I am an Independent and have voted for both Democrat and Republican candidates and agree with at least some of the goals for both parties. I hope that many of you readers of the Alpena News will take a moment to seriously ask yourselves for an honest answer to these questions. 1. Are you OK with the state of Social Security? (it is broke) 2. Do you think Medicare and Medicaid are working well? (They are costing 10 times what was projected and are rife with waste & fraud) 3. Do you approve of the fact that Amtrack is running far in the red every year and in need of an annual bailout? 4. Do you think the Post Office is efficiently managed? 5. Are you satisfied with your current health insurance plan? 6. Should we turn our health care over to the government also? It is time for Americans to drop partisan prejudice and start thinking. George A.