DROUGHT
Remember the value of Georgia agriculture
Thank you for the powerful article on the impact of the 2012 drought (“Added rainfall can’t quench fields’ thirst,” News, Aug. 27). It’s important for Georgians to know the value of agriculture to the state’s economy and the potential impact of drought on their food budgets. Because Georgians are often far removed from the farm, we forget the farmers working hard every day to help us put food on the table for our families. We appreciate your telling their story to your readers.
FAITH PEPPERS, DIRECTOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CONGRESS
Career politicians add to dysfunctionality
Jay Bookman’s column “Congress moves toward a parliamentary mindset” (Opinion, Aug. 29), is an interesting, credible perspective on why Congress is so dysfunctional. An equally (if not more important) reason is that we have evolved from being represented by “public servants” to having “career politicians” who give priority to being re-elected. This is perhaps understandable, given that well over half of Congress is composed of people educated to be attorneys, who have decided they can accumulate more wealth, power and prestige in Congress. This situation is apt to get worse until we have term limits, and eliminate their need to pander to campaign contributors and lobbyists.
RON KURTZ, ALPHARETTA
FEDERAL FUNDS
Deal’s health care decision is political
While Gov. Nathan Deal has made some sound decisions about dealing with our non-violent prison population, he has allowed partisan politics to interfere when it comes to health care. Denying the health care providers across our state with much-needed access to federal funds is tantamount to crimes upon humanity. He is deliberately creating more angst and suffering among the uninsured poor and those paying more than their fair share for health insurance.
GENE BARGER, ATLANTA
IMMIGRATION
We need to examine legal status law
Let’s get over the “what-don’t-you-understand-about-legal” piece of the immigration debate. I shudder to think about laws that have had racial profiling as their basis. Who remembers the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World World II? How about the Jim Crow laws? Miscegenation? Therewere such laws in some states in the 1950s that could only be enforced by racial profiling — but they’re long gone. Being a law does not make it right, and that’s why we have the wisdom and process to re-evaluate our laws. It’s time to examine our immigration laws and bring them into reality. People lured here by the construction and economy of the 1990s, who established families and live here lawfully, should have a way to legal status.
PRISCILLA PADRON, ATLANTA
