I want to congratulate the Acorn on its March 26 editorial ("People who can, should buy things"). That's exactly what we all need to do- - go out and spend some money and on local businesses, too, and not wait for the government to waste more of our tax dollars on halfbaked social programs that will supposedly solve our financial woes.

It's funny how none of the socalled "bailout" and "stimulus" (read "pork barrel projects") and other government financial solutions, starting with last year, have not worked.

And your comment about things aren't as bad as we think they are is absolutely correct!

Of course, the biased leftwing mainstream media loves to paint bleak pictures to entice us to support the current batch of "hurry-up," "knee-jerk" bailouts and "spend our tax money like a drunken sailor" regarding legislation passed by Congress.

I also want to say what a good job your paper is doing, not only in covering local issues, but in presenting fair and balanced political thought and opinions.

The editors at the "Red Star" and the "Liberal Always Times" could learn a lot from you about the responsibilities of a fair and open-minded press. Bob Meisterling Thousand Oaks