Obama re-election bad for country
If Barack Obama is re-elected as president, this country is finished. We have only two choices. Mr. Romney seems to be a man of character and integrity even if you don't like his Mormon religion.
Mr. Obama has made many changes by executive order to bypass Congress. He ignores the Constitution when he doesn't like what it says. The ObamaCare act has many regulations under the sole control of the secretary of Health and Human Services. How scary is that! Congress is apparently asleep and has made no attempt to stop his radical agenda.
Mr. Obama apparently needs his ego stroked regularly and doesn't care if he follows the law or not.
Heaven forbid that Mr. Obama should be allowed to appoint another Supreme Court justice.
WILLIAM HOLBROOK
Vote is a chance to return to roots
A 14-year-old Pakistani girl wanted to go to school so badly, she had the courage to defy the Taliban. They in turn attempted to kill her. News reports were sad and courageous. They brought me to tears and the courage to write this letter.
Question: Have Americans become cowards? Our newspaper didn't have the courage to condemn the murderers of four Americans. Instead, they chose to write a two-column editorial (Oct. 13) to "educate" us on the "whys" terrorists kill and burn and loot as they go. The video blamed for the carnage was a ruse for a terrorist attack. Typically, Clay Bennett insults Christians, but not one insult pertaining to terrorists or Islam extremists.
Most Americans love America. Our country is under attack by our own extremists. They're like a dripping faucet. At first the drip isn't too bad, but in time it does a lot of damage. We are seeing that damage today to our constitutional liberties.
Our vote Nov. 6 can be the beginning for redirecting our country to the principles it was founded upon.
We're at a crossroads. Our vote will determine which direction is taken. Pray diligently the right direction is chosen. Pray for the recovery and safety of this little girl.
BILLIE GLASSCOCK, Red Bank
Labor statistic lowest in years
The workforce participation rate improves 1/10 of 1 percent. That's right, the September rate improved to 63.6 percent from August's 63.5 percent. This Labor Department Bureau of Labor statistic often is ignored, especially by the mainstream media.
The Labor Department defines the workforce participation rate as the share of the population 16 years and older working or seeking work. The U.S. rate averages 67 to 68 percent.
The August rate of 63.5 percent is the lowest since 1980, when Jimmy Carter was removed from office. This president should also be removed from office.
NORMAN ISENHART
President hiding behind Hillary
President Obama once again has trotted out Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to provide political cover during a controversial period for his administration. Hillary fell on her sword (from Peru with no video) taking responsibility for the Libyan debacle and the subsequent cover up that was making Obama look bad three weeks before the election.
This is becoming a pattern with fresh memories from the Keystone XL pipeline. As a reminder, President Obama said the decision to delay the approval ultimately resided with the State Department because the pipeline was crossing an international border with Canada. It was clear to anyone that Obama was pandering to the environmentalists who threatened to withdraw their support if he didn't kill the pipeline.
While responsibility for the Libyan tragedy may ultimately reside with Hillary, when will the president take responsibility for anything? He takes credit for bin Laden but hides behind his acolytes when controversy swirls around him. We have gone from hope and change to deny and shift blame.
Neither of these instances are a profile in courage for President Obama. America deserves a leader with whom the buck stops and who doesn't hide behind Hillary's skirt.
CRAIG THEBERGE, Hixson
Gardenhire lauded as a workhorse
The voters in the 10th Senate District have a clear choice. They can vote for a man of integrity who grew up in Chattanooga, is a product of our local school system and graduated from UTC. A person who is a finance professional who understands how jobs are created in our economy and why people invest in the economy. A man of compassion who, when a mutual friend was dying of cancer at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, took personal time off to spend a week with him. That person is Todd Gardenhire, who after being elected will work with the overwhelming Republican majority and Gov. Haslam to continue the economic renaissance current happening in our city.
Or the voters can choose a carpet-bagger from Texas who was more interested in his radio audience than his constituents while on the City Council. A man who films a rap video for his campaign.
What the voters of the 10th District need is a workhorse rather than a show horse. Vote for Todd Gardenhire to represent the district in Nashville.
DOUGLAS JONES, North Chattanooga
Signal resident backs Wallace
I encourage Signal Mountain residents to re-elect Bill Wallace to our Town Council. Bill has served the council with much enthusiasm and candor. He is a good listener and weighs both sides of the issues before he makes a decision.
Bill has worked diligently to make Signal Mountain a safer place to live and a very desirable place to call home.
Please vote on Nov. 6 and vote for Bill Wallace to our Town Council.
BETTY EWING, Signal Mountain
Manning, Gravitt offer experience
After the Oct. 15 meeting of the East Ridge candidates, it was so obvious we need to elect tried and true people with business experience.
Two individuals fitting that description are Denny Manning and Marc Gravitt. These men are needed on the East Ridge City Council and deserve our vote.
ALMA ALEXANDER, East Ridge
Shooting range under fire
My husband and I thoroughly agree with the couple who are suing Collegedale regarding the shooting range. We live about half a mile from the range. I absolutely love my screened-in back porch because when my husband built it, it was so quiet and peaceful sitting out there, and enjoying the sounds of nature was so nice and relaxing. Now, all we hear are gunshots. Sometimes it sounds like a war zone.
This is a nice community that people enjoy living in, but I hate the sounds of gunfire while I am trying to relax. Granted, it is not every day or all day, but you never know when it is going to start and spoil your quiet time. I am glad someone is taking some action. I know they have a right to build one, but we, the community, have a right to a quiet and peaceful life. Is there no noise ordinance in Collegedale?
BECKY HEDRICK, McDonald, Tenn.
Vote for Headrick and Democrats
I have a question for anyone who is even considering voting for a Republican. What do you pretend to think that a GOP politician has done for you in the last 20 years? The answer is absolutely nothing! Do not take my or anyone else's word, most especially the highly overpaid talking heads or anyone parroting their hateful nonsense. Check the voting records.
I'm going to concentrate on Chuck Fleischmann. He votes in lockstep with Eric Cantor, John Boehner, etc. -- no, no, no on anything that would help the working middle class and lower income people. I would say he is worthless, except that worthless means to do no harm. So he is worse than worthless, and is paid by our tax dollars!
Mary Headrick is an excellent candidate. She will work to strengthen Social Security and Medicare, for infrastructure repair, teachers, police, firefighters, everything that will help us all. She supports actual health care for everyone, as opposed to going back to the absurdity of spiraling out of control costs with less actual health care.
Early voting started Oct. 17. I urge everyone to vote for all Democratic candidates.
WALTER M. BENTON, Signal Mountain
East Ridge council wasting its time
The East Ridge City Council should find something more constructive to do. Who started this upheavel anyway? Pygmy goats and pot-bellied pigs are pets, not livestock. Personally, I would rather have either one living next to me instead of the barking dogs that do. The first thing I hear every morning is a neighbor's dog barking, not at anything, that's just what they do. The weekends are especially pleasant listening to three at once.
Shame on you, East Ridge. I am glad I don't live there. This is not the first negative thing I have read about the community. Good luck to 40-pound Oreo and his family (article, Oct. 12).
BETTY BARR, Soddy-Daisy