Courts wrong to circumvent people's will
The U.S. Supreme Court should refuse to resolve the same sex "marriage" issue.
Government of the people, by the people and for the people does not mean five people out of 10 in a nation of over 300 million and it certainly does not mean one person swaying a 5-4 decision.
In their irrational animus against states' rights, federal judges have denied millions of voters their equal protection. In fact, more states have been bullied by courts into legalizing same sex "marriage" than have voted to accept it.
Meanwhile, we the people are to celebrate being disenfranchised because judges are vanquishing evil "bans" on same sex "marriage." But an opposite sex definition of marriage no more constitutes a ban on same sex "marriage' than a definition of motorcycles constitutes a ban on bicycles.
Nonetheless, we are to let the issue die because, according to surveys, most Americans now support same sex "marriage."
However, counting push polls more than valid votes makes Americans an ignorant mob misruled by activist demagogues instead of who we should be: responsible citizens governing ourselves by duly passed -- and perfectly constitutional -- laws.
Dr. Brian Hale, Red Bank
***
Get smart about spending money to help the frail
Gov. Bill Haslam is proposing budget cuts that will do significant harm to some of our most vulnerable citizens, those with developmental disabilities.
The problem, however, is not that we spend too much to support these people and their families. It is that we spend what we have unwisely.
A Jan. 12 story in The Tennessean, widely quoted in the TFP, said that Greene Valley Developmental Center, a large outdated facility serving just 96 people, has a budget of $47.7 million, with a cost of $420,000 a year per person. Clover Bottom, another institution has a massive budget as well.
Large facilities like these have been discredited as models for care and support for over 40 years. By dragging its feet on closing these dinosaurs, Tennessee is wasting untold millions of dollars that could be put to better use supporting these individuals in smaller homes in the community.
Ironically, community living in smaller settings is much less expensive. So if we need to save money, let's close these antiquated facilities immediately.
In this case, progressive social policy is also smart and conservative fiscal policy.
John C. Reis
***
Erlanger management bonuses still rankle reader
The "Gang of 99" chant two weeks ago was, "We got the money, we got the money. Na-na-na boo-boo."
The "Gang of 99" chant this week became, "We may not get the money, we may not get the money. Boo-hoo, boo-hoo."
Barely poetic, but certainly far more judicial.
Ben Johnston