President’s safety isn’t taken seriously
Over the years, there have been many attempts on the lives of our presidents. In recent times, starting with Truman and continuing to Reagan and Obama, there have been instances in or near the White House that endangered the president. The threats against President Obamaraise the question of whether there is some kind of conspiracy to do him harm. Why is there such a lackadaisical approach to the problems Obama is facing? Is there no concern for ensuring the first African-American president lives out his term in office? Why is this matter being treated so lightly, almost as if this is the norm?
DAVID CLARKE, BUFORD
Port deepening will hurt U.S. economy
The agreement with the federal government to deepen the Savannah River will cost about a billion dollars. This will create jobs to load and unload containers. Overland transportation will be about the same as if the goods were produced in the U.S. Ocean container ships are mostly owned by foreign corporations, so we lose that revenue as well as payment for the goods.
Cheaper ocean freight will encourage more imports and the closing of more factories. It will increase layoffs, and put more people on food stamps and welfare. There will be a loss of tax revenue. Importing consumer goods fuels economic decline in the U.S. and Georgia. It creates a serious decline in federal and state taxes, as importers seem to get massive tax breaks for some unknown reason. Imports are wiping out the middle class. Now if we could just get the Fair Tax to finish the job, we would all be impoverished together.
MITCHELL EASTER, CUMMING
Deal’s Medicaid stance invites Ebola
Governor Deal’s failure to extend Medicaid to 650,000 low-income, uninsured Georgians could lead to an Ebola pandemic, as many uninsured Georgians who become infected will spread the virus because they are unable to get the medical assistance they need. Uninsured rural Georgians may seek help at hospitals, but many will live too far from a hospital to go there for help. Ebola could spread in rural Georgia just like it has in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Georgians discovered Deal cannot plan for or deal with an emergency when a storm brought metro Atlanta to a halt last winter, prompting him to apologize for the state’s lack of preparedness. Deal said he would not expand the Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act, because it would be too expensive. By not expanding Medicaid to low-income, uninsured Georgians, the state loses $34 billion over the next decade, hospitals in rural areas are closing, and Georgia is at risk of a pandemic.
JERRY WALDBAUM, HOCHSTON
