NASA
The Roman Empire, the British Empire, and the Soviet Union were mighty. Due to decisions their leaders made, now they are gone. America has relinquished the space shuttle, losing the vehicle capable of carrying crew and cargo into space. Is American growth and leadership at an end? I say we must act while we still can to build a future brighter than our past.
I request an immediate increase in federal spending on non-military research and development from the current level, to that which is focused on the National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy, NASA and the National Science Foundation. This will boost our economy, creating industries and jobs. The American era isn’t over unless we’ve lost the courage to invest, to lead and to inspire.
Jay Wittner, executive director, Space Literacy Foundation
EDUCATION
Ethical administrators remains the goal
Regarding “APS can’t close the book just yet” (Opinion, July 10), the tragic story of Beverly Hall and the cheating scandal reveals how education is not immune from political interference into investigations of wrongdoing, indifference toward student learning needs and greed. Sadly, we see the public trust subverted in a search for power.
Atlanta Public Schools should hire ethical administrators who make a positive difference in the lives of others because they place meeting student learning needs as their highest priority. They are servant leaders who foster trust and integrity, who create a good name for their academic institutions by focusing on creative and relevant ways to improve the quality of education, and who establish honest and responsible relationships with stakeholders: government, business, and especially with teachers, students, parents and community leaders.
Americans might be cynical at times, but they still want leaders who operate by high ethical standards.
Brent Muirhead, Alpharetta
A one-size-fits-all test ultimately fails society
The cheating scandal that is rocking the Atlanta metro area is nothing more than a symptom of a far greater crime.
A one-size-fits-all test to determine which student will be promoted to the next grade is a huge mistake that assumes that all children think and act the same. It assumes that all children can take a standardized test with little difficulty. It assumes that all children come from a stable home where they are treated with love and provided with all their basic needs. In a perfect world, this would be the case. This is not a perfect world.
How many of us from past generations might have failed to pass this test for any number of reasons? How many very capable people from past generations might now not be very capable professionals (or other contributors to our society) because they had trouble taking the CRCT? Our children are being taught to take a test, but not to think independently. There will be repercussions from the CRCT for generations to come if it is not done away with.
Michael de Give, Decatur
ECONOMY
We can all play a part in reducing America’s debt
The best way to improve the U.S. economy and reduce our debt load is to create new taxpayers. New taxpayers are produced by lowering taxes on businesses, so they will have more money to create jobs, hire people and expand the economy. If President Barack Obama insists on taxing the wealthy, we should create a voluntary program where individuals can buy bonds that will pay off the national debt. Also, individuals could forgo Social Security benefits when they reach retirement age. Instead, they could grant these funds toward debt reduction.
Brian DiNapoli, Decatur
Get government out of capitalism’s way
Is there anyone out there who believes government can create the jobs required to get this country’s economy back on track? President Barack Obama’s ideology won’t allow him to admit that the private sector is the only way to get our economy back on track. He has to get government out of the way, and let capitalism do what it does best: create wealth and jobs. Tom Gambeski, Jasper
IRAQ
A worthwhile invasion, or a terrible blunder?
Years have passed since we invaded Iraq, yet we still have thousands of troops there, exposed to fatal attacks. There are almost daily bombings. We lost precious young lives, thousands of wounded and billions of dollars. We also have troops in Afghanistan, with no end in sight. Neighboring Iran has been able to spread its malign influence throughout the region and pose a far greater threat to world peace than Saddam Hussein ever did because it is indeed close to acquiring a nuclear bomb.
It is high time to step back and ask ourselves whether the invasion of Iraq was worthwhile — or a tragic blunder. J.R. Ibbotson, Peachtree City
TRANSPORTATION
Vote will come down to trust, accountability
Next year’s vote on the transportation tax will be all about trust and accountability.
I’m sure nearly every Atlanta commuter has an opinion about the past successes and failures of the Georgia Department of Transportation. I commute from Newnan to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and my personal opinion is that I was initially impressed that they widened I-85 down near LaGrange well before I felt it was really congested. However, after something like two years of construction, the quality of the poured concrete lanes is so poor that they have had to grind the road surface smooth. These lanes have not been open for a year, and require reworking.
This is the kind of lack of accountability that may doom the tax vote.
Brian Grieb, Newnan
