Be thankful Tillis changed his mind

Tillis realized his past mistakes

It appears that Tuesday was “dump on Tillis day” in the Forum.

Thank God a politician has the right to correct an unwise decision to oppose the president’s declaration of a national emergency. Through my longevity, I have found that things which appear too good to be true are usually not. Sen. Thom Tillis perhaps realized his vote against border security and a much needed border wall was dangerous and wrong. Further, individuals who have not been to the southern border should pay a visit before uttering ill-founded statements.

We are in a most troublesome and dangerous time in this country. Any American with an interest in socialism and the ruin it wreaks on society should just look at Venezuela. If blatant liberalism doesn’t destroy us first, I think socialism will.

Tillis changed because we wanted it

Yes, Sen. Thom Tillis changed. He did this because he listened to what his base wanted. Editorial boards criticize Tillis for voting with Trump 95 percent of the time, but why not criticize the Democrats for voting 100 percent of the time with Pelosi and Schumer? The Democrats in Congress are not capable of thinking for themselves, and they do what their party leaders tell them to do all the time.

Let us not forget that it is because our Congress has not passed new, more effective, immigration laws and has not passed a budget to fund border security that Trump was forced to use his executive powers to do what Congress has not. Because of its inaction, Congress abdicated its right to control the purse strings.

Give Tillis credit for listening to his constituents who elected him.

We must invest in future rail lines

Once again, is the right question being asked? Can Charlotte not afford to invest in future rail lines? What happens if Charlotte waits or does not expand? What is the economic impact if no rail lines are built?

Can the city sustain its current growth and compete with other cities that do have public transportation alternatives? Can we have people with vision making these decisions? While $8 billion sounds like a lot, is it when you are considering Charlotte’s future?

Pastors aren’t automatically saints

It's fascinating that many people in the general public believe Mark Harris is incapable of any illegal or questionable behavior because he is a pastor. You don't have to look too far back in history to identify the Reverends Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggert, Jerry Falwell and Jim Jones as men of less-than-reputable behavior.

After two years of the Trump regime, we should be keenly aware that leadership and honor are not bestowed on someone because of a title, but rather earned through good deeds, fair play, mutual respect and transparency.

Fraud is fraud no matter what

I like the way Forum writer John K. Maxwell expressed his outrage about women of color and other “women of lesser means” being prosecuted for food stamp fraud just because they were trying to feed their children. Fraud is fraud, whether it is for food stamps or college admissions.

Why should we throw the book at the people involved with the college admissions scandal and not people who commit food stamp fraud? We try too hard in society today to gloss over criminal acts and make excuses for the people who commit them.

Do the crime, do the time. No matter what the offense.

I’m sorry for the honest students

Thank you Forum writer John K. Maxwell for speaking so eloquently for so many of us. I am seething at the thought that for so many years parents have been paying to get their children admitted to schools while displacing hardworking, honest students who should have been admitted instead.

Instead of slapping their hands, throw the book at the parents and staff who are all white collar criminals to the highest degree. Stealing an education for their children? Does it get any lower than this? This recent college admissions scandal certainly heightens the reality that people in our society consider themselves above the law and think they can buy their way through life versus the rest of us.

What a tragedy that this represents our society.

This story was originally published March 19, 2019 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Be thankful Tillis changed his mind."