California governor shows his intolerance for Georgia
So, California (or at least its governor’s office) advises Hollywood to avoid doing business in Georgia because of Georgia’s conservatism. Nothing written in law or regulation, you understand, just a recommendation. Isn’t the liberal mindset supposed to favor tolerance and cooperation? Guilt by imputation is bad, no matter who uses it.
MIKE WEST, MARIETTA
GOP leaders should condemn violent threats by Trump supporters
Over the past several months, we have learned of threats from former president Trump’s supporters against federal and state elected and appointed officials for honoring their oaths and carrying out their duties. These threats have now expanded to the FBI. Supporting the former president is their right, but making anonymous threats against these officials and their families is completely unacceptable. Only the GOP leaders can lessen such behavior by quickly and emphatically condemning such actions whenever they occur. If the leaders are unwilling to do so, they are unworthy of the offices they hold, revealing their lack of character— shame on them.
JOHN TITUS, PEACHTREE CORNERS
As political divide worsens, independents need to speak up
It’s been a while since I voted Republican. I would likely do so again were there strong, principled candidates supporting policies in the best interests of our people and enabling us to thrive. The divide in our country is worsening; safety, freedom and fairness are endangered. There are too few bipartisan wins. Strident minorities at both ends of the political spectrum are bullies. They refuse to work together for a better America. Patriotic Americans are appalled at the lack of will to govern on our local, state and national levels. We dream of supporting representatives who, by word and deed, are decent, caring, law-abiding and willing to open their minds to the possibility that someone who disagrees with them just might be right, at least on some things and at least some of the time. Maybe it’s time more of us become independents and band together to demand better candidate choices worthy of our vote.
REGINA SMITH, ATHENS
Green transportation solutions need more than EVs
Concerning the story “Rivian likely excluded from EV tax credits” (News, Aug. 6), there absolutely should be price caps on electric vehicle (EV) tax credits. EVs are not going to solve the climate crisis alone. Ninety percent of people just need a way to haul groceries, family members or to travel out of town. We do that with our modest 5-door (hatchback) 60 kWh battery Chevy Bolt that seats five. You can make two Bolt batteries out of one Rivian truck battery and decarbonize the world much faster. We bought ours used for $19,000, and that, along with investment in public transportation and walkability in our communities, is how you make climate solutions accessible to everyone.
JOHN E. DUKE, COLLEGE PARK
High tuition and fees drive student loan debt
I would like to inform your reader who believes that student-loan borrowers should “get a job like many of us did” that most of these students and alumni already have jobs — some more than one. Even so, they still cannot make any headway in paying down the amount they owe, even when making full monthly payments.
I strongly suspect he is far less interested in “fairness” for the custodial and other university employees he mentions than for his own tax bill, which he fears will increase if student loans are forgiven. Doing so for all currently outstanding loans, however, will do nothing whatsoever about the root cause of the problem: the egregiously high tuition and fees charged by universities and the usurious interest rates charged by lenders. Colleges and lenders must be pressured to lower them by regulation, litigation or whatever it takes.
MATT G. LEGER, ATLANTA
