Opinion pages should stop bashing Trump
I would suggest it is about time to replace a lot of people who write commentaries and editorials for the Times Free Press. I would also suggest that you people read and study the core values, page A2, and try to work by them, especially the first paragraph.
The people I know voted for President Trump and will vote for him again.
Please stop all the left-wing bashing of the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
Robert Ray Jones Jr.
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City to replace trees in Miller Park redo
In response to a letter to the editor in Tuesday’s TFP:
Dear John,
Thank you for reaching out to me, and I want to be sure that I address all of your concerns. I would like to note that the redesign of Miller Park is not an $8 million public investment; two-thirds of it is privately funded.
I also want to highlight a few reasons why the trees were removed. The vast majority of the trees were in poor health and decline, and were a threat to people’s safety. More specifically, the mature trees that lined Market Street had a root system that was damaged by the construction, and it was determined to be a danger to people and their property by city Urban Forester Gene Hyde. He recommended the trees be removed.
I am happy to report that we are planting 78 new trees. Many of the trees removed were a non-native species, and all of the trees we are now planting are native species. This will help ensure a long-term benefit to our ecosystem. Please know that I want to preserve history and protect our environment.
Please let me know if this leaves you with any questions, and I will be glad to help.
Andy Berke, Chattanooga Mayor
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Behavior of teenagers, Trump are parallel
For many months I have found the most discouraging and depressing news to be related to Donald Trump.
However, Saturday’s paper hit me with a new low with the story of five teenagers, ages 14 to 16, who mocked and laughed at a drowning disabled man. They taunted him that he was drowning and they weren’t going to help him. To top it off, they recorded on video his screaming and his struggling while they laughed. They posted it online.
A reprehensible and outrageous situation for most decent people, regardless of political affiliation. Then I remembered Trump’s mocking imitation of a disabled reporter last summer.
Perhaps this story is related to Trump’s impact on society after all.
Sandra Cambeilh
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Senators’ ACA vote reveals self-interest
Tuesday’s newspaper article, “Corker, Alexander will vote to proceed with ACA repeal debate, (page A5) reinforced, to me, that both Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker are not concerned with the people of Tennessee.
These two men are willing to throw between 22 million and 32 million people, nationwide, under the bus, simply to tow the party line.
The GOP wishes to erase anything that had President Obama’s name attached to it. With the repeal of the ACA, minimally 22 million people nationwide will lose insurance coverage. This is done in blatant partisan game playing.
In my opinion, the time has come for the people of Tennessee to get senators who care about them, not their own political pockets, or the filling of said pockets.
Mark L. Grantham