Safeguard citizens and the economy with investment in roads, infrastructure
How many potholes did you hit on your way to work? I personally hit at least 10 unavoidable potholes on the highway alone. Each time I hit one, I look at my head’s up display. Please say I didn’t just pop a tire.
The issue with our current roads and infrastructure system – the backbone of our economic activity – is that there hasn’t been an overhaul for existing highway maintenance and new construction since the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, which allowed for the construction of 41,000 miles of federal highways.
Some may argue that potholes are mere inconveniences and that there are more important things to spend our funds on; however, the truth is that potholes are the warning signs of our ever-aging infrastructure. For years we have ignored those signs.
We need to focus funds toward both basic maintenance and a complete overhaul of aging, potentially dangerous roads so that future tragedies and economic interruption can be avoided.
Garrison Brock
Lookout Mountain, Tenn.
Traitors among us despoil democracy
For weeks I have noticed how letters from Trump Republicans sound eerily similar to Russian trolls. The glee they express as Trump divides the people of America and degrades our cherished democratic principles is nothing short of disgusting. Then when Robert Mueller posted the indictments of 13 Russians, it all became crystal clear. These Republicans were repeating the thoughts and words of Russian saboteurs.
“Vote Republican, vote Trump, support the 2nd amendment,” “join our #Hilary Clinton for Prison 2016,” “Donald wants to fight Terrorism. Hilary wants to sponsor it.” These messages were created by the Kremlin and spoon fed through fake Twitter feeds and websites to Republican rubes.
One of Russia’s biggest rube farms was in Tennessee. @TEN__GOP had 100,000 rube followers. Much of the propaganda was retweeted or reposted by Republican hacks like Donald Jr., Kellyanne Conway and Michael Flynn.
The Russians engaged in multimillion-dollar attacks on American democracy by attacking our weaknesses. They stole an election for Donald Trump by taking advantage of our antiquated electoral system that does not award the presidency to the person with the most votes and by conning ignorant voters without critical thinking skills.
Terry Stulce
Ooltewah
City needs hard rock radio station
We are over it. We in Chattanooga and the surrounding areas are tired of being kept in a time warp when it comes to what is played on the rock air waves in our area. We have given up on Rock 105, and KZ106 is even worse. No one wants to hear Korn and Three Days Grace followed by Aerosmith, Ozzy or Pink Floyd. If you want to play something old, play Du Hast or something.
We need a station that stays on the ’90s and above the “Nirvana line.” Nirvana killed Guns and Roses and all that old stuff. Get over it, people. We need a station that plays new hard/extreme/the hard and the heavy, or whatever label you want to put on it, rock music. And a “Friday or Saturday night dance party” needs to be real party music. I want to feel like I’m at a rave, not listening to top 40 remixes.
A person should not have to use an app to hear what is new. I guess music in Chattanooga died when 91.5 WAWL, The Wall, got sold. I am not the only one who feels this way!
Perry Mock
Soddy-Daisy
Where have the statesmen gone?
Am I missing something here, or does there appear to be a dearth of politicians who are motivated by statesmen inclinations? At least at the federal level, though scrutiny of those at the state or local level has been so distracted by all of the melodrama in D.C., it seems to require more energy and attention than I am able to muster.
Didn’t the United States political scene at some point provide us with individuals who might qualify for this distinction? I am struck by how it seems to apply to some of our recent former presidents. Jimmy Carter and G.W. Bush come immediately to mind.
Our current president and many, if not most, Republicans in office who profess support for him, regardless of whatever he might say or do that diminishes the dignity of his office, seem determined to be tribal oriented. It’s hardly worth listening to any of them since what they have to say simply reinforces the president’s absurdity or reinforces their inability to act on behalf of all Americans versus those they think might maintain the status quo.
Surely this is not the way to run a country.
Becky Young
Signal Mountain
Don’t change name of Walnut bridge
To the gentleman from Texas making a stir about the Walnut Street Bridge:
You made the assertion there are people in Chattanooga afraid to walk across the Walnut Street Bridge due to a crime that occurred 112 years ago. I’m curious how you obtained that information and from whom did you obtain it?
May I suggest you have been trapped in a moment of hyperbole that simply overwhelmed your senses. While your assertion would appeal to liberals and fools it begs credulity. Honestly?
Stick to the facts. You are asking Chattanooga to name a bridge after a convicted rapist. It seems inappropriate to name a bridge after a man convicted of such a crime.
Let’s address the more serious crime of lynching the man. The lynching was despicable, illegal, criminal. Wrong in the sight of God and man. We have shame in our past for crimes committed against people of color. However, I was not alive 112 years ago and have no knowledge of the truth of the affair. I share no blame or guilt for the lynching. I too am revolted. It’s been the Walnut Street Bridge since it was built in 1891. Let’s keep it that way.
Jim Howard
Protect the lives of all children
Recently, we have seen several demonstrations by young and old alike to memorialize the deaths of 17 lives that were lost in a senseless shooting by a mentally disturbed young man in Parkland, Fla. I, too, think that was a terrible tragedy. There have been far too many children die in school shootings, I agree.
Let us also be reminded that there is an unborn child killed every 22 seconds in America, but they are never mentioned by the news media. Perhaps some of the brightest minds never had a chance at life. More than 3,700 children a day are massacred.
Strange, I think the same politicians, the same leaders who want to yell for gun control to stop school shootings, are the same ones who insist on legal abortions in America. Perhaps some of those who never had a chance to become leaders might have been able to do a better job than those we have, I was just thinking. What do you think?
I think it is wrong to kill children of all ages.
Jimmy Jewell
Reader appreciates story jump changes
Sometime back I wrote to you that you were doing your readers a disservice by carrying over articles in your Sunday paper from page A1 to somewhere – usually to page A17 – in the second Section A.
Maybe enough readers expressed this complaint because you seem to have taken notice. Recently, you have changed policy. All the page A1 articles finish on page A8 in the same section – where God intended.
I grew up in the Louisville Courier-Journal readership area when it was considered one of the top five newspapers in America (1950s). It always carried page 1 articles over to the last page in that section. It was a joy to read. (Herblock was its editorial cartoonist. I like Clay Bennett a lot, but Herblock was sublime.)
Thanks again for this layout change. We noticed and appreciate it.
Kirk Bubul
Kimball, Tenn.