Mark Harris, don’t bother running again
New election in 9th was clearly needed
In response to “Son’s testimony deals blow to Harris’ denials” (Feb. 21):
State Board of Elections: You didn’t need any more evidence. You were right to vote for a new election and let the panel members go back to their day jobs.
Dallas Woodhouse, head of N.C. GOP: If you haven’t heard enough by now, you’re deaf.
Mark Harris: Don’t bother running again. The picture on the front page of the Observer said it all.
John Bowling, Charlotte
Harris went astray, needs to move on
I believe that at one point Mark Harris was a good man, as evidenced by raising an honest son who has chosen the upstanding career of assistant U.S. attorney.
But something changed along the way. Perhaps his ambition for public office led to a moral collapse. Maybe his pastoral instincts caused him to choose the wrong former felon to give a boost up.
Regardless, at this point I believe aspiring to be prison chaplain would be a fitting goal for Harris.
Debra Efird, Harrisburg
Follow the money in the 9th District
Wednesday’s editorial cartoon depicts Mark Harris with his left hand in the cookie jar while Dallas Woodhouse quips OJ’s famous “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit!”
The question still remains: Who baked the cookies and who is cooking the books? McCrae Dowless and Red Dome were the sous chefs. We need to find the executive chef who needed the dough!
When things go awry, people like Dowless and “anonymous donors” always seem to survive to impact future campaigns. Ultimately, taxpayers pay the price.
George Garcia, Rolesville
Don’t shut out unaffiliated voters
In response to Our View “Elections board struck down once, might be again” (Feb. 18 Editorial):
Your editorial struck a nerve. As an unaffiliated voter, I appreciate the work of Michael Crowell in taking on the major parties in federal court. Republicans and Democrats differ on many fronts, but when it comes to blocking political involvement of unaffiliated folks they are united: No way.
Crowell is correct in his request of the court: Don’t let the “official” parties keep voters with a more independent spirit away from political roles.
The stunning 135 percent rise of unaffiliated voters in North Carolina since 2004 is a clear symptom of partisan fatigue. At the very least, unaffiliated candidates should be reasonably able to run for office and unaffiliated citizens should be appointed to election boards at rates equal to their share of all registered voters.
Terry Taylor-Allen, Charlotte
The downside of Sanders, socialism
In response to “Sen. Bernie Sanders says he’s running for president in 2020” (Feb. 19):
Bernie Sanders is running for president again and would probably love to have Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as his vice president. Their agenda would be free health care, free education, and higher taxes on everybody.
There is a history of socialism leading to communism. The Democrats’ dream of utopia is Venezuela’s reality.
Jim Cherry, Charlotte
Don’t let coal, big oil determine policy
In response to “Let free market prevail on climate” (Feb. 21 Forum):
Free market principles are usually good for society, but they are far from infallible.
I would remind Forum writer Stephen Gilmore that the quest for profit brought us child labor and slavery. Letting the motivations of the petroleum and coal industries determine our environmental policy is the ultimate example of inviting the fox to guard the henhouse.
I would also caution him that declaring a scientifically proven phenomenon “at best an uncertainty, at worst a myth” is guaranteed to produce detrimental results.
Whenever you analyze a problem without accepting the underlying cause, you will arrive at erroneous conclusions even if you apply valid principles like capitalism.
Joel B. Miller, Hickory
I see irony in Cardinal’s spending
In response to “Cardinal Innovations sees big changes, braces for more” (Feb. 16):
Cardinal Innovations’ spending is unbelievable. Over $133,155 spent at a Charleston hotel for two taxpayer-funded retreats is bad enough. What’s worse is a bar tab of $2,127 for an agency that is overseeing mental health and substance abuse patients.
What a sad irony.
Marjorie Parker, Charlotte
This story was originally published February 21, 2019 at 3:00 PM.