Comments from our readers:

WE, THE PEOPLE , do for our country. Meanwhile, the government does for itself.

SONNY'S CUTTING $1.6 billion and canceling the meager raise that state employees get in January. Come on, Sonny. We're not getting the amount that YOU get, so it won't hurt you.

A BIG RAVE to Columbia County Animal Care and Control for the hard work and positive attitude for taking in our stray animals. They deserve high praise in a thankless job, not the public criticism they have received recently.

WE DO NOT HAVE a justice system in this country. We have a LEGAL system. There is no justice!

WHY DOES OBAMA want the U.S. to fall? His latest oil flip would break the U.S. Can anybody be more full of rubbish?

A HEARTFELT RAVE to Dr. J.P. McDonough, Ms. Teresa, Dr. Fadel, Dr. Sharp, Dr. Cothran, Dr. Brawley, all of the NICU nurses, third- and fourth-floor nurses at University Hospital. Thank you all so much for the wonderful care that you gave to my family and my little girl during her stay. She is doing excellent, praise the Lord!

A HUGE RAVE to SRP Credit Union at Peach Orchard Road for going beyond the call of duty for being there for my mom and dad. Pam, Jackie, Shanta and Kenya -- you're the best.

A RECENT HEADLINE read: "Growth to necessitate more schools" in Columbia County. How refreshing to see a school board that refrains from spending until they see that it must be done. This is so rare, the whole article must be some sort of misprint.

GEORGIA MAY CUT back the number of armed security guards at Augusta State University. A better and cheaper idea would be to encourage all students to go armed. Then watch the thugs find a different neighborhood to mess with.

FOR WEEKS YOUR PAPER has been telling us about the vast number of students who have failed the CRCT test. So how can Dr. Bedden of Richmond County claim he has attained a goal worthy of a $15,000 bonus when so many students have failed?

THIS RIGOROUS MATH CRCT has more questions than answers. A child who passes math during the year and fails the CRCT is retained, but a child who fails during the school year who passes the CRCT is promoted. Go figure.

If you have an opinion you want to share with other newspaper readers, you may call The Augusta Chronicle's Rants & Raves line at (706) 823-3397, fax your opinion to (706) 722-7403 or send an e-mail to newsroom@augusta chronicle.com.