TRANSPORTATION
I recently sat in a massive traffic jam on Ga. 400 caused by a wreck that blocked all lanes. As I watched a dozen or so ambulances, fire trucks, HERO units and police cars stream down the shoulder, I thought how difficult, deadly and costly such an accident might be if Gov. Nathan Deal’s recent proposal regarding the Ga. 400 shoulder were implemented. If Gov. Deal is truly interested in relieving Atlanta’s traffic woes, he should create and ramrod through the Legislature a comprehensive, regional mass-transportation program. Every world-class city in the United States and the world has (or is developing) mass-transportation alternatives that work. Metro Atlanta will continue its rapid evolution to a second-class destination if it doesn’t follow suit.
JIM SCHISLER, SANDY SPRINGS
CAMPAIGN 2012
Lots of questions about treatment of candidates
I have three main questions regarding Maureen Dowd’s column “Romney’s religion shapes enigmatic personal history” (Opinion, Jan. 15).
Should there be nothing sacred or holy in one’s personal worship? Why must a person’s method of worship be open to all? This attitude already has the government interfering in the lives of citizens.
Why is the opposite of living in a bubble to be desired? Have divorce and having stepchildren and numerous affairs become our new standard? Must we all call Dr. Laura about how to raise our children as single parents? Do we all need Dr. Phil’s help to save our marriage? Should we all share our sex lives on Jerry Springer? Living in a bubble may be the solution — not the problem.
Am I supposed to research the personal history of all the candidates’ great-grandfathers? When I have this information, will I then be able to make an informed decision and vote?
Peggy Fagre, Acworth
LOBBYIST GIFT LIMITS
Consultant’s argument against cap is laughable
Rick Thompson’s position regarding limits on lobbyist gifts to lawmakers is laughable (“Limiting lobbyists will hide influence,” Opinion, Jan. 15). He says states such as Tennessee have gift limits — but corruption still exists in the Volunteer State. Ergo, we just shouldn’t have laws to limit lobbyist gift-giving.
By that reasoning, we shouldn’t have stop signs (because some people ignore them). Hey, let’s do away with pesky DUI laws. A few folks are just going to drive when they’re impaired, darn it. Laws against murder haven’t yet stopped people from killing one another, so there’s no need for those, either.
Thompson could have used the space to explain how elected officials taking $17,000 boondoggles to Germany or $5,000 golf weekends are good for the public interest. Oddly, he did not do that.
Terry Taylor, Smyrna
TRANSPARENCY
Seems Mayor Reed isn’t willing to walk the talk
Regarding “Watchdog group riles mayor” (Metro, Jan. 15), apparently, William Perry’s attempt to focus attention on the workings of City Hall hits too close to home for Mayor Kasim Reed’s liking.
The fact that Common Cause’s goal of more transparency in government creates an extreme outburst from our mayor makes me believe the mayor is insincere about his promise to provide exactly that. Perhaps his honor’s anger has something to do with the AJC articles illustrating his failure of leadership and unfulfilled promise for open, fair and transparent contract negations for Atlanta airport vendors.
Hopefully, with the efforts of Perry (and other concerned citizens), we can promote more accountability in government. Michael L. Shaw, Stone Mountain
SUPER PACS
Ultimately, PACs’ impact doesn’t amount to much
I wish someone would explain to me how the super PACs are changing anything. If there were no super PACs, I am confident Barack Obama would still be the candidate of the Democrats, and Mitt Romney the likely candidate of the GOP. Ron Paul would still get a lot of votes, but not enough. Jon Huntsman and Michele Bachmann almost certainly would have dropped out anyway.
Maybe there would be less political advertising on TV, but that just means more ads for dish soap and hybrid cars. I spend far too much time reading and learning about politics, but I have yet to see any real difference the super PACs are making — negative, or positive.
BEN SKOTT, ROSWELL
RACISM IN AMERICA
Take our country back? From whom, I wonder
Racism is alive and well in America. This is evident when a major political party adopts the phrase “take our country back.”
Take our country back from whom? This is a question that the media needs to answer. I did not know that the United States had been defeated by another nation. I thought that in 2008, the American people elected a new president.
I know that I will be accused of playing the race card. I have been told that you must play the hand that you are dealt. Clarence Lewis, Atlanta
ROOTS OF POVERTY
Change must start in people’s minds, hearts
In “Atlanta and the American Dream” (ajc.com, Jan. 17), Michael Hill states that “a housing program to transform living conditions, improved educational facilities to furnish tools for better job opportunities, and family counseling to create better personal adjustments were designed. In combination these measures were intended to remove the causes of poverty.”
Hill identifies challenges that can be tackled individually to improve the lives of those in poverty — but the order is all wrong. If we don’t start with counseling to change mindsets, attitudes and expectations, the other two are unlikely to make a sustainable difference.
Public housing projects were once shiny and new, but residents didn’t have enough pride in their community to keep them from becoming trash-strewn, graffiti-covered, crime-infested places.
Our nation provides some of the best educational facilities in the world, but if the students entering the doors live in communities that don’t value educational achievement and they aren’t expected by their parents to succeed, gains will not be made.
Buildings alone can’t change communities. That change must start in the minds and hearts of community members.
Steven Drabo, Atlanta
