Letters to the Editors

Most favor current health care bill

It is still hard to believe the total amount of misinformation regarding health care. In a nation that is supposed to care for one another, our representatives still wage political battles and could care less about the everyday people. Both sides have their issues, and they need to listen to the people. No one person I have spoken with in the past five months was against the basic package and public option. It is the special interests, etc., and I surely wish the people of America would wake up. Our nation will not go belly-up by assisting the people without health care. Right now, we with insurance are paying higher and higher premiums because the cost of a person without health care is passed to us anyway.

I read the bill. Perfect it is not, though there are no death panels, no abortion extra rights and no coverage of illegals. Gaps, yes, though there will always be someone who can figure out how to break the system.

DR. PAUL SEEMUTH

Ringgold, Ga.

Where did CHA money go?

It has been some months since the Chattanooga Housing Authority was found guilty of doing away with some $4.7 million, and there is very little evidence as to where the money has gone!

Since Social Security has decided not to give the retirees a cost-of-living increase, the Housing Authority is raising the rent of most of the people on assistance.

The cost of living was never to be withheld, so Congress once again is twisting the law!

ROBERT B. LINDSEY

Police officer a good PR rep

On Saturday, Nov. 7, approximately 10:15 a.m., my two daughters and I were in Chattanooga and were trying to reach a destination. Our "mapquest" directions were very confusing, but we were fortunate to spot Chattanooga police car #1233. We stopped and asked the officer for directions. When he completed his report of a break-in, he said "follow me." We arrived on time due to his kindness and being able to take us by way of short cuts. We wish to thank him publicly for being such a good public relations representative for your city.

ELLEN SMITH

Knoxville

Time for Adams to act on freeze

The attitude of Hamilton County Commissioner Curtis Adams toward the property tax freeze mandated by 85 percent of the voters is unbelievable. We care not one whit what his fellow commissioners think about the matter. The voters have spoken and it is incumbent upon him to enact it at once. If Adams cannot figure out how to do it, hire a consulting firm to create a plan.

One factor muddying the waters is Adams' attempt to save money by making it a poverty program by creating a low income cut-off level. Keep it simple. Include all seniors age 65 and up as they are the voters who no doubt supported the passage of this freeze. We expect the freeze to be in effect before the next tax hike. It won't amount to much to the individual, but it will help those whose earning power is in decline in their golden years.

RONALD CUMBIE

Perceived betrayal in Hasan' behavior

As we applied Dr. John Shay's book "Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character" to Homer's Achilles and Sophocles' Ajax, I told my class that we are in a position to understand the tragedy at Fort Hood. Following the trajectory of rage considered as treason by Achilles and Ajax, we might be able to thread the ancient needle to the present and place Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's insanity in a classical perspective.

We are fortunate Gen. "BB" Bell is able to explain the setting of the massacre and the pragmatic steps of the investigation. Working with veterans in Boston, Dr. Shay writes: "We begin in the moral world of the soldier -- what his culture understands to be right -- and betrayal of that moral order by a commander." For Achilles and Ajax their honor was betrayed. The reverse is true; the constitutional and Hippocratic oath have been violated.

Dr. Hasan, after hearing soldiers' narrative and believing a president's rhetoric, felt betrayed by his own deployment. Then the neural wires of Middle East politics rearranged his belief system. Robert Kennedy's assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, mirrors this man better than Ajax and Achilles.

A handgun of much improved metal has snuffed out history.

KEMMER ANDERSON

Signal Mountain

Obama, Pelosi pursue tyranny

If President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House of Representatives are not pursuing tyranny, then what is it?

Two hundred twenty members of the House, backed by our president, voted to inflict punishment on citizens of this country by imposing devastating fines and jail time on those who fail to purchase a product -- health insurance.

Are we to believe that their intentions are born of a deep love and concern for each individual?

Please! It's about control.

It's clearly unconstitutional, immoral and a death blow to freedom.

President Obama and Speaker Pelosi have the same view of the common, working man and woman that King George of Britain did, a view that we don't know what's best for us and we're simply a source of revenue for the government.

It's not name calling if it's based on facts.

Two hundred twenty members of the House and our president have made their intentions known loud and clear. It is what it is.

FRANCIS

SANTAQUILANI

Turn switch to halt runaway vehicles

There have been many instances of runaway Camrys and Lexuses. The throttle becomes fully open and not under the control of the driver. A Lexus attained a speed of 120 miles per hour while the terrified passengers made cell phone calls to loved ones. The terminal collision terminated the lives of all aboard.

Initially the problem was attributed to the accelerator catching under the floor mat. However, there have been documented instances in which the floor mats were not a factor, which implicates the throttle linkage.

If, during such an incident, the ignition switch is turned to the ACC (accessory) position, this will turn off the ignition and stop the engine without locking the steering wheel. The engine will stop and terminate power steering and power braking, but the vehicle will still be controllable, with effort. Indeed, the steering wheel cannot lock unless and until the gear shift is placed in the park position. The parking pawl is not a good way to stop a car.

If, in such an instance, the gear shift lever is moved to neutral, it will terminate the power flow to the driven wheels, but the engine will self-destruct quickly. This is admittedly preferable to a fatal high speed ride.

Just turn off the switch!

GRIMES G.

SLAUGHTER

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Early presidents not born in the US

I see in the newspaper where U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., questions President Obama's citizenship. Maybe Rep. Deal should check on some other people that became president of the United States.

The first six men elected to be president of these United States were not born in the United States. When these six men were born and later became president, there wasn't any United States but they still became presidents of this country.

WILLIAM RAY

TURNER

Tracy City, Tenn.