States’ rights would be eroded by farm amendment
Legislation to override local control (Senate Bill 418, House Bill 948) was recently defeated in Georgia. It is clear that Georgia legislators and their constituents do not support pre-emption measures. Now, U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa is working hard at the federal level to undermine states’ rights. His measure, known as the King Amendment in Congress’ Farm Bill, would block states from setting commonsense standards on thousands of products sold within their borders. This measure is so vague and broad that it could overturn thousands of laws designed to protect consumers from unsafe food, farmers from invasive pests, and the environment from toxic pollution. We deserve to have a voice regarding these matters. I am urging senators Perdue and Isakson and Rep. Handel to please work with their colleagues in both parties to ensure King’s amendment is stripped from the Farm Bill.
LISA POWELL-HUBERTY, MARIETTA
Airport workers can buy cars, have easier commutes
“Commuting hassles burden airport staff” (News, April 23) talked about the hassle of commuting to work at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for those with low-paying jobs, since they “can’t” afford cars. The photo that accompanied the story was silly, since while it did show airport workers walking – perhaps purportedly walking to work – in fact showed employees walking on a runway doing a FOD (Foreign Object Damage) inspection that must be done every day to ensure debris doesn’t puncture aircraft tires or get ingested into jet engines. After 37 years at a major airline in Atlanta, I can assure you these folks can afford cars. Not only that, most airport shifts start and stop at odd hours, and the majority of shift workers do not suffer the normal rush-hour traffic that is the bane of administrative workers working 9 to 5.
DAVID PORTER, DORAVILLE
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