One crossover not like another? and more letters to the editors

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One crossover not like another?

Interesting that Sabrena Smedley appealed her primary loss to the Republican State [Executive Committee] over alleged Democrat voter crossover, then agreed to talk about being part of Democrat Matt Adams' cabinet if he was elected county mayor.

I guess one crossover is not like the other.

Tim Threadgill

Do Wamps need fire brigade?

Since Weston Wamp was elected county mayor, Weston has asked that he and Zach be continually followed by a fire truck to put out the daily fires on their pants.

Stephen Greenfield

Cleveland, Tenn.

Winners, remember we are one city

Congratulations to each candidate who accomplished a win in the Aug. 4 election.

May you use that victory, to work together, to make Chattanooga and Hamilton County an even better place to live, build and thrive.

Regardless of differences, we are one city. Hopefully, this will be at the forefront of all candidates who were successfully elected.

Dr. Jean Howard-Hill

Public schools failing students

An internet search shows 21 private schools in Hamilton County. Why are parents willing to pay thousands of dollars in tuition after paying property taxes?

In my opinion, the only reason has to be because of the failure of public schools to provide a quality education.

At least in part, this is caused by a culture which is based on gender identity, racism and politics.

Brice Holland

New stadium like bike lanes?

There are in excess of 260,000 people in Hamilton County. The reported number of spectators at a Lookouts game is about 3,000, on average. I don't see that as being a major draw for the taxpayers' investment (and the number of spectators shows little interest).

I think the former foundry site could be developed without giving the baseball team owners money that could be better purposed.

This sounds as bad as all of our bike lanes.

Porter McKamey

Time to move from fossil fuels

For decades, oil and gas have been subsidized through tax breaks, lack of regulation, easy access to natural resources controlled by the government, and taxpayer infrastructure benefits. Oil and gas have richly rewarded our political system for its "largess" - and lied to us about the results - while the planet we all share has been cooked and polluted.

We should shift our long-standing policy of subsidizing oil and gas interests for green energy. The question is how can we wean our political system off the bribes they are paid by oil and gas and move toward an Earth we can live on?

David Redheffer

Comparing Trump to Jim Jones's cult

On television [recently], the HLN channel's series "Very Dangerous People" profiled Jim Jones. It followed Jones from his early ministry to the creation of the Peoples Temple in San Francisco and its later move to Guyana. His mesmerizing personality led his followers to believe he could do no wrong. Those who questioned him were ridiculed. His death, and especially the deaths of over 900 Peoples Temple members Jones told to commit suicide by drinking a cyanide-flavored drink, shocked the world.

I couldn't help but think how Donald Trump holds a Jim Jones-like power over his most ardent supporters who wildly cheer at his rallies and believe only he knows what's best for them and the country. Like Jones's followers, these Trump devotees give him money to finance his organization to proliferate his message. Jones's supporters saw themselves as poor, persecuted Christians while Trump's see themselves as patriots under siege. These Trump people even did something previously unthinkable. No, not mass suicide, but an attack on the Capitol to overthrow a duly elected president - something that threatened the life of our democratic system of government.

Beware of the power of egotistical megalomaniacs.

Grady Burgner

Nuclear reactors are the way to go

I applaud TVA's decision to look into new, less-expensive nuclear reactors to provide our power. Nuclear power has proven itself to be the safest form of energy on the market, and the only one that can provide consistent, daily, carbon-free energy. Solar and wind should also be pursued, but not at the expense of our standard of living. Most people don't realize the extent to which the bounties and luxuries we enjoy today are built on our use of energy.

Kurt Lammon

Supportive of 'Inflation' bill

Kudos to the senators and representatives who support the Inflation Reduction Act, even if our state reps are not among them. This bill will reduce inflation by decreasing drug prices, reduce the deficit by closing tax loopholes, and reduce both methane and carbon emissions, both involved in climate change. It will also stimulate renewal energy production, promoting job growth. All of these are important to Tennesseans as we face high prices as well as cyclical drought and flooding. It is not a perfect bill but proves that negotiation can still work, even if it is within one party.

David Thomforde

Athens, Tenn.

Improve diets, reduce diabetes

It is sad that there is no federal legislative consensus in the current health care reform bill. The attempted bipartisan effort to place a $35 co-pay cap on insulin failed last week.

It is much more disappointing, however, that we citizens tolerate a food supply chain which inflicts monstrous and mind-roasting quantities of sugar and processed foods on the G.I. systems of adults and children. The adults should know better. The children don't have a choice.

If we could control processed food, sugar and carbohydrate overload in our diets, the need for insulin would diminish exponentially.

As a country, we need to focus on the cause as well as the symptoms.

Michael Mallen

Shelter should be ashamed

Walker County residents, officials and anyone associated with Walker County should hang their heads in shame over the June TFP story by Andrew Wilkins: "Illness outbreak at Walker County Animal Shelter heightens criticism."

This story should never have had to be written. You have to clean and sanitize when illness arises. Bathe the animals and treat the sick ones. Show some concern and sense of how you handle these animals.

The puppies they showed in the newspaper are pitiful. Anyone who would let puppies live this way is a criminal. This is simply organized cruelty.

All these people are doing is pointing fingers and claiming it is someone else's problem and not their own. You can rest assured that the people doing the paperwork are sitting in air-conditioned offices and not thinking about the animals in the heat and unsanitary conditions.

This makes me so angry. I wish I could bring all of the animals to my place. I am 70 years old and widowed, but I still do what I can to help.

All in for animals.

Sally Clemons

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