Wake up, R.I. voters

I’d like to thank John P. Lage Jr. for his Feb. 1 letter (“R.I. voters should dump all incumbents”). I’ve been saying the same thing to everyone I come in contact with.

I would like to carry it a bit further and ask the voters to approve term limits. Our legislators continue in office for years going unopposed. Rhode Island history shows that many of them get so comfortable in their position they become greedy and corrupt.

We need change! An all-new group of legislators cannot do any worse than those we currently have.

These politicians have made Rhode Island the laughingstock of the country.

Those of us who travel out of state often hear people from other states make rude remarks regarding our officeholders.

Rhode Island voters must wake up and get rid of those who keep this beautiful state from gaining the respect we deserve.

Donald F. Cady Wakefield

R.I. GOP’s little tent

I am writing this letter to express my outrage, as a registered unaffiliated voter, at those members of the Rhode Island Republican Party who want to disenfranchise me from my right to fully exercise my choices in whom I may wish to vote for in the upcoming primary elections.

It seems to me that the Republicans, or any party, should be courting the unaffiliated voters, not trying to shut them out. I am sure there are many others who feel as I do and who may well decide, as I have, that should the Republicans choose to close their primary, thereby stating that they do not want our votes in the primary, they will then definitely not be getting my vote in the general election, no matter who their candidates happen to be. They don’t get to have it both ways.

This is exactly the kind of thing that is guaranteed to alienate voters.

So it’s no wonder the Republican Party here in Rhode Island gets so little respect and repeatedly loses. This issue of closing the primary has come up just when the party leaders should be pulling together as a strong team with a united front. They should be concentrating their efforts on finding the best possible candidates to offer the voters so as to be able to defeat their opponents in November’s election.

Instead, they are engaging in very public infighting and rattling sabers at each other.

How stupid, and sad, for the Republican Party and Rhode Island.

Sandra S. Bockes West Greenwich

Back to manufacturing

It is painful to watch the rapid decline in the standard of living among many of our citizens. We all listened to some of our leaders telling us that the giving away of manufacturing jobs would be good for our country as we entered a service-based economy.

One has to wonder what those people were thinking. Did they actually think that machine and textile workers were going to enter the banking trade by being re-educated? Did they really believe that our educated workers could compete with intelligent low-wage earners in China and India? Did they not realize that outsourcing of jobs would end up reducing the wages of those who were fortunate enough to keep their jobs?

James P. Curci North Kingstown

Great care at Miriam

I wanted to take this opportunity to express my complete satisfaction after having knee surgery on Feb. 3 at Miriam Hospital, Providence.

The comfort, care and compassion was the best I’ve ever experienced. The nursing staff was prompt and professional.

Especially I want to thank and mention Dr. Robert Shalvery of University Orthopedics, nurse John Duhamel and anesthesiologist Brett Arron. It’s no wonder why Miriam Hospital is the best. It’s people like this who make it what it is. Health-care professionals who are tops in their field should be recognized more often. Arthur Sampson, executive director of Miriam Hospital, you certainly have the best.

Denis Lapierre North Smithfield