Pragmatism distinguished Gov. Deal’s tenure
I’m happy to see Nathan Deal leaving office as one of the more respected governors of recent times. Being from Gainesville, I grew up attending the same church as the Deals, and one of his daughters is my age – so I’ve known and followed Gov. Deal my entire life. What impressed me about Gov. Deal is that he signed bills when they made sense to him – not just when they were pushed through by a Republican-dominated Legislature. He vetoed Republican-led bills on religious liberty and campus carry (although he passed the latter the following year), and led remarkable efforts to reform our prison system despite many Republicans’ assertions that he was being too soft on criminals. His courage and pragmatism is what made Gov. Deal different, better, and more respected than many other contemporary politicians. I sincerely hope Gov. Kemp will lead with similar ideals.
ROSS DAVIS, ATLANTA
Conservatives turning on even their own now
I am amazed that a conservative could write that Gen. James Mattis, who served as our secretary of defense for the last two years, was only a soldier, not an administrator (“Global decisions in good hands under Trump,” Readers Write, Jan. 6). In fact, Secretary Mattis was one of the most stabilizing administrative influences in the Trump administration. His resignation was the result of Trump’s ham-fisted administration of our foreign policy, disrespecting our allies and honoring our adversaries. Secretary Mattis spent his tenure assuring our allies the U.S. would continue our partnership commitments and, at the same time, effectively strengthened our military assets. Many of us who love this country and its stature in the world are continuously embarrassed by Donald Trump’s incompetence and greatly regret the resignation of Secretary James Mattis.
ERIC F. ANDERSON, ATLANTA
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