Social Security is mandated too
A letter on April 5 declared that the federal government could not mandate the purchase of medical insurance, that this was somehow “unconstitutional.” What is the definition of “Social” Security. It’s mandated money taken from pay to ensure that people will have an income in their later years.
Republicans fought Social Security from its inception over 70 years ago. Is their goal now to turn the people against Social Security and repeal it as well as the medical reform bill? Social Security is mandated!
Please read Article 6 of the United States Constitution.
GEORGE T. ADAMS
Rossville
Draw good teachers to the inner city
While the principals and teachers in our inner-city middle and high schools are placed under scrutiny, the underlying problems are often ignored. Much of the time and resources in these schools is used in disciplining and an attempt to bring non-motivated students to a place where they can meet grade-level standards.
These schools have been drained of many of the high-functioning students and parents who are willing and able to invest needed time and resources in the schools. Those students are regularly bused to other schools.
In many cases, students are several grade levels below their grade placement. Teachers are expected to teach grade-level standards to every child. While this is not totally impossible, many of the teachers relegated to do are so inexperienced, it is next to impossible. Often the least experienced /qualified teachers are placed in these schools. Teaching careers have been destroyed by placing teachers without the proper tools to work in low-performing/high-poverty schools.
These schools need teachers trained to work specifically within those walls with incentives (tied to job embedded staff development and contracts designed to sustain the teaching staff from constant turnovers) to draw the very best the system has to offer.
LUCY NEALY
Reject politicians who voted ‘no’
Every person who voted “No” for the $250 stimulus money that we won’t get if we are on Social Security should be voted against in the next election.
We didn’t get a raise this year, but they did.
Check them; you can see who voted against us seniors and disabled who draw Social Security, and let’s vote “No” on them on election day.
Also, those who don’t want us poor people to have insurance, vote against them. What are they scared of? The big insurance companies won’t line their pockets any more? Or the drug companies, either?
If they are so worried about our health care getting passed, they should give us health care like they have.
So all naysayers, no votes on Social Security stimulus and no votes on health care. Let’s vote “No” on those politicians, too.
EMMA JAMES
It’s time to rethink our drug policies
Politicians still speak of winning the war on drugs, but that war is over. And guess what? We lost.
Despite all government efforts to the contrary, our borders are becoming ever more porous to hard drugs. American entrepreneurial genius has made marijuana a major cash crop in many states, and meth labs are popping faster than we can close them. Isn’t it high time we rethought our drug policies?
As with alcohol, prostitution and gambling, control funded through taxation makes more sense than attempted eradication, an admirable but futile undertaking. Legalization with control not only removes the allure of drug profits but impacts the companion crimes of prostitution, theft and police corruption. It will also relieve a criminal justice system overwhelmed with simple marijuana possession cases.
There is little correlation between harsher drug laws and drug abuse. Norway and Sweden share a common border and Nordic culture. Norway has moderate drug policies while Sweden’s laws are much stricter. But both have essentially the same addiction rates.
A Zogby poll published last May in The Economist magazine found a narrow majority of Americans favor some form of legalization and control. But this, in no way, means approval, merely acceptance of reality.
GEORGE B. REED JR.
Fort Oglethorpe
Trickle-down spigot opens again
There were two labor movements in the early 20th century. One happened in Russia where impoverished workers rose up and murdered their aristocracy and everyone else who was not a partisan.
The other labor movement occurred in the United States. Impoverished workers rose up and bargained with the American aristocracy to loosen their purse strings and pay more than a nickel or a quarter an hour. Overtime and the eight-hour day followed. There was no program to murder millions of citizens.
Thereafter, workers began to elect politicians who from time to time had to readjust the tax system, so the trickle-down-spigot opened a little faster. Workers got better wages and better working conditions, but many could never afford health care. Alas, Reagan came along and turned that spigot back to a drip, and we began to borrow from China’s spigot.
Recently, voters elected politicians to fix the great health care drought. Once again that trickle-down-spigot will open up. The irony is that many Americans who are or will be affected by our growing health care drought are furious at the ones who opened up that spigot. They would disrupt their own republic because their drips did not get elected.
WILLIAM D. HEARD
Ringgold, Ga.
Henry’s helping spirit has grown
Larry Henry is not a newcomer to the East Brainerd community.
As a long-time friend, I’ve watched him grow up, and as a young man in his dad’s business he matured and took more responsibility and eventually became the owner.
Many folks will remember how Larry would help you with a little credit for a set of tires or maybe just a little mechanic work to keep them going ’til payday.
As is often seen today, Larry is still helping the community in many ways.
Through the schools, parks and as an advocate for senior citizens we see his helping spirit has only grown as he has become a great commissioner.
Let’s keep County Commissioner Larry Henry in office so he can help keep Mayor Littlefield’s feet to the fire.
ERNEST QUINN
Organ donors are heroes
I have a hero. I keep him and his family close to my heart, literally. I have never met this person but I feel his presence every day. My hero gave me a precious gift, the gift of life, his heart. He was an organ donor. He was only 38 years old. I hope some day I will learn more about him and his family. I want them to know how much their gift means to me and my family. Thank you for giving me the gift of Iife.
If you would like to be someone’s hero, please sign up to be an organ donor. In Tennessee you can check the organ donation box on your driver’s license application. Even better, you can go to www.tndonorregistry.org. For more information you may also go to www.donatelifetn.org.
Talk to your family about your feeling toward organ donation. Ask yourself: “If I needed a transplant would I accept one?” If your answer is yes, then why wouldn’t you want to also donate?
MELVIN GILLILAN