POLITICS
Youth shouldn’t look to
Democrats for favors
Regarding “Democrats fight for the young” (Opinion, Dec. 26), exactly how does the Democratic Party “fight” for young people? According to authors Steven Golden and Atima Omara, it is via health reform, college loan reform, job creation and marriage reform — in other words, by reforming many of the laws Democrats themselves either helped create or keep in place.
Young adults have always been able to buy health insurance (but generally choose not to). How is passing a law that puts the cost of a national health care system on the backs of young people a good thing for them? As far as loans are concerned, are the Democrats suggesting that college students neglect their contractual obligations? What have the Democrats been doing to create jobs? They have stifled entrepreneurism through over-regulation, confiscatory tax policies and other laws.
I was taught in my youth to be responsible and self-reliant, and to be charitable toward others truly in need. I didn’t need a political party to fight for me. I have endeavored to teach the same to my 22-year-old daughter.
RICK BARNETT, JOHNS CREEK
‘DUCK’ FLAP
What happened to our
freedom of speech?
The American people used to be united in feeling that freedom of speech was very important. It was one of our fundamental freedoms — so important, in fact, that it was enshrined in the First Amendment to our Constitution. Even when someone disagreed with us, we respected his right to express his opinion. What has happened to us today?
Do we still respect a person’s right to express his opinion? For many people and groups, when they see someone who disagrees with them, their first reaction is to try to silence that person. They will try to hurt that person, get them fired, or see that they cannot express their opinion. This is a disgrace to our noble heritage. We must speak out against this intolerant attitude wherever we see it. The case of Phil Robertson is only the latest of many such examples.
BILL WHITLOW, AUBURN
PUBLIC SPENDING
Privileged few benefit
at taxpayers’ expense
I am amazed at the continuous development (read: greed) of Atlanta-area projects that all seem to further enrich the already wealthy, typically require new taxpayer funding at some level, and further isolate the “have-nots” away from the “haves.”
I offer as examples the Beltline project for Yuppies wanting to live in the city; the never-ending saga of sports teams mandating bigger, luxurious stadiums periodically, and the ridiculous idea of a “trolley network” in Atlanta.
Are the millionaires and billionaires wanting more wealth going to keep building bigger barns to hold their fortunes? What projects are planned for the poor, or for open parks, repairs to infrastructure, and similar needs of all taxpayers?
CHARLES R. THOMAS, CUMMING
