MAILBAG - Sept. 17, 2006

Illegal immigration is entirely negative

It was interesting that your headline (“Undocumented workers affect economy”) in Sept. 4’s paper used the politically correct term “undocumented workers” whereas the actual question and leading sentence in the article used the real terms “illegal immigration” and “illegal immigrants.”

In either case, they clearly provide a burden on our health service system, our criminal justice system, and perhaps most important, our educational system. They have abused our Social Security system in a manner that would cause a citizen to be criminally charged with a crime and be subject to jail time.

And, finally, they have created a permanent low-wage class that is very detrimental to the legal minimum-wage earners. On this last point, I hold those who knowingly hire illegal workers fully responsible and would hope that we could enforce those laws as well.

I see no positives that would come close to balancing the negatives, and we haven’t even addressed the issue of security at our borders.

SCOTT CALDER

Newport Beach

Harbor patrol should be under Newport control

What a shame to lose Rupert.

There is never an excuse to operate a vessel that endangers others, be it people or swans.

It is also against the law!

What if the kids sailing the sabots nearby had been hit?

The individual from the Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol who authorized the Code 3 should be reprimanded.

The deputy driving the boat should be sent back to the O.C. Jail or the airport or wherever he or she came from.

What good are the lights and sirens going to do for the dead person? Could it be that police types like to go in with their “guns blazing?”

If asked, I’m sure the Sheriff’s Department response would be “it’s being investigated; the deputy followed policy.”

And nothing would change.

It’s time for the city of Newport to again consider operating the Harbor Patrol and take the “boots off the ground” and put Harbor Patrol officers in Top-Siders.

JOSH WALKER

Balboa Island

Teachers union endorsement no pull for intelligent voter

The teachers union’s endorsement of local candidates for the Newport-Mesa School District election is an invasion of the worst kind.

The teachers union already has too much of a financial stranglehold over our teachers and our schools.

Now they want to use their money to entice our candidates for school board to do as they want in the next four years because of their money.

The teachers’ union endorsement is a negative influence on my vote.

I saw what happened when they threw all their money into the 2002 election against Wendy Leece and backed Tom Egan, who was far less qualified for the tough job of being a school board member.

I hope the intelligent voters have learned a valuable lesson.

I will still vote for the most qualified candidate — I don’t care how many yard signs, mailers and fliers I see.

BARBARA WHITACRE

Costa Mesa