Pursue positive ties with Cuba now
Before anyone reacts negatively to the normalization of diplomatic relations with Cuba just because it was President Obama’s idea, ask yourself the following: In this age of global terrorism, whom do we want to have 90 miles off our shores? A poor population that lives in misery because of our recalcitrance or a thriving, successful country that’s our friend? The fact is, the more that everyday Cubans are exposed to us, the more they’ll demand our kind of capitalism for themselves. The winds of politics change, but the location of Cuba won’t. Congress should lift the Cuban embargo and begin to cultivate friendship with our neighbor. Someday we may need it. LISA J. SCOTT, Dayton, Tenn.
More than 99 needed to make Erlanger go
How do these board members think these 99 managers attained these benchmarks? Surely not alone. What about the contribution the other staff members made? It takes all staff working together to reach these goals. Are these board members so out of touch they don’t recognize this? A 2 percent raise for these employees hardly seems an act of appreciation when you consider what these managers receive. So what if Erlanger’s compensation is “below market.” What is wrong with recognizing all those responsible for this accomplishment and setting a standard for others in the industry to follow? What an accomplishment that would be! My suggestions are these: equal recognition for all employees. Each board member spends at least 24 hours per year on weekends, holidays, evenings and overnights observing what goes on. If Mr. Spiegel can’t have a quality lifestyle on his $914,669 per year, perhaps he should make room for a leader who can and will value each employee. Keep Gerald Webb on the board as he seems to be the only board member with a conscience. Restore insurance and pension benefits to those hired with the understanding they would be available after retirement.
WANDA HARRIS, Retired RN Case Manager Ringgold, Ga.
UT-Erlanger irony is hard to miss