Tuesday, May 17, 2011
For weeks I have watched our local girl on "American Idol" identified as the "Pride of Rossville" only to see her supposed homecoming take place in Fort Oglethorpe and Chattanooga. I don't believe she actually ever entered Rossville.
How is it that Rossville was, as usual, excluded from reaping any of the benefits? I am sure that the merchants around Coolidge Park and in Fort O did quite well, while the supposed actual hometown got no appearances or benefits.
You can't blame a 16-year-old girl. Who do you blame?
It's something I will be asking the mayor.
RALPH SPENCER
Rossville, Ga.
I do feel sorry for the poor rich people who have to pay so much tax. But Jennifer Rubin (column, May 13), should give some credit to the 51 percent of the households "paying no federal income tax ... in 2009."
Of the first dollar that anyone of that 51 percent earns, 15 percent goes to the federal government. There is no deduction. Then there's sales tax. Property tax is included in their rent. Gasoline tax and innumerable excise taxes are included in the price of the necessities that they must buy.
Those people get no tax credit for taxes they did not pay while many of the 49 percent that she credits with paying taxes get tax credit for taxes they don't pay.
It's not fitting for your paper to publish such a column that intimates that 51 percent of us don't pull our weight. And it reflects poorly on the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and the Joint Committee on Taxation. All of whom should be so advised.
JAMES O.B. WRIGHT
Sequatchie, Tenn.
I was simply astounded when I received my paper Wednesday morning on May 11th, 2011. Front page! "Deportation penalty."
The article concerning Whitfield County soccer player Bernabe Rangel being here in the United States illegally and on top of that, allowed to participate and compete in high school athletics.
Come on, people.
And then, the article went on to state he had been charged with "theft by receiving."
My point is simply this: Why has he been allowed to compete?
Deport him and forfeit every game that Whitfield County has allowed him to play in.
Oh but wait - let's allow him to leave "after" the title match! Unbelievable!
RANDY REVIS
Harrison
I have heard that cattle know when an earthquake is about to occur. They quit grazing and begin roaming aimlessly around the pasture very confused.
It reminds me of President Obama as he roams aimlessly around the country aware of the economic quake that he has caused with no clue as to what to do about it.
CAREY CROUCH
Keep Medicare as it is. We do not want any changes and definitely not eliminated. This would be horrible for a lot of seniors.
MARILYN MATTHEWS
Rockvale, Tenn.
I live in the mountains of East Tennessee. The tornado that went through Ringgold, Ga., came close to my home. Several days after the storm, I found a piece of paper stuck in the dirt in my side yard. It was a bill to Christopher D. Black, 49 Friendship Road, Ringgold, Ga.
On Saturday, I decided to see what I could find online about Christopher and discovered that he and his family were killed in the tornado. I felt cold chills. I am very sad for the loss of this family even though I did not know them.
MELBA R. HARMON
Walland, Tenn.
Why so many people think this president did something so great: He killed Osama bin Laden.
Don't you all realize that all he did was OK what the real people had put together for so long, and he takes all the glory.
He is still campaigning.
He never kept any of the promises he made. He is more interested in the illegal people.
Even the Muslims said he never kept his promises after he talked them into voting for him.
He has done more damage to the good old U.S.A. than anyone else.
I hope everyone thinks very hard before they re-elect him again. He's not interested in doing good for the people of the U.S.A. He wants it done his way or no way.
IRENE ROSE
Hixson
I am a mother/baby visiting nurse here in Hamilton County. One of the first things I teach new moms is the Heimlich maneuver and CPR.
This past month I had two moms who used it! One mother's niece was choking on some crackers; her parents were frantic because they did not know what to do. This mother did and saved the baby's life.
Another mother's premature infant went into respiratory distress. She performed CPR and revived the baby.
If you have children - you should learn CPR.
If you have parents - you should learn CPR.
If you have siblings, nieces, nephews, friends, co-workers - you should learn CPR.
Everyone should learn CPR. Call the Red Cross at 265-3455 or We R CPR at 553-0040.
CONNIE LEONESSA, R.N.
Appalled is the proper reaction to the conduct of the School Board having bought out Dr. Jesse Register's contract in 2006 and now about to buy Dr. Scales' contract for $260,000 plus benefits.
They extended his contract for two years long before the end of his original contract.
I am not on the inside and don't have the answers, but it seems that Scales has measured up to the task of guiding the school system through a difficult merger of the city and county systems and should be applauded, not run off.
He is criticized for presenting a balanced budget.
Tell me what's wrong with that, something others should learn to do.
Now the board doesn't know where the $260,000 is coming from.
I submit that they are poor fiduciaries of taxpayers' money, and they should live with a man's contract for its duration.
I am tired of the disharmony, feuding, taxes and back-stabbing and think they all should pledge to live within a budget and stop the practice of contract buyouts.
GLEN MOULTRIE