Friday, January 1, 1904
Has the GOP gone insane?
An earlier Times Free Press letter stated: "the GOP is the laughing stock of the world press." They are much worse than that.
Bruce Bartlett was a domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan and was a Treasury official under President George H.W. Bush. He is an American historian who has written about supply-side economics. He basically says that today's Republican Party has gone insane.
Reagan would have no chance for the nomination in this current tea party-dominated GOP.
The "war on women," or however you want to describe it, is an absolute reality! Just look around the country at what the GOP-controlled state legislatures are doing. A woman would have to be insane to vote Republican.
And are you paying attention to the GOP-dominated actions in Nashville? What was all the pre-election talk about jobs? No help with that now.
The latest national jobs report was a good increase, even though Republicans try to sabotage the economy and everything else in an attempt to blame Democrats. The growth would have been better had GOP state legislatures not fired or laid off many in the public sector.
Anyone would have to be insane to vote for today's Republicans!
ANN BENTON
Signal Mountain
Perhaps you are a person with hearing loss. If not, you probably know someone who has hearing loss.
There are 36 million people in the U.S. with hearing loss.
The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) began an awareness and fundraising campaign in 2006 called "Walk4Hearing." Now in its fourth year locally, Chattanooga's Walk4Hearing will be held May 12 at Chattanooga State and adjoining Riverwalk.
Giving back to the community is a chapter priority. The chapter was recognized with the HLAA national award for "Walk4Hearing Best Use of Funds" in 2011.
Teams support the Walk4Hearing.
Alliance teams are qualifying 501c3 non-profit organizations, local schools, hospitals, hearing health care-related groups or houses of worship that can earn 40 percent of the money they raise as a team to support their own programs or services for people with hearing loss.
Sponsors provide monetary and/or in-kind support to the Walk4Hearing. To date, sponsors include: Chattanooga Times Free Press, Volkswagen Chattanooga, Clarity, Chattanooga State Community College, Magical Music Machine, Chattanooga Sertoma Club, Caption Associates, LLC, Roadtec, David Ingram Family, Barnett & Company Investment Counsel, Morgan Keegan and Tennessee Captioned Telephone powered by Hamilton Relay.
For more information, visit www.walk4hearing.org.
BETTY PROCTOR
Chair, HLAA Chattanooga Walk4Hearing
Creationism is a religious theory, not a scientific theory.
Scientific theories are based on empirical evidence, confirmable data, and rational reasoning.
Religious theories are based on philosophical and religious reasoning and are primarily a matter of faith.
Creationism does not belong in a science class; it belongs in a religion class.
Creationism is not the only religious theory of the origin of life found in our world today; most all of the non-Judeo-Christian religions have their own theory of how the world was formed and life began.
Our Constitution forbids our government to influence our religious beliefs. Unless we are willing to offer religious courses in our public schools which explore all religious beliefs (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Rastafarianism, Animism and all others), then we have no business teaching creationism in our schools.
I fear that many of our Christian citizens would be extremely intolerant of such a religious course in our public schools and would fight the inclusion of the course material into our public school systems curriculum, tooth and nail.
This being the case, I suggest that we keep the teaching of creationism where it belongs, in our churches, tabernacles, mosques and places of worship.
WALT BERRY
On Jan. 17, 2008, while campaigning, Obama said he would not allow evasive carp fish to get into the Great Lakes.
After becoming president, he refused to close a lock to keep the fish out because of $30 million in barge traffic run by unions.
If the fish got into Lake Michigan it could cost the fishing industry $7 billion.
Update: As reported in March by the Associated Press, the carp fish is in Lake Michigan and the Obama administration is spending $51.5 million this year to shield the lakes from the fish. So much for the $30 million barge traffic.
Also, why was there a Christmas ornament on the 2010 White House Christmas tree of Mao?
Obama promised to sit down with Republicans over the omnibus bill and health care bill, with C-Span in the room, so Americans could see what was going on. It never happened.
Obama said he welcomed input from Congress if they had any ideas about the health care plan, to let him know. Michelle Bachmann wrote him that she had some ideas, but the president never responded.
Get out and vote in November.
TOM FRICKE
Spring City, Tenn.
The proposed laws and debates which are before the representatives in Tennessee are amazing.
Today, unemployment is high; jobs are low; entitlements are up. The education system is faltering; schools are charged for lottery monies; bullying, weapons, and drugs are widespread. Needed medications are outlawed because felons use them to make drugs; personal liberty is ignored; and child-rearing is being governed out of reason.
Bills under consideration address baggy pants in schools, evolution vs. creation, and the legality of holding a pet in a car.
None is constitutional. We the people pay these "public servants" a great deal to serve. Is this what the people want, or are laws enacted for punishing the drug dealers instead of the Chihuahua-toting grandma preferred? Is checking the slack in someone's pants or the lack or quality in education being corrected the preferred agenda? Would the people prefer their taxes spent debating evolution vs. creation again, or eliminating weapons and drugs from schools?
It is amazing that legislators in Tennessee, and nationally, put major efforts on minor issues like these instead of facing the many real issues that are crippling the economy, depreciating education, and undermining the bedrock of American independence.
BETTY STALLARD
Soddy-Daisy
Regarding the story Sunday, "UTC honoring three who made mark here," I would like to add further on Gordon P. Street.
When the local Air Pollution Control Board was formed and enhanced in 1969 and 1970, Street was a major part in bringing on the success that Chattanooga has enjoyed.
He went directly about the business of acquiring and installing control equipment to clean the air. He never complained or offered excuses. Street sought solutions.
He boldly set a pace that almost all other industries followed. Gordon P. Street was a leader.
JODY BAKER
Air Board, Counsel Emeritus