Editor, Ceres Courier,

Thanks for the column - how refreshing to have an editor who has not "drank the Kool-Aid." Everything you wrote in that article was great.

I was at the town hall meeting too and it was a "whipping post" for Mr. Denham. The past eight years of "entitlement" is going to be hard to repeal. This is what I posted on my Facebook site:

"We had a town hall in our region tonight. Here are my notes and thoughts (I know it is long, but bear with me): "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" - President John Kennedy. Things have certainly changed. I am serious, this is my first town hall meeting, I have not heard the word free (from the people) so many times in a public setting, no, not freedom... free, free, free. Not affordable, but free - free college. Congressman Denham did offer to push for free college tuition for anybody who serves in the military and he got a big boo from the audience. Free insurance, student debt needs to be forgiven (we already have FASFA, Pell grant and other scholarships that are funding students to party, rebel and hold demonstrations in taxpayer funded schools), use our military protection money to feed the children around the world (our enemies love to hear that), but yet free abortions, free afterschool care, free lunch program, more money needs to go to the arts because many people are not "college or technically inclined"; "give us not only bread, but roses"(an actual quote from someone) - more money for PBS, National Endowment for the Arts, etc., free high speed rail - all the money will come from the rich (working people) to pay for these programs.

Also President Trump has been in office for three whole months now so it is his fault that the Central Valley has the worst air quality in the nation because of his views on global warming and taking money from the EPA.

One good question that was raised - there is a real need for mental healthcare for young people - they have to go out of the county to get help. There is a state-of-the-art mental health facility at the county jail, but people have to get arrested to go to it. We do need help in that area.

It is sad that people forget that we are Americans first; we are not a Third World country (state), not yet anyway.

Jeff Denham offered for the "dreamer" students to join the military after the completion of their studies and he got a big boo on that.

Anyway, thanks for writing an editorial that says what many of us are thinking. Wish the Modesto Bee had the same standards.

Christine Bunow

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