POLITICS
Those who fail test not worthy of votes
It’s time for our elected representatives to get off their duffs, and pass a meaningful job-generation bill. If our senators and congressmen can’t simply approve the action proposed by President Barack Obama within the next two weeks, they should come up with an alternative that the president can approve.
When our representatives were sworn in, they took an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America — not the platform of any specific political party. In the words of former Sen. Alan Simpson, “If you can’t learn to compromise on an issue without compromising yourself,” you have no business in Congress.
So far, they’ve failed that test. As constituents, we should apply that test at election time. Candidates who can’t pass that test aren’t worthy of our votes.
Arnold C. McQuaide Jr., Berkeley Lake
ECONOMY
‘Second stimulus’ is just what we need now
President Barack Obama hit the nail on the head with the American Jobs Act. This “second stimulus” is just what we need right now. You must spend money to get money. We must invest in ourselves so that our economy can grow.
Continually slashing federal, state and local budgets will only lead to deeper recession. We must invest in areas that will pay off: education, infrastructure, research, technology and human capital.
Only with this approach will we jump-start the economy, and become the country we keep hoping we are — a country which offers everyone an equal chance, and requires from everyone equal contribution and sacrifice.
Marcia Borowski, Decatur
PRESIDENT'S SPEECH
No one reasonably could believe Obama
After watching President Barack Obama’s recent speech, I realized that many of his critics are mistaken. He is not committing fraud.
As any attorney knows, to make a case for fraud, one must prove several elements (one of which is reasonable reliance on the false representations).
No one could reasonably believe this guy.
Bill Haley, Atlanta
JOBS
World War II memory remains stuck in mind
Amity Shlaes’ column shocked me (“More defense spending is the key to creating jobs,” Opinion, Sept. 10).
It brought back a clear memory of the day my cousin and I heard the news that World War II had ended.
Our uncle was in the Army, and this meant he would be coming home. We decided to go to our grandmother’s house, since she lived near a busy street. There, we stood happily clanking pots and pans as cars went by, and jubilant people walked the streets.
Suddenly, a woman yelled, “You crazy kids. Don’t you know we will lose our jobs in the defense plants?”
Deflated and unbelieving, we hurried to tell our family about the woman who wanted the war to continue so that people could have jobs.
That woman’s response has been seared in my memory forever.
Patty Caraher, Atlanta
