Support your paper carrier and other letters to the editors

Support your paper carrier

A thoughtful reason for folks to continue home delivery of the Times Free Press is the satisfaction of supporting a hard-working element of generally poor people. Your subscription helps them stay employed. These folks want to work and earn rather than accept entitlements. Paper delivery people work hard. They work unreasonable hours, rolling out of bed a 2 a.m. Many go on to a full-time job after their route is finished.

Carriers deliver 365 days a year without paid holidays or time off unless they pay for their own substitute. Few carriers endure these hardships were if not for the fact that they desperately need to earn money. So help these hard-working, deserving carriers. Maintain or renew your subscription to the Times Free Press. Beyond that, if you have a consistent and careful carrier now, encourage him with a generous tip this Christmas. I am -- for the carriers.

CLIFTON ROTH, Hixson


Theater a reason to be proud

Some years ago, celebrating the 80th year of the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, I wrote the following in an issue of Chattanooga magazine. "A community can be measured in great part by how well it nurtures the arts. And, by that measure, Chattanooga has many reasons to be proud, among them the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. The Centre has just celebrated its 80th season, making it one of the oldest in America." No longer proud? Enough said!

DICK MOREL, Signal Mountain


Nation's leaders need evaluation

"I have a dream! I dream that the executive and legislative branches of our federal government will, by unanimous consent, direct Hillsdale College "Graduate School of Statesmanship" to develop a document to be used to assess the culpability of all living former and current presidents, cabinet secretaries and legislators and to what extent they will be prosecuted and held accountable for "economic treason," the irresponsible and misguided squandering of our nation's financial resources. Our nation's debt did not happen overnight -- it is the result of many decades doing what our nation's founders feared would happen. Then, I awakened to the realization I was having such a delightful dream that will never happen since those responsible are immune from consequences of their financial folly. Remember, these people we elected to represent us continue doing what no responsible business or family can do with debt management and expect to survive."

DONALD E. KLASING


Are paper's actions a death wish?

I have just returned home after being out of town for a few days and thought I'd sit down and look over the last several issues of the Times Free Press. I had forgotten how laborious it has become to read through the paper since the new format changes. The majority of each page is now filled with ads. It is definitely not an easy task to find the news articles. I am sure that someone somewhere high up in your organization is convinced that this new layout works wonderfully in newspapers across the country and will revolutionize the Chattanooga news world, bring us in line with the other grand city newspapers all the while increasing advertising revenue. I finally gave up trying to scan the pages of the last four days of the newspaper and tossed them all into the recycling bin. I have wondered the past several years if the Chattanooga Times Free Press has developed a death wish. A death wish is the only explanation that I can come up with when trying to figure out the recent actions of the newspaper.

SANDRA STUEMER, Lookout Mountain, Ga.


VW imposing 'dictatorship'

I own a 2012 Passat, made here in Chattanooga. It's a great car but probably my last. Forget the debate over "is the UAW good or bad." Didn't VW know that Tennessee is a right-to-work state when they came here? Sounds to be that they are trying to force a union on the workers and our state as a condition for future growth and employment. Isn't that in violation of the right-to-work laws? I thought the Germans had given up "dictatorship" back in the '40s. Guess not.

GORDON SMITH, Signal Mountain


Celebration greatly enjoyed

I would like to commend everyone (especially Friends of the Park) and all who took part in the wonderful celebration. It was the first time since 2004 that "Pops in the Park" was held at Wilder Tower. The Chattanooga Symphony and Opera was "the most beautiful ever." The patriotic songs bought tears in my eyes. I am a veteran and I love my country. The lady standing next to me said: "Why don't they play "Dixie"? I couldn't help but laugh. ... Now, I am a Southern boy but I told her. "We don't want to start another war!" Ha! That made my day. I had a wonderful time. I met a lot of good Yankees and good Rebels too. I couldn't help but notice that people still stand and put their hands on their heart when a patriotic song is played. "God Bless America."

PHILIP OSBORNE JR.


East Ridge Leaders' ineptness not surprising

An article in this morning's Chattanooga Times Free Press (Section A, page 4) helped me understand somewhat the lunacy and idiocy that has become the members of Congress. The headline for the article stated "U. S. adults score below average." Evidently, a majority of these adults currently sit and sleep in the halls of Congress and were elected to go there by equally intellectually below- average voters. Why should we then be stunned at the current ineptitude of Congress? Let's demonstrate that those who are at least average can band together and vote the inept out and focus on getting quality candidates ( those who are at least average -- we don't want to strain anyone) elected to Congress. Meanwhile, to complete this congressional purgation, the adept voters of Tennessee can also sweep the dross from the Tennessee Legislature, especially the oily governor.

DENNIS WESTMEIER, Red Bank


Abortion law goes too far

I read your article "Supreme Court May Steer to Right," published on Oct. 7. This article focused on several issues, but I would like to talk about abortion. Requiring women seeking abortions to undergo ultrasound tests to see their fetus, to me, will wreak havoc on the mother. I understand the intentions of the law, but it shouldn't be required. As a social worker, if a woman comes to me wanting to have an abortion, I am required to inform her of her fetus' development at the current stage, as well as other possible options before she makes her decision. Isn't that hard enough? Some women feel bad enough about having an abortion, but they don't have any other options. They should have the option of choosing to see their fetus before the abortion or not.

TIARA HOY, Collegedale, Tenn.


Health insurance is needed by all

Horace N. Barker's letter to the editor in the Oct. 8 issue of the Times Free Press underscores the desperate need for expansion of the Affordable Care Act, by mentioning the situation of Muriel Hassell who postponed surgery because she could not afford health insurance. I shudder to imagine how many Americans have suffered or even died because they could not afford medical insurance. Where is the collective conscience and common sense of the opponents of Obamacare? I remember when Medicare and Medicaid were divided in advance as laws that would ruin the medical institutions of this country. I believe that history is repeating itself. I am grateful that I am covered under TennCare. I pray the scores and scores of thousands of Tennesseans who are now not covered due to poverty will have Medicaid extended to them.

HARRY GELLER


Health care law bad for America

The fight for Obamacare goes on! In the Sept. 18 article "Senate, House ensnared in health care controversy," it became clear to me that this is an endless battle that continues to bleed blue and red. The goal of Obamacare is to provide affordable health care to U.S. citizens. At what price? The American people are tired of their pockets and freedoms being stretched thin. America was not built on a foundation to provide her citizens free handouts. Americans work hard for their dollars, and I hope that the Republican party continues to do everything in its power to prevent the health care monster from being completely unleashed.

VICKI JOHNSON, Collegedale, Tenn.

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