Deceased veterans deserve better
An article in the Navy Times about the Clark Veterans Cemetery has left me more than a little angry at our government's lack of caring about our fallen heroes.
The American government abandoned it and Clark Airfield in 1991 with the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. The cemetery has fallen into disrepair and now relies on donations to maintain the grounds.
In an era when we fly America's fallen home for a stateside burial, it is unforgiveable that we ignore America's past fallen heroes. As one American vet put it, "It's a veteran's cemetery that America forgot."
With the 70th anniversary of WWII, it is time for America to remember these men and women and restore their final resting place into a place of honor.
I understand that America is going through a financial crisis. However, these brave men and women did not ask the cost when they gave their lives for our country.
If there is no money to restore this cemetery, maybe the government can close corporate loopholes and make the corporations pay their share in taxes.
If they are not willing to do this, then maybe they can give up their automatic, well undeserved annual pay raise.
TIM HARDEN
U.S. capitalism being destroyed
What has our federal government done for us lately?
Several facts:
(1) The price tag for creating each stimulus job was $228,055, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
(2) They have granted over 1,500 waivers to "Obama Health Care." How come?
(3) They wrote 80,000 pages of new regulations that are smothering small businesses.
(4) The jobless rate is 9.2 percent with little relief in sight.
(5) Gas prices have doubled in two years and other commodities are soaring higher.
(6) The federal debt is exploding by $4.1 billion each day.
(7) Just the interest cost on the debt for a family of four is an unbelievable $240 per month.
(8) To name a few, Medicare, Medicaid, Freddie, Fannie, Social Security and the U.S. Postal Service are all broke.
Our federal government has failed in every service they have shoved down our throat and blatantly overspent our tax dollars. Fellow citizens, what is wrong with our public servants?
Big government wants to get in every nook and cranny of our lives. In my opinion, Barack Obama is creating a huge nucleus of voters dependent on government, a large class of privileged public employees and a government intent on destroying capitalism. Stop them now!
E. LEE GERALDSON, Harrison
Drivers need to use their turn signals
I have lived in Chattanooga for about seven years, and I continue to be appalled on a daily basis by how many drivers fail to use their turn signals (or directional signals, if you prefer). Perhaps they weren't fortunate enough to actually have attended classes in "Driver's Education."
These drivers include police cars, too.
Wise up, folks. It's a big help if we know you are planning to go from the innermost lane to the farthest outside lane, to the exit ramp. We aren't mind readers!
NANCY SCHOBERT
Who's shooting whom in the foot?
America shouldn't worry about the looming budget deadline!
Even though our economy appears to have one foot in the grave, history proves that our lawmakers can solve problems.
For example, out of fear of shooting itself in the foot, Congress outlawed the practice of dueling to settle disputes.
United we stand, albeit on one foot.
JAMES A. BOLT, Hixson
GOP presidencies mean more debt
Republicans have occupied the presidency for 36 and Democrats 30 of the 66 years between 1944 and 2010.
During the Republican years, the increase in the national debt averaged 7.93 percent per year. The average increase per year under Democrats was 5 percent.
During Reagan's eight years, it averaged 14.07 percent per year (the debt almost tripled), Bush I's four years was 11.79 percent per year (over 50 percent increase in the debt), and Bush II's eight years was 7.37 percent (the debt almost doubled).
Where was the corporate-sponsored tea party all these years?
LAWRENCE HANSON, Collegedale
Run business as a business
When I read the article about Roy's Diner closing, I felt sad, but I think I know one of the reasons. My wife and I were passing through Rossville a while back and decided to eat at Roy's. It was 4 in the afternoon and the diner was closed. They closed at 2 p.m. If you're going to have a business, run it as a business. If you're going to have a hobby, don't expect to make money from it.
JIM SISK
Shut down government
This country used to be the richest, most powerful country on Earth. Now because of our puppet government licking the boots of "Big Business," it cannot pay its bills.
When "anti-American" Bush was placed into office, there were billions of dollars in surplus. Now we are in debt billions of dollars. Bush started the downfall of our country, and "anti-American" Obama is doing every thing he can to destroy America.
When Bin Laden ordered the attack of 9/11, he failed to destroy the economy. Bush then decided to do it for him: Afghan War, Iraq War, draining our economy for years.
Bin Laden is laughing in his grave about our stupid government pursing two wars that cannot be won, causing us financial difficulty.
King Obama is spend crazy. The so-called government is disgusting, an abomination of nefarious, greedy, politicians.
They all should be tarred, feathered and run out of Washington on a rail.
Shut down government permanently!
RAY C. EDGELL, Ooltewah
Many need to reassess beliefs
Thank you to the Times Free Press for covering the story of those who are voiceless in our communities: the immigrants.
The current furor over the immigrant situation in our country shows how deeply insulated we Americans have become against the plight of those less fortunate than us and our lack of understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
People in this country like to talk out both sides of their mouths, loudly crying that the immigrants should be sent home and at the same time claiming that we are a Christian nation. How dare we claim as truth the Gospel while at the same time ignoring what Scripture has clearly commanded us to do regarding foreigners in our own land.
Exodus 22:21 says, "Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt."
We have forgotten much of what it means to be a foreigner in a foreign land because of our selfishness, lack of knowledge of our history, our greed, and most of all, our ignorance of what the Gospel calls us to.
If you claim to be a Christian while at the same time desiring immigrants to be "kicked out," you need to reassess your understanding of your beliefs.
BO LANCASTER, Lookout Mountain, Ga.
Police escorts needed at funerals
We recently (July 6) attended the funeral of my brother-in-law. After the 9 a.m. funeral at Lane Funeral Home, we formed a "funeral train" of lighted cars to head to the National Cemetery. (Brother-in-law served in Korea.)
No police motorcycles anywhere? We have police escorts in Missouri to get us through the traffic lights.
Most cars pulled over and stopped as we went by. Even public buses stopped.
But we had drivers who cut through the line of lighted cars; the drivers who got in line with us so they could turn left down the road. At the last traffic-lighted intersection, we had a driver never slow up and run right through the line. Fortunately the driver in front of us read his actions and stopped or he would have been broadsided on the way to the military funeral!
If this is par for the course in Chattanooga, you may be having more funerals, the result of no police escorts going to the cemeteries. It just takes two motorcycle officers to prevent this.
They do a great job here in Missouri.
J.W. PARKER, Ballwin, Mo.