Too many exploit Bible interpretations
The May 18 column by Cal Thomas contained a very profound statement concerning Scripture from the Bible: "People are free to accept or reject what Scripture says. What they are not free to do is to claim it says something it does not." It is equally wrong, and dangerous, to claim that the Bible does not say what it does say. (See Revelation 22:18-19). Too many writers and public speakers today rely on the biblical ignorance of the general population. They hope that most people will take their word when they declare "the Bible says ..."
With the excellent editorials and editorial selections of Lee Anderson now gone from this paper, the commentaries of Cal Thomas, Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell and the other traditional Free Press columnists are needed to counterbalance the other side of the editorial page of this newspaper. "Wisdom from the Bible" also fits very well on the editorial page. The Billy Graham column adds excellent spiritual advice in the Lifestyle section.
GLENN SWYGART
Sewanee, Tenn.
President can't decide fairness
The president made a statement that reveals his thinking about what he thinks his job description should be. He said, in Chicago, that Romney is running on his business experience, yet a president's job is not to maximize profits, his job is to decide what is fair for all Americans. Just think about that, a president can now decide what situation is fair to you and me.
This campaign is all about what he considers to be fair -- not jobs, oil prices, regulations, defense spending, or foreign policy. What is fairness to him will not be fair to me or you.
He believes government should decide what is fair, and thus we have oil drilling shut down. We have electricity rates going up along with gas prices.
He decides if religious groups will cover abortion even if it is against their beliefs.
What kind of power must a government have to decide what is fair? Who must they beat down to make something fair? Who will they take money from in order to redistribute to someone else to be fair?
This is too much power, and yet that is how this president sees his job.
BRUCE CALDWELL
Signal Mountain
Democrats are party of wrong
Since the Republican Party is the party of the right, it's obvious the Democratic Party must be the party of the wrong.
LARRY FOSTER
Democrats behind economic woes
In December 2006, unemployment was 4.5 percent under a GOP House, Senate and White House. In January 2007, Democrats took over the House and Senate because of wars. By December 2008, unemployment was 7.5 percent with two-thirds Democrats and one-third GOP.
Then, in January 2009, Democrats took over 100 percent. Within three months, unemployment jumped to 10.3 percent.
Democrats also forget that in 2009 they decided seniors, the disabled and vets didn't deserve a cost-of-living adjustment for 2010 and 2011. Then they voted one for themselves and their staffers.
Democrats seem to forget that in three years, the debt has gone up more than $5 trillion compared to $4 trillion in eight years under Bush. Much of that $4 trillion went up in 2007 and 2008 with a Democratic House and Senate.
You also forget that, in 2011, Obama held senior vets and the disabled hostage when he said he wouldn't pay them if he didn't get the debt limit raised by $2 trillion.
You forget Democrats raided Medicare of $500 billion for ObamaCare.
Liberal talking points are blaming the GOP and class and gender warfare, because they want you to forget all the above and more. We the people are not as stupid as the Democrats want to believe.
MERLE SHOOK
Hiawassee, Ga.
Norton's skills serve us well
We are fortunate to have David Norton as a General Sessions Court judge. Directly to that point, the attorneys who know and work with Judge Norton affirmed that fact in the recent Chattanooga Bar Association preference poll, in which Judge Norton received a majority of the votes cast.
Judge Norton's three decades of experience as assistant Hamilton County attorney, along with his being elected for three consecutive terms as judge of the city of Soddy-Daisy, provide him with the skills, knowledge and temperament necessary to make fair and reasoned decisions from the bench.
But what truly distinguishes Judge Norton is his many decades of experience representing Hamilton County and its citizens in matters involving economic development, law enforcement, education and quality of life -- and his understanding of all of the opportunities and challenges that those issues present. This combined experience provides Judge Norton with a unique set of skills not possessed by any other candidate.
Judge Norton will serve us well, and I look forward to voting for him in the Aug. 2 election.
MICHAEL C. MALLEN
GOP establishing oligarchy in U.S.
After Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, voted "no" on the "Buffett rule" -- the rule that millionaires would be required to pay at least as high a percentage income tax as their secretaries do -- this was his reasoning: The rich will just find loopholes to get around that! What? Really? Then fix the loopholes! Of course, the GOP has worked to make sure of more and more loopholes for their filthy rich, greedy donors.
In other words, the GOP will continue to squeeze more and more from the middle class and poor folks! They are merely puppets for those referenced donors, and GOP voters are their peons. What is in your heads?
Probably the craziest thing is that two-thirds of the millionaires say "raise taxes on us to help this country." But of course, they are not dumping money on the politicians, so they are ignored.
Republican politicians, along with all their propaganda stooges, wave the flag, the Constitution, and the Bible in your faces just to get your votes, but then trample on all three.
The GOP is establishing the ultra-greedy (prime examples -- the Koch brothers) as the de facto oligarchy of the U.S.A.!
WALTER M. BENTON
Signal Mountain