Our readers write

Vital message:
Save Goodyear

To The Editor:
I’m beginning to believe that I am the only concerned citizen in northwest Tennessee in regard to the very real possibility that the giant Goodyear Tire plant in Union City is going to close. I am praying that this will not happen.
I have contacted every politician I know. To no avail, yet...
I’m in hopes that the community will be made aware of the consequences of this plant’s closure.
For instance, 1,700 hourly and 300 salary employees who currently work at the plant will lose their jobs. Approximately another 400-500 who are employed at satellite plants supplying the Goodyear plant will lose their jobs. What a terrible tragedy.
Now, these losses will spill out into the community. Banks, restaurants, Lowe’s, grocery stores, automobile dealers, doctors, dentists, real estate, Walmart. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.
The tax-revenue lost will affect not only the city, but the county as well. Homes will be lost, families shattered.
I’m thinking in today’s world, we call it the boomerang effect.
I believe this possible plant closure can be, and should be, avoided. I’ve heard people blaming the union; I’ve heard people blame the company. There is enough blame to share by all. That will not save this plant.
I happen to know for a fact that the union and plant management are working hand in hand to save this plant.  Plant manager Terry Tennyson and USWA-Local president Ricky Waggoner — both honorable men — are not only working together to save the plant, it is probably unparalleled that the union and local management are working so diligently for the same goal — saving Goodyear Tire plant in Union City.
I’m a retired employee from that plant. I have no secret agenda. I live in Martin. I just want this plant to be viable for years to come. Contact your local politicians and make them aware that you are concerned. I know I am.
Don V. Jones
Martin

Put numbers
in perspective

To The Editor:
Most of us get dizzy, nauseous and confused when our federal government talks about so many billion or trillion dollars for this or that. One way to put these huge amounts of money in perspective is to break these amounts of money down to how much per county. There are about 3,100 counties in the United States. So dividing one of the big numbers by 3,100 gives us a much better perspective of just how much money is being talked about. I’ll use this simple calculation a little further along in my rant. 
The president of IBM made the Obama administration an offer for a system at no cost to our government that they claimed would save our government $900 billion in Medicare fraud. The Obama administration turned the president of IBM down on the offer. I don’t have words to describe the level of my confusion. Does the Obama administration like Medicare fraud?
Now let’s put this amount of money into perspective. First of all, it is equivalent of more than 1/3 an entire year’s revenue of our federal government. However, let’s break it down per county and see what the average county would save. We have to do some round off because my Chinese calculator is sadly lacking in the number of digits necessary for a down to the penny number.
Actually, we need a drum roll for the announcement of the result of what the savings would be for the average county but here it is dear reader, $293 million per county.
If our government’s refusal to take advantage of such an amount of savings by reducing Medicare fraud burns your toast, call your senators. Call Sen. Bob Corker, (202) 224-3344, and Sen. Lamar Alexander, (202) 224-4944.
David Nance
Gibson County Patriots
Trenton

Published in The Messenger 1.26.11

Print