Officials' moves are double-dealing
Under state laws, constitutionally elected officials are exempt from salary reductions!
Who wrote this law? Elected officials passed this law; then claim their salaries cannot be reduced because of the law.
They have also passed laws benefiting only their retirement, expense accounts, health and personal benefits. This is the meanest form of double-dealing; more damaging than collective bargaining.
Elected officials also write legal immunities whereby they are only responsible to the people at election time. If their salaries, benefits and all expenses were paid by the people in the district which elected them, then they could be held responsible by the people in that district.
Officials also change political parties after being elected. Changing political parties is a privilege of all in this great nation.
An individual who is registered to vote under one party cannot vote in the election of another party.
When an elected official's convictions will no longer allow service to the party that elected him or her, then he or she must resign the elected position. To do otherwise is to become a traitor, or at least a turncoat. To continue to reap benefits while a turncoat in reality makes that one a thief.
REX A. NELSON
Dalton, Ga.
GOP action led Clinton successes
The May 8 edition of letters contained one more in a long list of progressive liberal letters from Signal Mountain with the same tired old theme: Good Democrats Bad Republicans.
The line is always about the wonderful years of Bill Clinton with jobs, welfare reform and a balanced budget with a huge surplus at the end of his term.
We should forget all we learned in junior high about the three branches of government and their responsibilities.
The Republican Congress passed the legislation that cut the welfare rolls, reduced taxes and spending, and balanced the budget over the objections of President Clinton.
Now, years later, the progressives try to take credit for the work of the Republican legislators and what they accomplished.
Another thing to think about is how the Bush tax cuts for the rich (and all other taxpayers) could be so bad if President Obama had to extend them to prevent the economy from crashing and losing 1.5 million jobs. We should share the blame and the credit, and now it is praise to President Obama for nailing Osama bin Laden.
ROBERT SHELTON
Where is outrage over bin Laden raid?
Osama bin Laden is dead.
Good - one more bad guy off the planet. But why is no one questioning the manner in which it occurred?
No media outrage, no ACLU press conference, no anti-jingoism rally on the National Mall - nothing.
Our military enters the sovereign territory of another nation and kills an unarmed zealot.
Does that mean that the leader of Syria could order his military to enter Florida and kill the Rev. Terry Jones for burning the Quran?
What happened to "our American values" so eloquently touted in the last presidential campaign?
It must be nice to be president and have a continuous free pass. Sen. Barack Obama decried torture in Guantanamo.
I guess President George W. Bush should have just shot all the prisoners in the head and it would have been OK, as long as he called it "justice."
CHARLIE ROBERTS
Red Bank
State should honor Amazon deal
Tennessee's politicians don't appear to understand the Amazon issues:
1) Tennessee is currently not receiving sales taxes from Amazon purchases. This status will likely remain, unless a national regulation to collect state sales taxes on Web-based purchases is implemented.
2) Tennessee residents' purchases on Amazon will continue - if a Tennessee sales tax is imposed, alternate Web services that avoid sales taxes will be used.
3) Amazon's distribution centers will bring substantial new jobs and employees.
4) New employees will be spending money on housing, food and other products, which will generate tax revenue.
5) The complaining local companies won't be losing business with Amazon's presence (that's already lost if applicable) - they'll actually benefit and won't complain about additional sales generated from new residents. How many new jobs are these companies creating?
6) If the previous "no sales tax collection" commitment made to Amazon is rescinded, Amazon will likewise rescind plans for operations in Tennessee.
7) Any failure to retain Amazon's business is a net loss to Tennessee - how will the complaining companies make up the losses incurred?
Hopefully Tennessee's politicians will honor prior commitments, or they may be looking for employment. Will the complaining companies hire them?
SIDNEY H. SIMON
Southerners mean well
I will always be proud of my Southern heritage, but I have to admit we have an obsession with refighting the Civil War in different forms.
Well, worry not my fellow Americans, thank goodness we always lose.
I no longer fret so much about my good family and friends who rant and rave about Medicare, evolution in schools, the liberal press. I finally realized the train left the station long ago on these issues and there's really no turning back.
It's like my grandmother coming back from her grave in Mobile today and looking for the "whites only" water fountain. God bless her soul, she means well.
JOHN F. POWELL
Hixson
Fund rejection will backfire
Duh! Reject a $581,700 contract for family planning so we can pay for rearing 81,700 unplanned-for children.
MARYMOR CRAVENS
Sewanee, Tenn.
Mayor should help those who need it
I thought it was bad enough, the cuts - but why is the new county mayor taking away from the people who have the least?
Having tried to help the "homeless," who else could he kick?
Is he going after the people who have lost their homes in the storms? Can he tax FEMA, TEMA, Red Cross or others groups helping people?
He can probably stop food stamps because they live in the city.
Why can't he take his big pay raise becoming county mayor and help those who need it the most?
KAREN ALEXANDER
Lookout Mountain
Thanks, GOP, for jobs mess
Congratulations, Tennessee Republicans, you have fulfilled your promise to create jobs for our state. You are sending Amazon packing, thus creating jobs for other states and limiting the number of companies that even thought about coming into our areas. Thanks again.
CATHERINE OWENS
Islamic lands force other religions out
An Islamic mosque is being built in Chattanooga on Gunbarrel Road near the roundabout at Standifer Gap Road (Times Free Press article, May 1).
As an American, I respect their right to build their church. But there are no Baptist churches being built in Saudi Arabia. There are no Methodist missionaries allowed in Iran. There are no Church of God preachers on the radio in Iraq.
That is because in every single country where Muslims have become the majority, all other religions have been forced out.
Although our Chattanooga Muslims are taking advantage of America's freedom of religion, those in Islamic controlled countries deny that same right to their citizens. For America to remain the land of the free, we must remain vigilant and protect our "inalienable rights."
GERALD WHITELY
Ringgold, Ga.