ENERGY
Feds tilt at windmills,
ignore practical ideas
The U.S. Department of Interior recently fast-tracked approval of offshore wind turbines off the coast of Delaware. With Hurricane Sandy decimating the area this week (and Hurricane Irene flooding the area last year), will the U.S. Department of Interior provide insurance for the project?
Economical, practical energy sources like oil, natural gas, and uranium are thwarted by the U.S. Department of Interior’s designation of millions of acres of federal lands as “wilderness areas” — that prohibit road construction.
JAMES RUST, ATLANTA
BENGHAZI ATTACK
People died because
one leader hesitated
The horrible attack in Libya has brought many different “what ifs” to light. There’s no question that someone could possibly have saved the Americans in our embassy.
The attack has also emboldened our enemies, and strengthened their hold on the people of Libya. Our people were under attack, and no one was sent to save them. In war, your squad leader (and officers) have to make a decision immediately to save people. You can’t sit back and wait for the attack to be assessed or analyzed. Each of these leaders is charged with making the decision.
Troops could have arrived from nearby posts; (possibly) saved our people, and captured some of the terrorists to be interrogated. There is only one man who could have ordered that assistance; one man who is charged with the protection of all Americans. Because of diplomacy, political ambition (or whatever the reason for delay), the man in charge hesitated — and all was lost. You can’t hesitate in war — especially if you’re the man in charge.
JIM CARTER, SNELLVILLE
POLITICS
Your outlook depends
on who you’re following
With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy, regarding “Re-elect Obama, say good-bye to America” (Readers write, Opinion, Oct. 26), if you think re-electing Obama means good-bye to America, you might get all your news from FOX and Rush Limbaugh.
If you think Obama has done nothing to improve the economy, you might get all your news from FOX and Rush Limbaugh.
If you think Obama is single-handedly taking us over the fiscal cliff, you might get all your news from FOX and Rush Limbaugh.
Finally, if you think four more years of Obama means America will cease to exist as we know it, you clearly get all your news from FOX and Rush Limbaugh.
GINGER VOBEJDA, MARIETTA
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Supreme Court ruling
undercuts democracy
Regarding “Vote sets stage for changes on bench” (News, Oct. 21), the Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case enabled corporation-financed Super PACs to uncork geysers of cash to influence elections — with no requirement to disclose their donors. The rationale, that restrictions on such donations would limit free speech and thereby violate the First Amendment, pretends that an individual citizen’s voice and that of a billion-dollar corporation should be treated equally. It makes a mockery of Abraham Lincoln’s “government of the people, by the people, for the people”.
Of all the issues that will be affected by the outcome of this election, none is more momentous than who appoints replacements to the judiciary. Citizens United will prove only the first step toward total erosion of our once-great democracy.
FRED ROBERTS, DECATUR
