Irks me as business owner

to see cliff deal ‘celebrated’

This is the second 12th hour “compromise” lawmakers have “celebrated” and our country is arguably no better.

Since June 2011, American businesses and workers listened to the ignorant election rhetoric while the president and Congress ignored the fiscal cliff. Solving the “cliff” simply did not serve their re-election.

As a business owner, I cannot plan hiring or investment decisions for more than six months. That’s sad!

Lawmakers must avoid hard-headed, single-minded approaches and use the innovation and compromise upon which America was founded – or suffer dangerous debt levels and the brink of world insignificance.

J. Scott Bengel

Charlotte

Boehner failed on tax bill,

left GOP with no leverage

As a fiscal conservative, I couldn’t be more disappointed in House Speaker John Boehner and his lackeys for their inability to stick together and not raise taxes on any Americans.

The most disappointing part is that Boehner boldly stated that since Republicans had the majority in the House they would use it to hold Democrats accountable. Well Speaker Boehner, you just failed your first opportunity in 2013 to hold them accountable.

What leverage do Republicans now have to make sure adequate spending cuts are made? None.

Trigg Cherry

Charlotte

New Year’s Day drama that played out in D.C. disgraceful

Not only did Congress wait until past the last possible moment, many House Republicans, led by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, rebelled against their own Speaker.

Each state elects two senators, and those senators voted 89-8 for compromise. Good grief – even Grover Norquist said he would vote for the bill!

The 151 House Republicans who voted “no” don’t seem to realize they were elected to national office by the smallest number of voters – those in one Congressional district.

I commend John Boehner on guiding the measure to a vote. As we turn to spending, we need leaders willing to put the country, not special interests, first.

Kathleen Britton

Charlotte

Can’t get blood from a stone; sizable spending cuts needed

Congress passing a new tax bill does little to negate its trite Kardashian reality show behavior. The progressive redistribution ideology – taxing the rich will solve our nation’s economic woes – is misguided.

It has proven time and again to be counterproductive and will result in a loss of jobs and a shriveling economy.

Unless we all do something significant about our skyrocketing debt and living within our budget, getting blood from a stone policy and transferring it to our surrounding pebbles will only send us back to the Stone Age. Even Dracula knows that.

Barry Marshall

Charlotte

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UNC students should’ve been notified earlier about shooting

The writer is a UNC Chapel Hill student.

On Jan. 1 there was a shooting outside Time Out restaurant on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. It happened near the student residential community of Granville Towers, yet students were not notified until 16 hours after the incident. Though students are on break, Granville Towers is open to residents and is student staffed during break.

The university needs to re-evaluate the meaning of “a threat to our community.” Students are questioning their safety, and the lack of transparency and timely notification is contributing to a culture of fear and hostility.

In 2013, students demand more honesty from our university and stronger action towards enforcing student safety.

Andrea L. Pino

Chapel Hill

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Plan to arm teachers will leave children caught in crossfire

So fans of armed teachers think it OK to have 80 guns – if there are 80 teachers – in a school where they can be found or wrested away?

It’s OK that kids will be caught in crossfire? It’s OK that overworked, underpaid teachers must now take weapons training and deal with issue of whether they can live with taking a life?

Absolute lunacy.

Glo Kearns

Charlotte

Gun control advocate OK with armed officers in schools

Except for sporting weapons, I’ve been an advocate of gun control my entire adult life. But if the NRA can help us get armed law enforcement in our schools, I’m crossing to the other side.

Guns and violence are a fact of life in our society. Arm the right people and you give our children a fighting chance to live.

Barbara Christeler

Charlotte

In response to “Minister taking leave of absence” (Jan. 1):

Minister helping eliminate stigma surrounding depression

I do not know the Rev. Steve Shoemaker, but I applaud his public acknowledgement of his entering treatment for depression and anxiety.

Mental illness affects a cross section of our society. It can be filled with heartbreak and self-loathing and is often looked upon as a stigma, one that should be hidden at all costs.

There is help. Encourage those suffering in silence to seek help, or go with them for support.

Thank you, Rev. Shoemaker.

Clydean Lipe

Statesville