Saturday, April 26, 2014
Most students are struggling throughout the school year with everyday stress as the amount of their debt adds up to twice as much as the average American's. College students have to apply for more loans along with financial assistance, only to pay back half their income after graduation. There are programs set up that will forgive debts but have strict guidelines for almost 10 years. How can college students live the American dream if they are in debt the rest of their lives? The interest rate on these loans should be lower to help with these post-graduation bills.
AMAAD DOWDELL
I am writing in response to your editorial on April 14, referring to the section on Hillary Clinton's accomplishments during her public life, the Senate, and as the secretary of state. The left-leaning panel could not come up with any because there aren't any positive ones to remember. Let's help them out. Start with Whitewater, the Rose law firm, the bungled Hillary-care, the fumbled re-start button with Russia, Syria, Benghazi, Egypt and all that heralded travel to other countries that didn't produce a single signed treaty, a trade pact or any political prisoner released. What really is disturbing, these same MSNBC correspondents, along with their NBC, ABC and CBS cohorts, will praise and protect her if and when she becomes the Democratic presidential nominee. The press and all media are failing the American people if they don't probe and report both the good and the bad about candidates from all political views.
KEN LANE, Cleveland, Tenn.
Lest we forget, it was 72 years ago that the morale in the U.S. was at its lowest point. All the news was bad. Pearl Harbor was in shambles, the Pacific fleet was severely damaged, Germany with its awesome military force had declared war on the U.S., and the Japanese army was spreading across Asia like a wildfire. There were even rumors of a Japanese invasion of Hawaii. We weren't sure what was in store. Then it happened. On the morning of April 19, just 18 weeks after Pearl Harbor, we awoke to see huge headlines TOKYO BOMBED! Tokyo, the supposedly invincible capital of the Empire of Japan, felt the first blow of what was much more to come. Lt. Col. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle the day before had led 16 U.S. Army Air Force B-25 Mitchell bombers taking off from the USS Hornet to bombed Tokyo. The military effect of the raid was insignificant, but the effect on morale was tremendous. The USA was now at war, and the morale boost wasn't matched again until VE and VJ Day. So tonight it would be quite appropriate to raise your glass in a little toast to Gen. James "Jimmy" Doolittle and his flight crew. God bless 'em all.
PAUL P. SIKORSKI, Hixson
I strongly endorse Joe Manuel, an experienced lawyer and decision-maker, to be our next chancellor. The chancellor is responsible for deciding the outcome of complex cases, so it is critical that our next chancellor have knowledge and experience gained from spending years trying the kinds of cases that a chancellor is asked to decide. Consider the Hamilton County School Board and Fire and Police Pension Fund cases, both recently filed in Chancery Court. These kinds of critically important cases need to be decided by a chancellor of Joe's skill and experience. Joe has tried numerous difficult, complex lawsuits during a distinguished 35-year career. He is a certified civil trial specialist, he has served as an American Arbitration Association Arbitrator since 1992 and he has 20 years of experience serving as a mediator. Joe and I have been great friends since those difficult days in law school when we spent many hours studying together and then during many years practicing law here in Chattanooga. My friendship with Joe and my experience with him as a lawyer have enabled me to know Joe so well that I can personally and with great confidence recommend him to be our next chancellor.
BOB LOCKABY, Harrison
The job of Circuit Court clerk is a management position and does not need legal training or police training. The person who has established budgets and lived within those budgets and has managed a staff and met payroll is the qualified person to be Circuit Court clerk. For 40 years, Larry Henry honed his skills as a manager of a small business; this experience is invaluable to the position he is seeking. We know Larry has been chairman of the Hamilton County Commission five times, and as chairman he has had to manage the commission and assist in setting its budget as well as the budget for the entire county. Larry proved as commission chairman he could manage a panel of nine people who all have different personalities and agendas; during Larry's tenure on the commission or the five years he was chairman, I do not know of any instances when we, the citizens, were embarrassed or concerned for the leadership of our county. On a personal level, I know Larry to be a man who is committed to his family, his church and his community. I am one of the fortunate people who call him friend and ask all voters to consider him when they vote for Circuit Court clerk.
MARTI RUTHERFORD
Voters in East Tennessee say they vote for the person and not the party. The race for Circuit Court judge is the race where voting for the most qualified candidate is essential. This is a non-partisan race. So, party affiliation is not a factor. I urge my fellow Democrats to vote for Catherine Cate White. She is the obvious choice. The vast majority of the cases in this court are about family law. The majority of cases Ms. White has advocated are family law cases. She has shown dedication to fairness.
BILL TAYLOR