POLITICS
Romney delivers on
promises he’s made
The letter to the editor titled “Obama performs, but Romney only promises” (Readers write, Opinion, Oct. 22) made me laugh.
The author says the former Massachusetts governor is offering nothing but promises. Yet, when we review the broken promises by our current president (including cutting the deficit in half in his first four years; closing Guantanamo; that passing the stimulus will drop unemployment below 8 percent, and thousands of “shovel ready” projects, etc.), this statement is a real head-scratcher.
It is clear both parties are promising way more than they can deliver — but least Mitt Romney has a proven track record of solving problems. So far, all we have from our current president is more promises.
GREG JOHNSON, JOHNS CREEK
RELIGION
Race has nothing to do
with female ordination
A recent front page of the Living section featured the story, “Newnan woman challenges pope” (Oct. 17).
It is obscene that Diane Dougherty would say that Archbishop Wilton Gregory should have empathy for her because he “is a black man” who understands social justice. What does his race have to do with her wish to become a priest?
Is she comparing what African Americans have historically dealt with to an all-male priesthood? If so, her ignorance is palpable. The Catholic Church has historically revered the work of women — in particular, the yeoman work of nuns.
The silver lining for Dougherty is that her “ordination” takes place in time for her to go trick-or-treating with the rest of the kids who play dress up.
JEFF FIELD, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, CATHOLIC LEAGUE FOR RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL RIGHTS
CLIMATE CHANGE
Everybody loses with
carbon tax proposal
The guest column, “Clean energy needed; carbon tax can help” (Opinion, Oct. 19) succeeded only in illustrating how to use exaggerations to make points. Somehow, the column concluded that if Georgia Power doesn’t change its behavior, Jekyll Island could be destroyed. It is unlikely that Georgia Power, or any other company or human being could do anything that will cause Mother Nature to destroy Jekyll Island.
While Georgia Power’s particulate matter output might need further reduction because of possible population health reasons, the production of the natural substance called carbon dioxide (which is necessary for plant life) fits nicely into the earth’s ecosystem.
The column concludes that the alleged bad behavior by Georgia Power must be punished by taxing the carbon dioxide byproduct of power production. Obviously, the tax will be collected through the power bills of customers. Monies collected through such a tax could not be used for capital improvements, or for hiring new workers. Everybody loses. This is the scenario with the real destructive power.
JOEL SMITH, STOCKBRIDGE
POLITICAL CORRUPTION
What some call bribes
others call gift-giving
The lingering consequence of the Shirley Lasseter story is an underlying acceptance on the part of both the public and many elected officials that “everybody does it” and getting elected simply means “now it is my turn.” The difference between Lasseter accepting money and members of state legislatures and the U.S. Congress accepting gifts may be a distinction without a difference; both are given in exchange for favors. Members of legislative bodies shield themselves behind self-imposed and self-regulated ethics rules.
When I was a younger man, public and private behavior was guided by the phrase: it may not be illegal, but it is unethical. Now the guiding principle is: it may be unethical, but it is not illegal.
JAMES C. COOMER, NORCROSS
