Sheriff’s travels bargain for county
Reading the TFP’s recent “exposé” about Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett, I was shocked to learn that the county authorized $5,400 in travel expenses over the last 14 months. “Shocked,” because I would assume that the sheriff of the fourth most-populous county in our state would accumulate substantially more in professional travel expenses.
I reviewed all the travel expenses in question, and all are well within reason. The $5,400 for about five weeks of travel works out to about $1,100 per week in expenses (flights, hotels and meals). I plan to call the sheriff and find out what bargain travel service he is using.
As for the article image of the sheriff with FBI Director Kash Patel in this most recent TFP hit piece, that was a roundtable discussion with Tennessee’s two senators about the most pressing law enforcement issues in our state. It would have been negligent for Garrett to have not been at that roundtable.
Sheriff Garrett enforces the law, just as the previous sheriff did; that must ruffle some leftist feathers. If you are aggravated that Hamilton County has a sheriff who honors his oath by upholding the law, you are on the wrong side of the law.
Mark Caldwell
Elections have consequences
Liberals seem to have an upside down worldview of the definition of “bully” in which perpetrators are the “good guys” and the victims are the “bad guys.”
› Columbia University was told it would not get $400 million from the U.S. if violent, antisemitic, pro-Hamas student protests which also threatened Jewish students were allowed to persist. Columbia did the “right thing” and will get the money. Violence and threats of violence are not legitimate protest. The “bullies” lost.
› Trans/Maine governor: The trans community is well-financed and politically connected, but its “war” on women will never work. There are only two genders, male (XY) and female (XX). Title IX protects women; the state of Maine has a choice: Either “trans” or U.S. education funds.
Liberals, you lost the election. Get over yourselves.
Ronald Williams
Low level judges hijacking Trump
One of the most pressing and serious issues now on the political scene relates to the rogue and extremist lower level judges who think they know better than the president of the United States how to run the government.
Almost on a daily basis, one of these judges is hijacking the presidency with their bogus orders. How can a single judge be able to step in and block the decisions of the president, who was put into office for the purpose of governing by the votes of over 77 million Americans?
This effort by these judges is unconstitutional, as it gives the judiciary more power and control than the executive branch of government. The Constitution does not sanction this.
When is the Supreme Court going to step in and shut this travesty of justice down?
If this is not shut down soon, this president, and all future presidents, are going to be totally handcuffed in their efforts to do the job of governing.
J. Johns, Ringgold, Georgia
A sincere apology to our global family
To our global family:
We, the people of the United States, come to you with profound humility and sincere apologies. Our recent actions have tested the patience of our friends and challenged the principles of global cooperation.
To Canada, our unwavering neighbor: Your grace has been our guiding light.
To Mexico, we acknowledge our past disrespect and pledge to do better.
Europe, we hear the wisdom you’ve shared and recognize our failures to learn from your rich historical lessons.
Greenland, Canada, and all nations whose sovereignty we’ve threatened: We categorically renounce any imperial ambitions. Our actions do not reflect the heart of most Americans who deeply value global understanding and mutual respect.
We are not perfect, but we are committed to change. The majority of us aspire to be responsible global citizens, working to heal divides and rebuild trust. We ask for your patience as we navigate our internal conflicts and strive to realign our national character with compassion and inclusivity.
In the next two to four years, we hope to prove through actions that cooperation, understanding and respect are more than just words.
With hope and humility,
The People of the United States
John Mathna
Our worst problem is bovine flatulence?
To avoid a Sisyphean procedure, would anyone hire a shoemaker to perform heart surgery? Would you hire a heart surgeon to build your house? How about voting for, and electing, a tortuous bartender from a slop house in New York to run the government? What would you expect the result to be?
The 2024 congressional election answered these questions and more. The voters of New York City once again elected a political leader who has the answer to America’s problems.
Our government leaders have been focused on protecting the homeland and Americans, and now we have a leader who has zeroed-in on the real problem facing our country. It’s not foreign governments or ISIS. No, it’s “global warming.” If something isn’t done, we will “cease to exist in 12 years,” she proclaimed.
Not only has she identified the problem, but she has proposed a solution. “Global warming” is caused by bovine flatulence, she concludes. All you self-indulging steak eaters are the problem, and the solution is to get rid of all cows.
Who knew that gas from a Black Angus could cause the demise of our great country.
Ed Huber, Copperhill, Tennessee
Why pay? IRS software is great
Every year, I help my parents and sister file their federal tax returns because I am a CPA and a loving son and brother.
We use a nationwide retail tax return prep company’s online tax services for free when I help them file. However, I have noticed the aggressive marketing for their paid services. Every other page advertised a service that we needed to use, even though we didn’t. The website wanted us to upgrade based on our tax forms. It kept trying to charge us more and more each page we navigated.
I used the IRS’s free tax software, and it was awesome. Why are large companies profiting from U.S. taxpayers attempting to exercise their civic duty of funding the federal government? Why does the average American feel like they need to spend money to file their taxes instead of doing it themselves? Why is the U.S. federal tax system regressive for the lower third of Americans and benefits the upper 10%? Inquiring minds want to know!
Mark Gregory
Hixson
Shake up election method to benefit all voters
I read the editorial in Saturday’s Free Press about closed primaries. Closing primaries will do almost nothing to deal with the real problem of primaries favoring party activists. In a primary, Republicans tend to nominate the candidate with the most right-wing views, and Democrats nominate the candidate with the most left-wing views. This leaves the voters in the general election with a choice of bad or worse.
Here is a better idea: The top two vote-getters in the primary should face off in the general election, regardless of party. If the top two are Republicans, they run against each other, and the same for Democrats.
In districts like many of those in Tennessee, this will result in voters in the general election having a real choice between two viable candidates, instead of the primary winner being guaranteed to win the general election. In addition, general elections have higher turnouts, so more voters will be involved in the decision, which will favor the more moderate candidate.
If the General Assembly enacts this reform, it will benefit almost everyone in Tennessee.
Jim Olson