<P> Sometimes a letter to the editor in a local newspaper, such as the Dear IRS letter written by Ed Barnett to the Wichita Falls Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas, will end up receiving attention from the national media . </P> <P> Submitting a letter under a false name to shill in support or to criticize an opponent can have significant consequences . For example, Canadian politician Paul Reitsma's career ended in scandal in 1999, after he signed letters addressed to newspapers as "Warren Betanko" praising himself and attacking his political opponents . His local paper wrote a front - page story under the headline of "MLA Reitsma is a liar and we can prove it ." </P> <P> In 1966 Israel, the Herut Party of then opposition leader Menachem Begin was shaken by scandal when letters sharply attacking Begin, which had been published in major dailies, were proven to have been authored by Begin's rivals for the party leadership and sent to the papers under various aliases and false names . As a result, the rivals were discredited and eventually expelled from the party, which helped buttress Begin's leadership position up to win the 1977 general elections and become Prime Minister of Israel . </P>

Why do we write letters to the editor