Greenland, you have delivered overwhelming, nonpartisan support to our current system of voting by keeping voting machine tabulation in our town. You have similarly and unquestionably disregarded the unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in our town. I am certainly grateful for this outcome. Thanks to everyone who came out to vote in this one-issue, special election, one week before Christmas, in inclement weather. We must remain vigilant, and combat this effort should it reappear in our town. And, certainly, other NH towns must act similarly.

As pleased as I am with this outcome, I remain concerned for our overall democracy.

More:Greenland residents reject bid to eliminate vote-counting machines. It wasn't close.

While those who would seek to change the system of voter tabulation in Greenland and other towns may have lost this particular battle, I worry about the greater war. And while those who believed in and propagated these myths may have lost this battle, I believe there is an underlying, more sinister, motive behind it to undermine our general faith in our elections, that even they may not realize. Like an iceberg, what is most concerning may be hidden from view.

When the integrity of our votes is challenged, our democracy is at stake. When there is intimidation of town officials anywhere in the United States, our democracy is at stake. When there are systems being put forth that would replace our votes, our democracy is at stake. Do not let anyone or any system undermine your faith in our democracy.

This is not a partisan issue. Each and every voter wants his/her voice to be heard and counted. Attacks on our voting system, such as we have just witnessed in Greenland, effect us all. We must resist any attempts to wrest control from voters to those who would replace our votes. Each of us deserves the opportunity to have his/her voice heard. We each must continue to resist any such attempts to take that voice away.

The Opinion page of Sunday, Dec. 12 was arguably the mother of all Sunday Opinion pages. It has since sparked a number of letters, more like debates, in subsequent opinion pages. Makes for great reading and does help sell papers.

Unfortunately such “debates“ do not pay the bills as in advertising revenues. Going back to Sunday Dec. 12, I would offer my commentary on Ken McCord’s “ remain free in New Hampshire" column. Specifically the reference that New Hampshire is rated the No. 1 freest state in the country. This according to the Cato Institute or if you prefer, the World Population Review.

More:McCord: To remain free in New Hampshire, vote for freedom

Gives me cause to wonder if either organization did a boots on the ground survey in NH. Also, I wonder if either organization consulted with New Hampshire’s Free Staters who continue to cause harm to the Granite State. Interesting to note that some of these Free Staters are or have been a part of the NH General Court.  I would ask freedom from what other than Mr. McCords concerns?

Freedom not to worry over the state the having the No. 1 COVID infection rate in the country.

Freedom not to worry about the governor's refusal to order a statewide mandate for vaccinations, mask wearing, etc. because “the facts are convoluted.” 

Freedom not to worry over those who remain unvaccinated because of individual freedom. I particularly like the line “I have a constitutional right not to get vaccinated .“

Freedom not to be overly concerned about nurses permanently leaving hospitals after finishing exhausting, 12-hour shifts. Freedom not to be concerned about NH teachers teaching the darker side of the country’s past 400 years. Freedom not to worry over our teachers losing their jobs for simply teaching the truth. Those Moms for Liberty will pay a bounty to anyone reporting such a violation. Not to worry!

Finally, freedom not to be too overly concerned over the governor’s endorsement of Trump's pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreements. Readers might recall Trump referring to climate change as a “hoax."

Peter Rice (A Liz Cheney Republican)

I read a poll the other day that showed Donald Trump with a 4-point lead over President Joe Biden in a theoretical match up in 2024. What does this say about the American public?  Joe Biden is doing an outstanding job strengthening the economy, restoring our tattered image abroad, fighting the pandemic, addressing climate change, protecting a woman's reproductive rights, appointing qualified candidates to important positions, and providing intelligent, mature, seasoned leadership.  We know who the twice-impeached, soon-to-be-indicted, and utterly-inept Donald Trump is now: a conman, a psychopath, a compulsive liar, and a malignant narcissist.  Oh, and he also led an insurrection seeking to overturn the election.  Our democratic society is in great peril from Trump and his Republican sycophants.  What part of all this is so difficult for nearly half of the country to comprehend?

There are numerous examples of where people look at the same information and justify a very different view or conclusion. Depending on whether you have knowledge of government or investing, the initialism OPM means the Office of Personnel Management or Other People’s Money to you.

IRA may mean Irish Republican Army to some, but Individual Retirement Account to others. The not often celebrated V-J Day is normally associated with Victory over Japan Day, celebrated on September 2nd. For others V-J Day is now celebrated on January 6th and stands for Vigilante Justice Day.

To most, the letters CDC mean the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, but for others it seems to mean the Conservative Death Cult. The CDC based in Atlanta, Georgia recommends getting vaccinated to reduce the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths. The CDC based in Palm Beach, Florida is the de facto headquarters of the Conservative Death Cult.

As for nonsensical arguments against getting vaccinated, I am getting a bit tuckered out hearing from individuals still making those arguments, a year after the vaccines were delivered at “Warp Speed” for our use. Statistically speaking, higher vaccination rates result in lower death rates. In New Hampshire, over 180,00 cases have resulted in over 1,800 deaths so far. Do your own simple math.

I am disgusted that Senator Manchin can’t explain the Build Back Better bill to his constituents. West Virginia sorely needs this bill. We all need it! Even the coal miners disagree with him. I think he should go back home and ask them what they need. He apparently has no clue.