LEGISLATURE
Lawmakers shouldn’t praise themselves, given this year’s results
What is Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle bragging about when he claims the Georgia legislature had a highly successful session, “Senate leads on Georgia’s critical issues” (Editorial, Mar. 23)? The budget was balanced because the law requires it. Investment in education was increased because it has been cut savagely since 2009 and also because educators represent a potentially unhappy group of 2014 voters. As to his claim that the legislature “defended Georgia values,” I have no idea what that means. Making it harder for the poor to be insured? Rejecting medical marijuana for children with seizures? Failing to do anything to stem abuse and neglect of the helpless? Doing nothing to deal with massive transportation and infrastructure needs?
Meanwhile, time and effort was spent making sure that Gulfstream forever gets huge tax breaks, and that we can carry guns just about anywhere.
This is not government to be proud of and certainly does not represent my values.
DIANE SHEARER, TUCKER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Critics unrealistic about parish’s needs
My head is shaking after reading about the supposed extravagance of the Archbishop’s spending spree, “Church’s building plans anger parishioners” (News, Mar. 23).
I have been to a few teas that the Archbishop has held honoring the women presidents of the archdiocese. His old residence was packed with upwards of 50 women, eating food from their laps, hopefully inside the home and not under a leaking tent outside. The parking was terrible with bathroom facilities lacking.
As for the priests’ renovations, where are these men to find cheaper lodging in the crowded and expensive area where the church is located?
Are they expected to drive for miles to get to their Christ the King parishioners and offer the help Pope Francis wants to see them give to others?
We need to get realistic here and use the wonderful gift that has been given to enlarge what is necessary for an ever-growing Catholic community.
PATRICIA LYONS, CUMMING
U.S. CONSTITUTION
Living document shouldn’t be subject to whims of the day
I was saddened to see the lack of common sense stated by a letter writer in his disappointment with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's view on the Constitution, "Document is not a fossil, should stay current with times" (Readers Write, Mar. 23). . Intended as a standard of governance, it is a living document, but open to modification only through the amendment process. The amendment process was crafted to be intentionally very difficult to accomplish because the Founders realized that, otherwise, the document would rapidly become irrelevant. A standard is not a standard if its meaning is open to frequent distortion (this is only common sense). Recently we have seen the First, Second, Fourth, and Tenth Amendments shredded by (constitutionally) liberal jurists to the point where the Constitution as a standard has almost achieved the irrelevancy feared by the Founding Fathers.
BRIAN WILSON, ATLANTA
EDUCATION
State public schools’ leadership needs work
Given the fact that the public school system is in crisis all across the state, it baffles me that there is not more sentiment for making the state superintendent of education an appointed position. The elective system we use now is dysfunctional to say the least. Georgia spends $8 billion on public education and nobody seems to be in charge or held accountable for this massive amount of tax dollars and the systems necessary to manage it.
Should not a governor be elected based on some sort of public education platform and should he/she not then be held accountable to manage the biggest single biggest line item in his budget? I don’t get it. We need another approach. This one ain’t working.
SONNY SEALS, ATLANTA
