Stories about the inhumane treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo or of those held without charge and no legal or family notification reminded me of men with PW signs on their shirts working in factories in Presque Isle during World War II. Jamaicans came to work in the potato harvest. On Sunday, we would see them in their suits standing in front of the Victory Restaurant.

Each week, when I read Washington Watch or news stories in the Sun-Journal, I realize again that political party, not conscience nor the common good, prevails. Often policies are decided by one or two votes. June 22, Estate Tax Repeal, Health Coverage; July 13, Overtime Rules 213-210 (vote against unions); No Child Left Behind, 223-119; Bush proposal could hurt Head Start; and on and on.

The current controversy about whether or not those masters of deceit and deception in the Bush White House, especially Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, lied to Congress and the American people about Iraq buying uranium from Africa and Iraq continuing to build “weapons of mass destruction,” and finding usable aluminum tubes, causes me to despair that the Democrats will never have any voice in our government.

I have read that Republicans are more apt to reply to polls and pollsters. I don’t think polls reflect the thinking of many unasked Americans. I wish that Rep. Mike Michaud will be re-elected and that more Democrats will win House seats.

Joanna Walsh-Ward, Lewiston