Disappointed Kemp is avoiding special grand jury testimony
Gov. Kemp is the CEO of the state of Georgia. As such, he serves as a role model for our citizens. I am personally very disappointed that Gov. Brian Kemp is trying to avoid what, to the rest of us, would be a civic duty and responsibility, that being willingly honoring a subpoena to appear before a special grand jury. All he needs to do is to appear and tell the truth. What is so onerous about doing that? What is he trying to hide? Does Gov. Brian Kemp believe he is above the law?
CAROLE BRUCE JOHNSTON, AVONDALE ESTATES
Student loans should not be paid off using tax money
I’m responding to the writer who proclaims we taxpayers should not object to our tax money being used to pay off student loan debt, “Helping with student loan debt is an act of humanity” (Readers Write, Aug. 17).
I am quite happy that she had no assistance with her loans and evidently paid them off, but that was a responsibility that she willingly took on. Like many others, I did not complete college because I could not afford it, so I resent paying for others, especially those who chose courses of study that would not be financially viable.
I admire the writer for her “humanitarian” feelings but suggest she identify a needy student and personally mentor and finance the student’s education.
It is awfully easy to feel good about yourself when you spend other people’s money.
ERNEST WADE, LOGANVILLE
Cap on Medicare prescription costs a needed benefit
I can still remember how alarmed and upset I felt when I discovered that my grandmother was only taking part of her prescribed medication for her Parkinson’s. She could no longer afford it once she reached the “donut hole” part of her coverage year.
She hadn’t told any of our family members because she didn’t want to burden us. We would have gladly helped had we known earlier. We all started sending her money every month to help out.
We all agreed that the system was unfair when it led to people who had worked their whole lives having to struggle when they were sick and vulnerable. The cap on Medicare Part D prescription costs for retirees and the disabled is a good thing.
Even better, the increase in tax rates on billionaire corporations will help make sure that all Americans are paying their fair share. There is a lot to like about the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
CHRIS MILLER, ROSWELL
Will it take another national tragedy to bring Americans together?
Over and over, I keep hearing talking heads on the media say, “we are such a divided country.” So I’ve been giving intense thought to the question: “what will it take to unite us as Americans”?
The last event I could think of in my lifetime that united us powerfully as a country was 9/11.
Remember what a tectonic shift of a tragic event that was? Do we really need to wait for a national tragedy like that to bring us together?
My answer is, God forbid!
The alternative that I would hope for would be to take small steps in our local communities, to try to really listen to each other, to try to understand where each of us “is coming from,” i.e., what individual and family histories influence our thinking. And thus, to somehow try to, in small steps, “reach across the aisle” to find consensus and common ground.
SALPI ADROUNY M.D., JOHNS CREEK
