Governor’s faith denies poor people
The article on Governor Deal’s trip to Israel indicated that “his religion gives him a foundation stone for setting our political priorities.” I am wondering if he used that foundation in denying the Medicaid expansion in Georgia. That decision has left thousands of working poor in Georgia uninsured. I’m having a hard time reconciling that decision with his statement, “It should be faith and the importance of a belief in humanity and how we treat each other.” Governor Deal has insurance. He certainly has not treated the uninsured working poor very well.
PAULA HUMER, DUNWOODY
Fix DeKalb ethics, don’t pad payroll
As a 28-year resident of DeKalb County, I am beyond tired of the habitual malfeasance of our elected leaders. Almost daily, the AJC uncovers instances of corruption or stupidity by elected officials or government personnel. DeKalb’s last two CEOs were made impotent (while remaining on the payroll) by questionable behaviors or activities. One by one, our commissioners seem to find themselves in situations that make us question their ethics.
Now, interim CEO Lee May seems to think DeKalb needs a new chief integrity officer to lord over the ethics of everybody so the board of ethics can do its job. Are you kidding me? I’m going to vote out my commissioner that I have voted for and used to feel very good about. That is, until she got caught with her fingers in the county P-card issue. Ms. Elaine Boyer, meet your chief integrity officer.
TOM HILL, BROOKHAVEN
Parents’ negligence can be murky area
My highly responsible friend buckled up her 5-year-old before remembering she’d left her purse in the kitchen which adjoined her carport. To retrieve it, she left her son for “one minute,” not foreseeing that the car-obsessed child would reach over, release the hand brake and put the car into reverse gear. She watched in horror as the car rolled down the hillside driveway and across a busy street, narrowly missing an oncoming car and finally stopping in a neighbor’s driveway across the street.
Had the child been killed, her “negligence” would have been more than punished by her own actions. I can understand why Cobb police would not condone “uncooperative” behavior, but hysterical parents don’t always do or say the right thing. Sometimes, it is reasonable to temper justice with mercy.
MARGARET CURTIS, ATLANTA
