Politicians, focus less on attacks and more on your positions

Hold politicians to a higher standard

In these days of decreased civility, Charlotte and Mecklenburg County can rise above what is currently accepted as common practice.

When a candidate states clearly a positive goal to accomplish with her/his service, our residents are reinforced. When innuendo and attack become the accepted modes of campaigning, our whole community is diminished.

I would call on voters to express their displeasure with these tactics and demand from candidates instead positions delineating their strengths and capacity to serve for the good of their constituents and this area.

State should regulate alcohol, not sell it

Why is the state ABC commission still in the liquor store business?

Let’s be clear, the ABC should be in control of alcohol-related issues such as licensing, hours of operation, transportation, consumption limits, manufacture, possession, distribution and education. But it shouldn’t be a bureaucratic debacle that wastes millions, is poorly run because nobody’s paycheck is on the line, is subject to quid pro quos, and is a huge waste of taxpayers’ dollars.

There’s no state commission that tells you where to buy your groceries, clothes or gasoline, so why does the state run a business that mandates what brand of liquor you can buy? Turn the sale over to private enterprise and continue to monitor and enforce the liquor laws that are already on the books.

We can’t rely on charity health care

Art Pope’s quote on access to health insurance demonstrates Republicans’ philosophy and their reasons for slowly destroying the Affordable Care Act.

Leaving those who can’t afford healthcare to “voluntary charitable care” (whatever that means) translates to “no insurance – no care!”

As others in the article pointed out, it is unconscionable that the wealthiest nation in the world cannot ensure healthcare access for all.

The ACA was a start and should have been continually improved rather than destroyed. It is my hope that Republicans will pay for this in November.

GOP threatens the equalizer in N.C.

In “To Kill A Mockingbird,” the character Atticus Finch said that “courts are the great levelers.” He was referring to the prospect of justice for one man but in reality that quote can be readily applied to the political arena as well.

Whenever one political party has been guilty of extreme partisan overreach, the court system has generally restored some measure of balance.

That equilibrium could now be in jeopardy as Republicans at both the state and federal levels are heavily engaged in bending, breaking and re-writing rules in order to stack the judiciary in their favor.

Steve Smith’s mental health bravery

God bless Steve Smith. As one who deals with depression on a daily basis, I am so proud of Smith for asking for help. He is already on his way to a better life.

So many more people will be helped by the action that Smith took and then revealed.

Mental illness is something we can no longer sweep under the rug. It is real and we as a society must deal with it.

Smith is a Hall of Fame receiver! This revelation should make his journey to the Hall even easier.

Teachers need broad knowledge

In order to become a registered nurse I had to pass a licensure exam that demonstrated knowledge in all aspects of nursing, not just my chosen specialty area of practice. I would expect our teachers to be held to comparable standards.

Would Trump meet our standards?

Melania and her parents had to pass a citizenship test. Wonder what the chances are that the president could do likewise.