ASPCA lauds McKamey efforts
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals applauds McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center for earning a place in the top 10 of the ASPCA’s $100K Challenge.
As a participant in the $100K Challenge, McKamey ACAC is engaged in a three-month national competition to increase the number of lives saved at their shelter. The shelter with the most substantial increase in lives saved compared to last year will be awarded a $100,000 prize. In August, McKamey ACAC saved 354 cats and dogs! A major achievement in and of itself, this number also represents an increase of 77 lives saved over August of last year, placing McKamey ACAC in the No. 9 position so far.
This substantial accomplishment is a testament to the organization’s leadership, as well as the dedication and determination of the staff and volunteers.
On behalf of all of the cats and dogs who went home last month – and their new families – we thank the McKamey ACAC board, staff, volunteers and supporting community members. The ASPCA $100K Challenge continues through Oct. 31. We look forward to seeing more exciting lifesaving efforts in the coming months.
BERT TROUGHTON, MSW
Vice President, ASPCA
Community Outreach
New Gloucester, Maine
Plan gives nothing for something
It’s sad that some folks think that health-care reform is “getting something for nothing coverage” at the expense of the taxpayers.
Unless you are employed by an employer-sponsored group health-care plan, you have no health-care options available to you, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition and make above the poverty level in terms of income.
Enter health-care reform, providing (among other things) medical coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions effective Sept. 1 (Tennessee).
For a cost of $610 (single coverage) a month (my cost) with a $2,500 calendar year deductible (not pro-rated), the government-enacted plan then will pay 80 percent for in-network, 60 percent for out-of-network medical care.
This means that before the plan will pay out one dime in health-care costs this year, I will need to spend close to $5,000 out of my pocket.
I guess it beats not having any health-care coverage at all.
I am so grateful to the other American taxpayers including myself, for providing me with getting nothing for something health-care coverage.
WILLIAM GALLOWAY
Signal Mountain
Bush was wrong, Obama is right
President George Bush said in 2000, cut taxes and the economy will improve. He said in 2003, invade Iraq and we’ll be welcome.
He was wrong!
Tax cuts for the wealthy cost our nation almost a trillion dollars, and the invasion of Iraq almost a trillion, taking our economy into a freefall toward depression.
If tax cuts didn’t help then, they won’t help now.
We need the revenue to pay for Bush’s failed wars and to continue progression out of the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Don’t pretend those who make over $250,000 can’t afford to give back to our country for their lavish lifestyles.
President Obama is using known economic policies to stop the freefall by injecting money into the economy. But Republicans try to block everything he proposes. They claim he wants to “raise” taxes, but he is simply delivering on a campaign promise. He didn’t get us into this mess but he can get us out.
Watch his plan for Afghanistan unfold. Watch his plan for our economy unfold. Then at least give him the time and respect that was demanded of us for Bush while he not only destroyed our integrity, our economy, but also our environment.
ROGER SHIPLEY
Ringgold, Ga.
Change America in November voting
First the bad news. Our president’s promise of summertime recovery has turned into summertime catastrophe.
Our federal government has become a failure from top to bottom, and the fault lies with both Republicans and Democrats.
One in 10 homes is facing foreclosure. Real unemployment is near 18 percent. Sixty percent of Americans want the “Obama Health Plan” to be repealed. Our government has added 70,000 pages of new regulations this past year which takes our freedoms on a fast track to extinction. Our federal debt has increased by $1.5 trillion this past year. That boils down to $11 per day for every living person in the United States. For my daughter’s family of six, that amounts to $1,980 per month. Good grief! That’s more than their monthly mortgage payment. It’s total insanity, and Americans are fed up.
President Ronald Reagan stated: “Man is not free unless government is limited. As government expands, liberties contract.”
I’m 76 years old and must apologize to my grandchildren because it’s my generation that elected our present batch of incompetent politicians who are flushing our country down the toilet.
The good news. You can change America’s future with your vote in November.
LEE GERALDSON
Harrison
Where does Fleischmann stand?
I consider myself a moderate Republican who would like to vote for Chuck Fleischmann, but I am not sure where he stands. While running in the primary (for Congress), he proclaimed himself to be close to the tea party stance. He marched with the tea party in Washington, D.C., in September last year. He said in a tea party gathering, “I approve your message.”
As a moderate, I don’t approve of the tea party message. I do not think student loans and unemployment benefits are bad. I think Medicare and Social Security benefits are good. The tea party people don’t like these programs or any government programs. To me, that is scary.
I am against ObamaCare and the Wall Street bailout, but some government programs do work to help the middle class.
The point of my letter is to ask Mr. Fleischmann to please debate Mr. John Wolfe. The voters have a right to know if you still approve of the tea party message.
Mr. Fleischmann, your silence screams loudly that you arrogantly assume you are going to just automatically win this election. Well, unless I know where you stand, you won’t get my vote. But I will vote.
BELLA R. MINE
Chattanooga teens need a place to go
I have a problem. I am 19, in college at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, both born and raised here in Chattanooga and I am an aspiring poet/musician as well.
My problem is there is so much you hear about kids/teens getting into trouble. Killing, robbing and any other deviltry is commonplace in Chattanooga now.
Well, as an answer to that crime, why don’t we have more places where teens can go to express themselves. With no creative outlet, there are far more problems. I’ve seen it.
I graduated from Tyner High School in ’09, one of the same places where the guys and girls who (allegedly) do the crimes graduated, or at least attempted to graduate from.
The scary thing is that these are bright kids. Many of the kids aren’t as good at writing and reading as they are shooting a ball or running, but talking to them, you can see that because of the struggles and experiences they have, their thoughts and words are expressive and poetic in themselves.
Chattanooga, give them a chance and a place to express themselves. That’s all we need. There aren’t really any teen-friendly venues in Chattanooga anymore. No Open Mic for adolescents. That’s our problem.
CORBIN NORWOOD