Employers cause illegal immigration
True immigration reform will happen only when our legislators have the guts to deal with the root cause of large-scale illegal immigration: the many companies, large and small, that employ illegal immigrants at sub-minimum wages. It is much easier to vilify the immigrants or tout impossible solutions like building a towering fence along our immense southern border.
Why are we not prosecuting these employers? Are they making too many campaign contributions? Do we feel sorry for them because they lack the business acumen to be successful without breaking the law? If we turn off the spigot of illegal jobs, the flow of illegal immigrants would incur a natural, dramatic decrease. For those folks who want the flow turned off before they will support laws dealing with immigrants already here, this would be the quickest route.
JEAN REBER, DULUTH
For this consumer, ACA is a great law
There has been so much bad news and information distributed about the Affordable Care Act, I thought I would give an account of my experiences with “Obamacare.” Let me start by saying I have a preexisting condition that presented a constant threat to insurance coverage if I lost my work coverage. Well, my fears were realized in July, when I lost my job. Thank goodness it was in 2014, since now I could get insurance. In July, I signed up on Healthcare.gov and bought insurance with no issues at all. The coverage was good, and the rate was reasonable. The service from Healthcare.gov and my insurer have been excellent.
Today starts enrollment for 2015. I explored plans, made my choice and enrolled with no issues. The premium increase from 2014 to 2015 on the same plan was about 8 percent. I know this is just my situation, but maybe those of us who are no longer denied insurance thanks to the ACA ought to speak up a bit more about what a great thing this law is for millions of people.
ERIC NISSEN, DACULA
Stay the course with Common Core
I have monitored discussions about the Common Core State Standards from the sidelines. My interest was motivated by my work with a doctoral student in Alabama whose dissertation topic looked at the implementation of Common Core in her system. She was so motivated by her preliminary findings that she went to Montgomery to testify before the legislature in their support.
Her thoughts were similar to those captured in “Clearing up Common Core confusion” (Atlanta Forward, Nov. 11). As a professional educator with a career that spanned almost 55 years at all levels of public education — about half of that devoted to teacher and administrator preparation in Alabama and Georgia — I would like to “get in the games” and add my personal endorsement. It is my hope that Georgia will stay the course with Common Core to improve educational opportunities for our students.
J. FOSTER WATKINS, VININGS
