Congress must rise above petty bickering, start governing
A lone hardline Republican lit a match to the U.S. House speakership recently. Eight colleagues then voted to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Ukrainian support among Republicans is ominously waning. Putin boasted that he will take control of Ukraine within a week once U.S. support ceases. Alabama Senator Tuberville is singlehandedly endangering our military preparedness by refusing to allow Senate confirmation of promotions for 300 senior military officers.
America has unfilled diplomatic posts in Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman and Kuwait. Israel went to war against Hamas this month. No top USAID official for the Middle East has been confirmed for nearly three years.
Few elected congresspeople seem willing to do bipartisan work for the good of our country. Americans, we must rise above this petty bickering and get our house in order while there’s time. If our representatives won’t do the hard work of governing, then we should send them all packing.
REGINA SMITH, ATHENS
Georgia Power should follow lead set by Vermont utility
While Georgia Power seems to be lost, “Georgia Power … seeks ideas for new electricity sources” (News, Oct. 10), a Vermont utility knows how to get it done, “Vermont utility plans battery backups” (News, Oct. 10).
Green Mountain Power’s CEO, a dynamic woman named Mari McClure, fully understands what we are facing during the push towards electrification and the phaseout of fossil fuels in the midst of more frequent natural disasters. Georgia Power would be wise to follow her lead when she says, “We’re completely flipping the model, decentralizing it” by investing in batteries for customers’ houses that Green Mountain Power would control to help balance supply and demand.
I would just add that we also need mandated variable rates during the course of the day to properly reflect supply and demand. This pricing scheme would incentivize innovation and induce behavioral change.
Regardless of what you think, these kinds of discussions need to be had. We are all in this together.
JOHN E. DUKE, COLLEGE PARK
