rural development programs without funding, and conservation programs severely cut. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has promised to bring the 2012 Farm Bill to the floor of the House when Congress reconvenes after the election.

The 2012 Farm Bill must maintain robust funding for Natural Resources Conservation Service programs that support farmers to steward soil, water and other resources for future generations.

It must level the playing field and save funds by closing loopholes that allow megafarms and absentee investors to collect millions from farm subsidy programs intended to keep family farms in business during hard times.

It must create jobs and business opportunities by supporting rural development.

Finally, with many farmers nearing retirement age, the new Farm Bill must continue and expand the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program to help recruit, train and establish the next generation of farmers.

As vice chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Bob Goodlatte can help make a forward-thinking Farm Bill a reality.

Tomorrow's food system depends on it.

MARK SCHONBECK
FLOYD

Political ads are a waste of money

I agree with Gussie Revercomb's letter from Sunday's newspaper ("Political ad dollars could be better spent," Nov. 4 Pick of the day). It is a shame for all of the politicians to use an incredible amount of money on ads that most people hate.

I tape everything so I can fast-forward through political ads. I have caller ID, and I do not answer the phone unless it is someone I know.

Even the undecided friends I have say that the ads do not influence them and that they hate them, too.

Plus, the money could be used to reduce our deficit or help those in need.

JUNE TEGENKAMP
ROANOKE

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