Vote Turner for commission and other letters to the editors

Vote Turner for commission

We all remember the quote by Abraham Lincoln: " government of the people, by the people, for the people." They are words which are inspiring and unique to the American experience. An individual who embodies the spirit to which Lincoln referred is Sabrena Turner. While Sabrena is seeking to serve the people of Hamilton County in Commission District 7, her track record is one of representing the people from amongst them as a fellow citizen. Annexation has been one of the great battles of Chattanooga, pitting the people against the government elite. Sabrena was on the front lines, saving citizens hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes. While the annexation battle served to reveal the character of Sabrena, she is far from a single-issue candidate. As a small business owner, Sabrena was named the 2012 Realtor of the Year. She routinely represents citizens as they make the greatest financial investment of their life, their home. Sabrena is active in her church, crediting God for her success. Vince Lombardi said, "Leaders are made, they are not born." Sabrena is one such made leader "of the people, for the people." Join me in electing Sabrena Turner as our next county commissioner in District 7.

MARK D. WEST, Ooltewah


Vote Manuel for chancellor

I strongly support Joe Manuel for chancellor. As a businessman, I understand Chancery Court deals with a lot of complex business and financial issues. Also, within the last two weeks, we have seen the school board announce it would sue the City of Chattanooga in Chancery Court, and retired fire and police officers have already filed a lawsuit against the city of Chattanooga Fire and Police Pension Fund in Chancery Court. These are issues that will affect many people throughout our county. And, the chancellor must be someone who has broad experience to deal with such matters. Joe's career includes 35 years as a trial lawyer in a broad range of cases, active mediator (helping settle cases) for more than 20 years and an arbitrator (private judge) for 20 years. He writes Internet-based law courses and even created a legal app for the iPhone in 2011. No other candidate can come close to matching this experience and knowledge. In fact, his qualifications have already been recognized by the Judicial Nomination Commission in 2010 when it found him qualified to serve as chancellor. I have personally known Joe for many years, and we can trust him to be fair and even-handed in his treatment of everyone who comes before him. I am voting for Manuel, and I hope you will join me.

BILL PINSON


Earning pay goes both ways

I found the letter to the editor regarding equal pay offensive and sexist in suggesting that nowhere in the "rhetoric" are the words "production and proficiency" mentioned, i.e. "earning your pay." I would remind the writer that "earning your pay" works both ways. The concept is equal pay for equal work, no matter who does it.

REBECCA ROCHAT


Money is real power in America

A recent edition of the Times Free Press was the cartoon edition. Clint Cooper continued his detour through fantasy land. A neo-Confederate intellectual from Soddy-Daisy claimed the Civil War was an attack on Southern religion, and Matt Patterson, a paid scab and propagandist for Grover Norquist and the Koch brothers, played the victim card against those mean union bullies. However, the most hilarious piece was starry-eyed Kevin Hardy covering Scott Rasmussen's pilgrimage to Dayton. Hardy describes Rasmussen as "one of the country's most astute students of politics." Really! Didn't he predict Romney was going to win in 2012? That's not very astute. Didn't he fail to predict the outcome in eight of nine swing states? Kevin, this is astute only in right-wing fantasy land. Hardy quotes Rasmussen saying, "the individual has more influence than ever. Everyone has a voice. Power is decentralizing." Beam me up, Scotty. In the real America, money is power. That power has not been as centralized since 1929. Due to the recent Supreme Court rulings, the rich and powerful can easily drown out the voices of the majority.

TERRY STULCE, Ooltewah


Beware of the Koch brothers

Big money donors purchase propaganda and lies! The Koch brothers spend millions on their puppet politicians in order to buy elections for their agenda, which would increase their personal billions. They adhere to the ideals of their father, Fred Koch, co-founder of the John Birch Society, which said Eisenhower was a "dedicated agent of the communist conspiracy," and that LBJ was a communist. Among other things, it opposed and fought against the civil rights movement and the Occupational and Health Administration, claiming these to be communist plots to overthrow the government. What the Koch brothers want is free-for-all economics, where the rich pay no taxes, businesses have no regulation and workers have no rights. Their bought-and-paid-for GOP politicians eagerly do their bidding. More people would go to minimum wages, which would be reduced to barest minimum. The government would control your personal life, your civil rights and your right to vote. If climate change didn't do us in, air and water pollution would. That would be via diseases, especially more cancer! The Koch brothers money funds the hateful tea party and helped pay for the VW anti-union ads -- just more anti-worker rights.

WALTER M. BENTON, Signal Mountain


Cost increase poor decision

I am a senior, retired and have enjoyed reading your newspaper cover to cover daily with my coffee and breakfast. However, the outrageous increase in your subscription yearly rate will force me to find other means of reading local news, such as Channels 3 and 9 on the Internet. Your home delivery service has been excellent, and I regret the carrier will not get his share from me or his Christmas bonus. I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way and think you have made a very poor business decision that will lose customers and advertisers.

GARY POPE

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