HIGHER EDUCATION
Teen pregnancies’ toll on students ignored
Mary Sanchez applauds our president’s initiative (as do I) to increase diversity in higher education (“An affirmative act that isn’t a racial one,” Opinion, Dec. 13). But she and other pundits have missed the real point on improving education results across the board. The fundamental problem is teenage pregnancies. Bill Cosby tried to arouse interest in this problem but was relegated to silence. What we need is real leadership from the top down to address this problem, lest we continue to endure a permanent underclass with not much hope of young people completing high school — much less college. Dennis Ballou, Atlanta
WASHINGTON
Lawmakers don’t pass bills that matter most
Our politicians think more about career riches than about what is good for the country. They want to extend payroll tax deductions, when creating jobs for the unemployed is the most important issue in our extended recession.
Social Security has been raided by politicians for years and is in dire shape — yet politicians want to reduce payments to it, rather than increase payments to it so it can stay solvent a little longer. Those who are working can afford to keep paying into Social Security. Those who are unemployed need jobs. What better way to create jobs than to build the oil pipeline? This would furnish jobs, provide oil from this side of the ocean and increase supply sufficiently to have downward pressure on the cost of oil. Arne R. Jorgensen, Canton
POLITICS
Dems’ goal reflects what GOP also sought
After all the venom from the tea partyers, and after all the venom which will come from the Republican candidate for president (if the GOP wins the White House), who could blame the Democratic minority leader if he stated the No. 1 goal is to make the GOP president a one-term president? What goes around comes around. Phil Davis, Powder Springs
UNEMPLOYMENT
‘Volunteer’ proposal wouldn’t be helpful
I would like to make two points about state Sen. John Albers’ proposal regarding volunteering and unemployment benefits. The definition of “volunteer” is one who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task. People who are forced to “volunteer” to receive unemployment checks are not volunteers — but meet the definition of “forced labor.”
Also — when a person loses their job, they are likely no longer able to pay child care costs. Who pays for the children while the “volunteer” works his or her 24 hours a week?
Albers would benefit from being required to volunteer 24 hours of his week to collect his check. Perhaps he’d develop compassion for those less fortunate than himself. Lynn Ehrlicher, Decatur
