Every four years Americans get a chance to choose who will control their government for the next four. Individuals join or form interest groups, known as parties, and support them. The names and intentions of the parties vary over time, but under our system there have been basically only two, The contest is between the Ins and the Outs.

Just to clarify Hancock Beach’s history, it was named to honor Priscilla Hancock, chocolatier, who owned the land from the gate to the shore. There had to be a gate because there were sheep behind it.

I find the barrier beach legislation a craven waste of time that hijacks the legislation process for the interests of the one per cent against the one per cent.

I read with interest your article on “super-sized” houses. Notoriously absent was any reference to Edgartown other than the Ernie Boch monstrosity also known as the Christmas tree house, which is old news.

Responding to the story in last Friday’s Gazette about Vineyard veterans and the ongoing battle for health care:

I have been sadly following this since it happened almost four years ago. I am ashamed that our country treats illegal aliens, alcoholics, drug addicts and the poor a million times better than our veterans.

This is in response to Barry Carroll’s letter of August 3.

Let me preface this by saying I am not anti-gun, I am pro-sane gun laws.