Children deserve more from leaders
Mathematically, there is one year left in the decade. This final year might punctuate the decade with ellipsis points instead of the exclamation points pundits are eager to assign to it. Time stumbles along during its sprint through eternity. It waits for no man’s demarcation of it and no woman’s endurance within it.
We will sally forth to the end of the decade after having elected a federal government that seeks to nation-build in this country for a change. This clearly troubles some citizens. The morning after our Senate voted for health care, the Chattanooga Times Free Press headline did not declare its momentous historical significance. It declared that the Republicans voted solidly against it.
Now, our newspaper says that Georgia legislators want to cut spending for education. I question lawmaking that excludes health care and education. Such lawmaking will not strengthen our nation or our state.
My concern is for our children. If citizens want the national debt to swell up for the sake of wars, then they deserve the health care and education that they can or cannot afford to get. But for the children’s sake, I am hoping for more from our national and state lawmakers.
SUSAN HEARD
Ringgold
‘Doonesbury’ is out of place
The tasteless and always vicious cartoon “Doonesbury” does not belong in a great newspaper like yours and mine. Think about it. Duh.
DOUGLAS WILSON
Financial impact claim preposterous
On the front page of the paper on Jan. 4 the claim is made that the Tour de Georgia bike race brings $30 million to the state. Like most financial impact claims this is hot air, smoke and mirrors. When the stage was held in Walker County the claim was made that the county benefited to the tune of $8 million.
The race takes six days so that works out to $5 million per day. How did Walker County with little or no facilities manage to garner $8 million in their one day?
The reality is the streets of Chickamauga were closed so no one could even get to the stores. It’s true the bicyclists purchased a few bananas and a little fuel. At the time there were no motels in the county so lodging money went to Chattanooga. Where was this $8 million spent?
I challenge the county to produce tax receipts to prove the preposterous claims. I bet the claims cannot be substantiated. If the claim is true why won’t the state spend $1 million to obtain $30 million? That appears to be a handsome return on investment.
JIM HOWARD
Ringgold, Ga.
Stop mistreatment of our military
The United States Navy Seals are the elite of the elite special forces of our military! There are three of these Seals headed for a court martial! They are charged with mistreatment of the terrorists, the enemy of the United States!
These young people are well-educated and highly trained for combat. They know their job and do it well. This conflict we are engaged in is no soccer game, and our military people are dying every day, which proves we are in an all-out war.
Put yourself in their place. You are taught to kill and capture, but now when you do, there will always be in the back of your mind, what is my government going to do to me if I do my job? That will cause you to hesitate, when every second counts, thus putting your life in jeopardy!
We must put a stop to this kind of treatment of our military. Let us flood the White House and the Congress with letters and phone calls, protesting this treatment of our military.
Do not forget, our freedom depends on these heroes!
GENE O. WAGNER SR.
Rossville
Bennett cartoons are political venom
What makes political cartoons funny is satire.
Mr. Bennett’s are not satire; they are political venom. As such they are more worthy of Michael Moore, the Huffington Post, and the left-wing blogosphere than of a paper as balanced as the Times Free Press.
If you need evidence, please consider page 1 of Sunday’s Perspective section.
This was not an issue when Mr. Plante was the staff cartoonist. Please consider asking Mr. Bennett to tone it down or replace him with someone whose views are more consistent with the Times Free Press and its subscribership.
GREG HENRY
Afghanistan, Iraq must stand on own
Most all of us Americans listened to President Obama announce his plan to send 30,000 more troops into the war-torn country of Afghanistan. The only positive point that he made was to bring our brave men and women home in 18 months! That is, if you can believe that part of his announcement of his strategy for ending the war.
How many more will die or be severely wounded during the next 18 months? The most important question is: Will the war ever end? It’s very doubtful because no matter how many brave men and women are sent into Afghanistan, as long as there are “suicide bombers,” how can the president’s advisers see an end to this hopeless bloody war?
The difference between the terrorists and our troops is life means nothing to them, and the more that they can kill is their way of getting complete satisfaction. I’ll never understand their views of life, and why they don’t seem to care whether they live or die!
So, how abut a little common sense, that being, have the “free world” take care of themselves and let the good people of Iraq and Afghanistan take care of their own problems!
RICHARD D. BLOOD
Ringgold, Ga.
Sedition, betrayal can similarly sicken
President Obama told bailed-out bankers to return those loans to the public, but won’t act on worse sneak-thieves. Just assume he wants us to sue them. We can: the Bill of Rights gives us vested power to combat selfish coalitions that abuse the powers of indispensable office.
These precious rights are rooted in citizen vigilance and proceed by dedicated guardianship. In the late 1780s states refused to ratify the Constitution until state and citizen protections were ensured. They acted intelligently; the newly planned federal system had a power-grasping potential — especially the venturesome design of Congress.
Rights become powers when forged by necessity. Our strongest emerge when cases prove that fidelity to constitutional requirements is violated by imposition of hindrances.
Did the word “sedition” occur to you after Bush brought all three branches of the federal government under GOP control? Have you ever hired attorneys to advocate your rights but they betrayed you? Sedition and betrayal similarly sicken.
Suppose someone in Tennessee threatens harm to opposing party candidates who announce for federal seating. A lawsuit could be filed on grounds that a state’s need to protect its citizens coexists with candidates’ right to seek office.
RACHEL WHEELER
Government holds SS funds for sebt
Over the past 60 ears, every time the government wants to save money they go to Social Security or the health system.
The government blew all that money getting Wall Street out of a pickle, then what do they do for the elderly? They hold the cost-of-living increase, saying there was no increase in the cost of living. This cost of living is supposed to be paid each time the cost of living goes up!
The government states there was no increase in the year 2009, so they are not going to pay the people on Social Security until 2013!
They are doing this because they put the country in debt by $13 trillion!
ROBERT LINDSEY