Letters to the Editors

Voters' message should be clear

I hope voters of Virginia and New Jersey sent a message to the rest of the country and Americans' love affair with its socialist president is now at least slightly shaken.

After 10 months in office, he has managed to put the country in the largest deficit in its history, has demonstrated his inability to act on sending additional troops to confront our enemies, and made overtures which were rebuffed by Iran and North Korea.

While tramping around the globe (and the country), Mr. Obama never passed up the opportunity to apologize for America, which is a disgrace.

Unemployment, which his administration insisted would never exceed 8 percent, now stands at 10.2 percent, and the recovery he touted exists only in his mind. He's done nothing to effectively stimulate the economy and create jobs, other than jobs created in the government sector.

His cap-and-trade proposal and health care reform will further impact American small business that has been the engine of our economy for over 200 years.

When was the country last in such dire straits? Think Jimmy Carter. But then again, now Carter won't go down in history as our country's worst president, and for that he should thank Mr. Obama.

ARTHUR CAPRARIO

Benton, Tenn.

Improve the home to aid education

It is impressive that Bill Frist and others are directing the SCORE initiative to improve education in Tennessee. The "solutions" mentioned -- data study, strong leadership, improved teaching and higher standards -- are arguably incrementally effective and have been in play for a while. Schools are full of well-trained professionals (go visit one if you don't believe this) who stay on top of teaching and research trends, and will do virtually anything to help kids succeed.

Tennessee's schools are not failing the students (except that perhaps there needs to be more technical high schools with different graduation requirements). The real truth is that, despite school improvements, socioeconomic problems seem to have increased even faster, and almost any educational professional will tell you that dropping out and failing is strongly tied to socioeconomic characteristics of student's home lives.

Poverty is by far the major affector, but other powerful influences include divorce, crime, neglect or abuse, substance abuse, teen pregnancy and adherence to aberrant subcultural norms that do not value respect for others or education nor instill a work ethic. The most important step in helping young people succeed in school is to improve the home environments of children.

GARY FURMAN

Rossville

Letter writer offers thoughts to ponder

I write to respectfully acknowledge the letter (Nov. 6) from D.A. King of Marietta, Ga.

His, along with a selected few, lends thoughts to ponder and I, for one, so contend that the facts presented are well-founded.

MARTHA HAGAN

Time for leaders to stop hypocrisy

Hard times are everywhere. Republican state Rep. Glen Casada said it is time to look at cutting the per diem pay of state legislators.

Republican U.S.Congressman Zach Wamp said it is time to impose term limits on Congress.

This staunch Democrat agrees with both ideas. I think it is time for our leaders to put their mouths where their money is; cut through the hypocrisy and do the right thing.

They can begin in the state House of Representatives by phasing out their pension plans. Retirement pensions should be reserved for full-time workers.

Congress almost enacted term limits several years ago. With all the notorious lawbreakers this august body of lawmakers has produced lately, is there any doubt that we could attract a better quality legislator with term limits?

Gubernatorial candidates can do their part too; give the voters your position on the issues. Ward Cammack is the only one who has taken the time to do this. And would it be asking too much for just one out of the 10 candidates for governor to campaign for a State Bank of Tennessee if he or she gets elected?

DAVID CLARK

Tullahoma, Tenn.

Correct injustice on discrimination

Congress is currently considering the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. This will make it illegal to fire someone for simply being lesbian, gay or transgendered. Statistically, there is only a small chance that this even applies to you, the reader. The hardest part in gaining equal rights for a minority group is relying on the majority to care enough to correct the injustice. Believe it or not, they're your average looking neighbors, your friend at work, that person in the grocery store or at the post office. Sometimes they're even part of your family.

They simply want to live without fear of being fired from their jobs.

Federal law protects workers against discrimination based on race, gender, religion, etc., but not based on sexual orientation.

In 29 states, it's legal to fire otherwise-qualified employees because they are lesbian, gay or bisexual.

ENDA ensures that employees are judged for their performance, not for who they are.

So please, give this some thought. Whether you believe that being gay is right or wrong, you must believe that it is wrong to fire someone from a job for no other reason than who they are in love with and choose to spend their lives with.

AMY CLARK

How could it have happened?

The article (Nov. 7) by Jacqueline Koch regarding a shooting at an area park is obviously just a fabrication. Everyone knows the wise municipal fathers have banned guns from such venues, therefore no such shooting could possibly have occurred. Only a low-life criminal would even consider violating such an edict from on high. The Times Free Press should be ashamed to publish such a blatant impossibility.

JAMIE BUTTS

Ooltewah

How do I earn all that I want?

I got a letter last week from our Uncle Sam saying since I was 65, I could earn as much money as I want. Problem, no jobs. Does that mean counterfeit the money? Or what?

CAROLYN LUETGENS

Whitwell, Tenn.

Leaders pit groups against each other

After watching with angst the debate in Congress regarding health care, I finally heard one lone congressman say the magical words that pierced the magic bubble of liberalism. I paraphrase: "With government overseeing, we can curb people's lifestyle habits regarding smoking and food intake." Do you see the pattern here?

People are so disenfranchised with American politics because of this very mentality. Politicians pit one group of people against another in the name of what's good for us to distract us from what's wrong in Washington. Washington can tax premiums of insurance policies, cut Medicare, tax sweets and cigarettes and still not have utopia as they see it.

All they will accomplish is more animosity among us while they slide in the back door and steal our civil liberties and squander our money. The groups to pit against each other are us, our money and the inept bankrupt federal government.

DOUGLAS E.

STEWART

Georgetown, Tenn.