Facts absent in GOP rhetoric
Allow me to introduce a few economic facts into the Republican economic campaign rhetoric - reduce the federal debt, cut taxes, increase defense spending, cut entitlements, etc.
Comparing seven years of Obama (2009-2015) with eight years of Bush II, we find 1) federal debt: Obama up an average of 7.3 percent a year, Bush up an average of 9.4 percent a year; 2) Change in unemployment rate from start to end of term: Obama down 37.2 percent, Bush II up 85. 7 percent.
Comparing these same statistics for 35 years of Democratic administrations and 36 years of Republican administrations from 1945 through 2015, we find: 1) Federal debt: Democrats up an average of 3.9 percent per year, Republicans up an average of 8.6 percent per year; 2) Average change in unemployment rate (1948-2015) from start to end of term: down 28.6 percent for Democrats' five terms, up 68.2 percent for Republicans' five terms.
Certainly, many factors in addition to economic policies of an administration influence these statistics, but the consistency of the trends do point to a strong influence of such policies on the results.
Lawrence Hanson, Collegedale
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Beware suspect monetary policy
The intent of these people is clear and chilling.
Only "royalty" should bestow treasures upon the masses, and certainly not without accountability and access by the same. ATMs, debit cards, gift cards, etc. are all careful constructs of their intent.
The "keepers of all economic knowledge" are legion throughout all central banks. They answer to no one.
Our own keepers have a shrine, the Federal Reserve Board building, in Washington, D.C., from which emanate regular commandments, excuses and intents, as writ by the likes of our most recent "lords," Greenspan, Bernanke and Yellen.
Coming soon to an electronic account near you is "negative interest rate policy." Through NIRP, and with the help of the cashless society, our "masters" will be able to deduct some of what we think of as ours. Checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, store credits, gift cards, etc. will regularly be shaved by our betters, the progressives.
Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and probably most infamously, Japan, have all implemented NIRP. At the whim of their leaders, these countries now steal their serfs' monies at will.
Something wicked this way comes.
Michael Gaff, Signal Mountain
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TVA pensions deserve protection
Many TVA retirees and employees share the concerns that were described in a February editorial, "TVA promises broken," and by news coverage of planned pension cuts.
It is disturbing that the TVA pension plan has a $6 billion funding shortfall, placing at risk the retirement security of 23,700 retirees, 10,800 employees and their family members.
Another disturbing point is that U.S. Sens. Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander have expressed no immediate interest in additional congressional oversight or legislative changes to regulate the TVA pension plan. It is grossly unfair for them to turn their backs on TVA employees and retirees while they and TVA board members have better protected federal employee retirement system pensions.
The federal government excluded TVA's pension plan from the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, which protects retirees in private sector pension plans. I urge Tennessee TVA retirees and employees to tell the senators they will not let them off the hook.
Bob Taylor, Hixson