We must demand changes for country
Thank you, Sen. Corker, for standing up for the people in this country by voting “no” on the latest Senate tax reform bill. It’s clear our elected officials no longer care about those they swore to represent – only the few who can donate large sums of money to support their campaigns.
Our Founding Fathers knew money could, and most likely would, undermine our democracy. Presidents Adams, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe, along with Lincoln and former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, all expressed concern about corporations and the rich using their wealth to undermine our democracy. Madison said “The power of all corporations ought to be limited as the growing wealth acquired by them never fails to be a source of abuses.”
The sale of our country wasn’t partisan; Democrats and Republicans alike have sold us out. It happened because we, as voters, have become apathetic and allowed it.
Our Senate sold us out in favor of their donors. This isn’t going to change until we require term limits, overturn the “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision and provide federal funding for future elections. We, the majority of voters in this country, must demand it.
Thanks again, senator.
Orville Hale, Crossville, Tenn.
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Trump actions result of selfish politicians
It’s clear why Donald Trump had a scorched-earth political campaign and approach. The Washington politicians have long been out of ideas and now are facing a growing disconnect with the American people.
They talk about change, but how much change have they been able to bring? None. It’s only been window dressing posing as democracy.
They are nothing but mannequins in the window of democracy, trying to sell us their madness because it works for them. Only we the voters will clean out these Washington Augean stables.
Robert Chester Heathington
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Opioid crisis is really manufactured news
There is no “opioid crisis” either in the state of Tennessee or anywhere else, for that matter. It is actually being manufactured by the media at the behest of law enforcement because they are simply unable to do their jobs properly.
There are no more opioids being used or sold illegally than there have been for the past 20 years. It is just an updated version of “reefer madness,” and it has to stop because there are many genuine patients (me among them) who suffer from chronic, severe pain who need these medications and the nonexistent “problem” is making our lives difficult.
The only thing the current wrong-headed law enforcement effort is going to do is make the problem worse. Chattanooga will become like Atlanta, where it is possible in nearly every precinct to buy heroin on the street. If this is what the citizens of Chattanooga want, then all that is needed is to allow this puerile nonsense to continue and that is exactly what we will have.
There needs to be a reasoned, moderate approach to this or it will economically ruin this city.
Richard W. Shultz
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When is ‘bias’ actually bias and not wisdom?
“Opponents of [the travel bans] … said they show a bias against Muslims.” That is a quote from the Dec. 5 article on the Supreme Court’s ruling on President Trump’s travel bans.
Well, if we can’t name the problem, we can’t fix it. Is it “bias” – or just wisdom to recognize that terrorists come from Muslim countries?
It’s all about spin and The Associated Press spins to the left.
D. L. Budnick, Winchester, Tenn.