Come on, GOP: Where is your plan?
President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican leaders want to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act. They have had eight years to come up with a new plan and still there is no plan.
Twenty to 30 million Americans will suffer if the ACA is repealed. Trump is an excellent con artist and has convinced many good Americans he has the solution for universal health care for all Americans, but where is the plan? Repeal of ACA without a workable plan to replace it will be a disaster.
Rocky Renneisen, Signal Mountain
***
Florida shooting raises questions
So, it is permissible to put a firearm in checked baggage when flying. The gun can’t be loaded, but you may carry its ammo in the same bag, separate from the gun. You must declare the firearm when submitting the bag upon arrival at the airport.
“Florida is one of a handful of states where people with concealed carry permits are prohibited from carrying weapons in public places such as airports.” – USA Today
A known disturbed person shot and killed 5 people inside the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport Friday. “Authorities believe the suspect in Friday’s deadly attack retrieved a handgun from checked luggage before firing indiscriminately on the baggage claim area ….” – USA Today
This sort of thing is just one more instance that might cause a thoughtful person to ask, “Who is minding the store?”
Everett Kidder
***
Contracting jobs won’t save money
Tennessee’s governor is on a track to contract state jobs to private companies. I lived the American dream working for the military and large corporations. The governor’s assumption that he is going to save the taxpayers money is full of holes.
These private contractors in most cases pay an hourly wage below the poverty level. No insurance, no retirement, not enough money for basic food. Guess who pays these items – the taxpayer. Government insurance, food stamps, school lunches, Social Security, disability and other government programs.
Governor, be honest with us taxpayers. Require that these companies pay a wage above the poverty level, with some kind of health insurance and some kind of retirement.
Jim Bouldin, Signal Mountain
***
Gitz commentary biased toward elite
Bradley R. Gitz of Lyon College in Batesville, Ark., wrote a commentary that appeared last week on the Free Press editorial page. It shows he is unaware of his bias against science and teachers. He states “… colleges are liberal bubbles” and “academics have long been identified as the most left-leaning occupational group among the ‘chattering classes’ ….”
He cites a study saying all but two counties having a large university out of 49, voted for Clinton. This shows “… a disturbing ideological insularity and conformity in academe that makes a mockery of all the blather about diversity.” Large universities are where you find scientists. I wonder why he rejects his co-workers?
When I Googled him, I found a column in arktimes.com saying he hates liberals, because “they hate capitalism and love socialism.” This column says that he is against liberals because they are against greed, essential to capitalism, and “greed should have no political meaning.”
Since greed is a sin condemned by Jesus, I find Gitz opinions not worth considering. It appears he is a tea party conservative, ignoring facts and supporting the elite rich from the swamp.
Roger A. Meyer, Ph. D.