So much for putting the 90s in the rear-view mirror.

I mistakenly turned on Fox News a couple of days ago long enough to hear one of their nattering nabobs of negativism boldly predict that the current 9.7 percent national unemployment rate would be the undoing of the Democratic majority in Congress this fall.

“Have you noticed all the new huge trucks and sport utility vehicles the automakers are bringing out? Five or six years from now, all the dealers will get extra rich again on the new Cash for Clunkers that Congress will pass. Yippee!”

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and comments may be edited for clarity and length.

 Take a look at some of November's best shots from the Tribune's photographers.Take a look at some of November's best shots from the Tribune's photographers.

“To the person who does not want children who are not vaccinated to attend public schools (Vent, Saturday), I would ask if your children are vaccinated, how are they put at risk? Do you not believe that the vaccines really work?

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and call-in comments may be edited for clarity and length.

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and call-in comments may be edited for clarity and length.

“Nice try with the article headline, 'Public split on illegals enforcement,’ (Tribune, Tuesday), and the total of the poll is 58 percent for, 32 percent not in favor and 10 percent undecided. Sounds like almost a 2-1 to margin there, people.”

“It just amazes me that the Eagle’s Aerie School has the audacity to think it can provide any (fire) protection for its children (Tribune, Monday). Great, you can get the kids out of the building in 30 seconds. But that’s not what’s going to happen. Some kid is going to get hurt falling off of the playground equipment, falling out of a tree, falling off of his desk and who’s going to be able to respond then? Nobody.”

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and call-in comments may be edited for clarity and length.

“We want to thank (Gov.) Napolitano and DPS for photo radars around the state. Thanks for ruining the driving of motorists and hope you make a bundle of money.”

“Black Friday shoppers will never learn. Even a dumb fish doesn’t always take the bait. You are lured with a few, low-quantity sale items and end up buying what you did not want.”

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and call-in comments may be edited for clarity and length.

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and call-in comments may be edited for clarity and length.

“The reason the amount of students is declining at (Mesa Community College) is costs, including gas. It’s also that the professors don’t care about students, and classes are full and students can’t get into them because they don’t offer enough sections.”

“The children killed by their father in Chandler, I blame the courts for those deaths, to let those children even be with him when he was so emotionally unstable.”

“Mike Tyson got 24 hours jail time? That sure is a joke. Is the judge afraid, or is it the money?”

“On the permanent voting list detailed information I received today, it lists a probable election date as the 'ninth Tuesday before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.’ Guess I won’t vote in that election because I sure can’t figure out when it will be held.”

“I wish I had an override on my own budget, then I could spend frivilously, like it seems like is being done (at the schools).”

“I’m a World War II veteran, and I celebrate Veterans Day on the 11th of November. That’s where it always it is. Not on Monday the 12th so the jerks in Washington can have an extra day off.”

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and call-in comments may be edited for clarity and length.

“I wish the Vent would print something more worth printing regarding people like Rev. (Cerflo) Dollar’s chapel in Georgia, and how can they justify owning Rolls-Royces and living in multi-million dollar mansions and having their own private jets. I wish Congress would crack down on these people.”

“Why didn’t the Memorial Union install the sprinklers when those areas were built? Now, it will cost more money to have them installed. And what about the hundreds of thousands of lives that pass through those doors? You can’t put a price on them.”