Observer Forum: Letters to the editor 09.21.15
Howard’s take on election offensive
In response to “Cannon factor in primary, some say” (Sept. 17):
I am taken aback by the comments from the David Howard camp relative to the results in the Charlotte mayoral race.
Did the camp forget that voters have rights?
In my view, an apology is due the community. Those comments beg the question of readiness.
Anna M. Hood, Charlotte
I like pit bull attitude of Fiorina, others
Anti-establishment candidates Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson would bring the change we need in Washington.
The GOP needs folks with pit bull attitudes, not afraid to articulate true conservative principles.
For example, when it really counted – Oct 16, 2013 – many in our party voted with Nancy Pelosi to fund Obamacare.
Established Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and John Boehner don’t have the backbone to oppose the liberals’ agenda, and simply couldn’t fight their way out of a wet paper bag.
Jim Cherry, Charlotte
Cruz asking Davis to defy Constitution
Our Constitution and its governmental structure are essential and existential to who we are.
It saddens me to see a senator and presidential candidate, Ted Cruz – someone who knows better – encourage other governmental officials like Kim Davis to ignore the law, most notably one handed-down by the Supreme Court where Cruz himself once worked.
Cruz’s insurgent political gamesmanship makes him a much more dangerous threat to this country than than any terrorist.
Geoffrey Planer, Gastonia
Obama to blame for Putin’s push in Syria
In response to “Pentagon: Russians apparently setting up air base in Syria” (Sept. 14):
Since when are our presidents not educated enough to know that from czarist times Russia has had a historical imperative to have available warm-water ports, such as Latakia, which is now a stronghold of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad?
President Obama’s disastrous Syria policy has led Vladimir Putin’s Russia to assert its military presence on land, sea and air in Assad’s now truncated mini-state.
Does anyone think that Mr. Putin is intimidated by Mr. Obama’s negative reaction?
Howard Ross, Charlotte
Moderate pan-Arab movement needed
Russia supports Assad for a seaport. Syria has no easy solutions.
GOP contentions that the U.S. has the ability to “fix Syria” are false.
We can’t fix the Sunni-Shia 1,400-year-old divide. Nor can we banish repressive regimes.
Increased U.S. meddling wouldn’t be welcomed as many radical groups like ISIS, al-Qaida, and Nusra Front preach jihad against the West.
We need a pan-Arab moderate movement to lead the region from its present morass.
Chip Potts, Mooresville
Plenty of holes in that retirement plan
In response to “Why a good retirement plan remains impossible” (Sept. 18 Viewpoint):
I can’t believe a Bloomberg View columnist would refer to the Social Security tax as a savings.
Surely he knows the 12.4 percent he mentioned is going to pay today’s retirees and does nothing to provide future retirement resources for today’s worker. Ponzi would be proud!
And who believes that the government would keep its hands off that additional 5 percent tax he is favoring? In no time, it would be taken to fund some other giveaway.
John Liebe, Rock Hill
GM deal a case of deadly indifference
In response to “GM to pay $575M to settle lawsuits” (Sept. 18):
The U.S. Justice Department has determined that no person at General Motors is to be held liable for the deaths caused by GM personnel who knowingly covered up the ignition switch defect that killed more than 120 people.
Is this not the textbook definition of “depraved indifference”?
Similar to the financial crisis of 2007, where no person was ever held criminally liable, Big Money and the Feds walk arm-in-arm once again.
Jim Nuccio, Charlotte
This story was originally published September 20, 2015 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Observer Forum: Letters to the editor 09.21.15."