Fifty-two percent of the voters in the last national election (note, not 52 percent of the people) chose the current president, thus giving him a "mandate"on his policies, foreign and domestic. In a recent poll 75 percent of the people (voters and non-voters, no doubt) polled by AOL/ABC said they do not want their children to join the military!

Where were they last Nov. 2? Similar to NIMBY (not in my back yard), they are all suddenly practicing NMLB (not my little baby).

But, sadly, those survey numbers are reflected in the makeup of Congress (albeit not their actions). The Senate has a 30 percent rate of national service: one Peace Corps, one Vista and 28 military. The House has but a 20.5 percent rate of national service: four Peace Corps, two Vista and 84 military. A blatant case of "Do as I say, not as I do!"

Anybody seen the president's daughters lately? I will guess there is no truth to the rumor that they are teaching ESL classes in Baghdad.

DENIS J. O'CONNELL Sr.

Concord