Lawmakers cater to big campaign contributors
It is the nature of man, if left unconstrained, to abuse power. The purpose of government is to constrain abusive power and serve people independent of wealth and status. That is why our founding fathers wrote the Constitution to limit the power of federal government and leave local governments to deal with local problems. People should be free to run their lives; companies should be free to run their businesses.
Unfortunately legislators have catered first to big bankers, then corporations with semi-monopoly power and now to unions by giving them privileges at the expense of the taxpayer. Campaigning has become outrageously expensive because the big donors contribute to those who will provide them a generous rate of return on contributions at the expense of the taxpayers who earn their way in life. Remove federal giveaway programs to special interest groups and there will be no incentives for corruption.
ARNE R. JORGENSEN, CANTON TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
global economy
System encourages sending jobs overseas
I have yet to hear any candidate, Republican or Democrat, discuss the impact of the global economy on the American job market. Both parties sold the American public on the global economy. They even provided incentives for corporations to take jobs overseas. Corporations and investors are taking advantage of the cheap labor in other countries. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
The Republicans and the media have skillfully made this election about jobs. They have placed the downturn of jobs on the Democrats when it was started under a Republican administration. The politicians are not to be blamed for the predicament that we are in; the American people are. Why do we continue to send the same people to office over and over? If you tell a lie long enough, some people begin to believe it. CLARENCE LEWIS, ATLANTA
Football fine, but let’s also support symphony
I love football. I also love classical music and, especially, being a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus that sings with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO).
The Georgia Dome, while not new compared to many other pro stadiums, is a fine facility. Symphony Hall of the Woodruff Arts Center is, by all standards, an ancient, outmoded, acoustically weak, 45-year-old facility. Until recent years the Falcons were a mediocre team. Thanks to Arthur Blank they have become a force in the NFL, yet they have been to only one Super Bowl in their existence and recently have not advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs. The ASO and Chorus have won several Grammies over the last 25-plus years. Although the analogy is incomplete, that’s like multiple Super Bowl wins.
While Atlanta is looking for $1 billion to build a new football facility, we also should be moving to build a state-of-the-art symphony hall that would show off the full beauty of our fine orchestra and chorus and become “a destination” for tourists and locals alike.
EDWARD A. WATKINS, LILBURN
Need to update jury pool database
Response to “Fulton’s amnesty month begins with a whimper.” News, May 2
I wonder if anyone has investigated the pool of potential jurors that is being summoned and not responding. Part of the problem may be a faulty database. My father recently was summoned for jury duty for Fulton County. I called to inquire how his name was chosen and was told it either came from the database of registered voters or Department of Motor Vehicles. I called each agency to verify the accuracy of their information and was assured it was up-to-date. My concern was based on the fact my father died 20 years ago.
It made me question how much money and energy is being spent on summoning jurors who should not be in the database due to residency, age or other exemption, including death.
MARILYN SHURE, DECATUR
