Gwinnett Daily Post

According to Jan Erb's letter on Thursday, the "government's role in our lives is all about insurance." The military, police, health rules and education were cited as examples.

OK, if this is the case, where do we stop? Is it government's role to ensure that everyone has a beach or mountain house, a new car every year, or anything else that some other person may have? It is the government's responsibility to listen to the people. In this case, most people do not favor the health reform that was recently passed.

The government does have the responsibility to ensure people have the freedom to make choices on how they spend their money. When one branch of the government abuses the rules, it is necessary for the other branches of government — checks and balances) — to call them to task. This is a responsibility and not a frivolous waste of taxpayer's money.

If anyone wants to see frivolous spending, you have to look no farther than the TARP or stimulus legislation.

— Bob Pietruszka

Lilburn

Donating organs can save, help lives of many

If offered an opportunity to save a life, would you? Ninety percent of Americans say "yes" to organ donation, yet only a few more than 37 percent of Georgia's population has signed up on our state organ and tissue donor registry.

April is Donate Life Month, and I encourage those who have not yet done so to sign up on Georgia's donor registry online by visiting www.donatelifegeorgia.org or when getting or renewing their driver license.

One organ donor can save the lives of eight people and impact nearly 50 more through tissue donation. There are more than 106,000 people waiting nationally for a lifesaving transplant — more than 3,000 of whom are our friends and neighbors in Georgia — and each of us has an opportunity to become a hero every time we say "yes" to organ and tissue donation. Call LifeLink of Georgia for more information 770-225-5465.

— Kaysha Cranon

Public Affairs Coordinator, LifeLink of Georgia