POLITICS
Barr not in tune with environmental concerns
I object to Bob Barr’s attack on my fellow Americans who happen to care about the environment, and question the long-term benefit to Americans of rash abuse of our Earth (“Environmentalists target Texas,” Opinion, June 6). Former Congressman Barr is well-accustomed (I am sure) to input from his donors and to being their spokesman. However, he apparently is ignorant of the facts concerning gasoline production. I doubt if he has spent any time exploring the destruction of Earth in various western shale oil-mining operations.
I have lived in Texas and know that water is critical. Texans have seen big business rape their land and leave with the profits many times. I wonder what he would say about strip mining if he lived in Brasstown Bald.
Mike McGowan, Peachtree City
EMPLOYMENT
Supply, demand dictate when it comes to job pay
Regarding “What do we value?” (Readers write, Opinion, June 6), the writer laments that our society values people helping other people far less than petroleum engineers, as evidenced by their salaries. She fails to understand the simple concept of supply and demand in the labor market.
There are far fewer people capable of (or willing to put in) the effort required to become an engineer, or any of the other well-paid professions. Less supply means the price will go up for these individuals. On the other hand, the credentials for “helping people” jobs are less difficult to obtain, and more people pursue these careers as a result. A higher supply of people translates to less pay.
Stop blaming our society for pulling “money away from people who want to help people.” We all make choices about what we are willing to do — and what we want to do. Students planning careers had better consider this.
Maria Levreault, Canton
MEDICARE
Seniors not the cause
of massive federal deficit
Listening to the rhetoric from legislators, someone not familiar with Medicare might think we seniors are getting services for free.
Legislators are trying to use seniors as scapegoats for the huge federal deficit. We seniors didn’t cause the federal deficit. Wasteful spending, pork projects, the fighting of three wars and questionable foreign aid are the real culprits.
I hope all seniors will band together and vote out of office any federal legislator who votes to cut Medicare benefits.
Gail Lebowitz, Atlanta
AFGHANISTAN
We can fight this war with fewer U.S. troops
The war in Afghanistan is a black hole. Now is the time for major U.S. troop reductions. Bin Laden is dead. President Hamid Karzai is an ineffective leader who would rather play local politics than force his own troops to take their military training seriously.
Keep U.S. troops in the hot spots, and on the Pakistan border. Increased U.S. drone attacks are the best way to neutralize insurgents in tribal areas.
We can fight this war effectively with fewer U.S. troops.
William McKee Jr., Flowery Branch
