Lead in Flint water a disgrace
It is hard to believe that here in America we are faced with a problem that seemingly is usually found in a third world country. The water has lead in it. That is making many people ill now and even more in the future. People in these affected houses can’t sell because it’s against the law to do so even if they could find someone interested in buying their house. The governor knew about this and is largely responsible for allowing it to happen. The people affected are mainly minorities, and far from being considered “rich.” This has been allowed to go on in America, and yet we think of so many other problems for our elected politicians and presidential candidates to worry about. How can we allow the wanton disability that will inflict the people and the children of this area?
DAVID CLARKE, BUFORD
Popular vote would upset balance
The proposal in State Sen. David Shafer’s guest column, “Elect president by popular vote” (Opinion, Jan. 30) is heard from time to time. If promulgated, it would further distort the electoral process enacted in The Constitution already partly undermined by The Seventeenth Amendment that established popular election of senators. That change upset the balance between the three major braches of the federal government and the states. Popular election of the president would result in domination of the electoral process by larger urban areas and certain states. Smaller or less-populous states and smaller cities would have little influence on how the federal government is run. It is likely that popular election of the president would result in single-party rule of America and make the states departments of the government in Washington, similar to the centralization of the French government. While well-meaning, Sen. Shafer’s idea is bad one.
EDWARD WATKINS, LILBURN
