Our readers write

Both parties
sink to new low

To The Editor:
I am thoroughly disgusted with politics in America. Both parties have sunk so low with their dirty campaigning that it seems they are one step closer to becoming like the Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland. I would rather endure a colonoscopy — without anesthesia — than have to go through this year’s presidential election.
Last fall, the Republican presidential hopefuls started crucifying each other until they came up with a candidate who can “beat Obama.” If that is their only goal, then shame on them.
Whatever happened to trying to find someone who can actually lead this country and who can come up with real solutions to fix what is broken? All that the politicians/candidates on both sides can do is run each other into the ground instead of presenting us with ideas on how to get America back on track.
Recently, the state of Missouri held their primaries and the news media was astounded at the low voter turnout. It doesn’t take a political analyst to figure out why — just look at the political ads on television. Those dour sounding commercials with doomsday background music are turning off voters.
And, have you noticed that most of the ads by Republican candidates running for any office, be it state or federal, are full of the same tired rhetoric they have been spewing out for years? They make sure that they put their Democratic rival with President Obama and throw out “Obamacare” like it was some kind of filthy word. They claim to be the party for “Evangelical” Christians but they sure don’t practice what they preach, which is evident in their nasty ads. Any candidate who portrays himself or herself as being a church-going, faithful Christian and is running an ad that is attacking the other candidate’s character is a hypocrite. There is nothing Christian about those ads. Jesus tells us that before we can remove the stick from someone else’s eye, we must first remove the plank from our own.
The Democrats are almost as bad with their mean-spirited ads running down their Republican rivals. As a voter, I don’t want to hear what a dirty, rotten, lying, cheating, no-good scoundrel a candidate is, I just want to know what each candidate stands for and what he or she will try to do to fix things.
I have been voting since I turned 21 and have never missed a presidential election. This is one year that I am seriously considering not voting. Why should I. My vote won’t count anyway; that was proven in several past elections. We the people don’t elect our president — the big corporations, big banks, political action committees (PACs) and, of course, that antiquated Electoral College elects our president. And anyway, none of the candidates are fit to govern our states or our country according to all the political ads.
I am not apathetic — I’m just fed up. I’m Pam Puckett and I approved this message.
Pam Puckett
Troy

Voters’ choice
in fall obvious
To The Editor:
Beginning to get up in years and having survived quite a few presidential elections, I would like to voice my thoughts on this fall’s election.
This is the first time that there has been an obvious choice between a socialist candidate and a capitalist candidate. Those that believe that it is the government’s responsibility to provide cradle-to-grave upkeep for all of its population, should go ahead and vote for Barack Obama. The path that he seems to be leading us is similar to the countries of the European Union and the former Soviet Socialist Republic.
While I believe it is society’s responsibility to care for the elderly and those unable to look after themselves, it is not right for able-bodied citizens to not contribute to society’s wellbeing. When it becomes more advantageous for people to live off the system rather than find productive work, the pendulum has swung too far toward socialism.
Capitalism believes in rewarding the industriousness and ingenuity of those willing to take risks and work toward goals. One of the problems in our country today is that we place a great burden on anyone willing to hire employees. While traditionally, employers have always felt a sense of responsibility to the people working for them, the government has mandated these responsibilities to the extreme.
This fall we have a choice between a candidate that advocates socialism or one that stands for freedom of the individual to pursue private enterprise. As for me, I think it is time to rein in the tentacles of the federal government.
As far as taxes are concerned, it is only right that those that have the most, should pay a larger portion of their income. However, when 50 percent of the population pays no federal tax, it’s not right to balance the budget by overly taxing those that have worked hard to succeed. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, those that are not willing to work should not eat. It is only correct that those with more ability should contribute more to society. It is wrong for others to be freeloaders and not contribute at all.
Bill Grasfeder
Union City
Raising taxes
not only option
To The Editor:
Where does it say city and county governments’ only avenue of balancing the budget is to raise taxes?
When a private citizen does not have enough money to pay bills, they have to trim expenses. What is wrong with our supposedly public servants who seem to think it is their money and to be spent only as they see fit?
City officials will inform the public that the population is basically the same as 1970, but they need more employees, i.e., police officers to monitor cameras, city clerks to process the influx of new city ordinances, building inspectors to enforce the city ordinances, because as we are well aware the city has lost 90 to 95 percent of the businesses who employed enough people to affect our local economy.
So why are taxes being raised again? Maybe it is to pay for the parks and recreation employees to cut and maintain at least seven city parks  for the same amount of people who resided here in 1970.
This letter is about public officials whose only solution to a budget shortfall is to raise taxes. Least I forget the boondoggle we call an industrial park, especially the financing, we are aware that rent on the land pays the interest on the loan at this time but it is my understanding no payment is being made toward the principal. What happens when interest rates rise? Raise property taxes even more? People, please be aware, taxes are going up again in Union City. I believe this is the second time in the last two years. Plus, your one-time wheel tax has been raised. If this is OK with you, then do nothing, otherwise elect different representatives. You are the ones paying for all services you receive, not the politicians.
So far I have yet to see anything our officials are giving us free. They talk about government grants, implying they are free. Don’t forget, it is your taxes, hidden gasoline tax, state and county sales taxes, just to name a few, in addition to property taxes.
If you are tired of paying more than your fair share of taxes, let your elected officials know. But, remember, when you talk to your elected official, if he opens his or her mouth, they are usually providing you with misinformation.
Ellis Cochran
Union City

People being
taxed too much

To The Editor:
Why is that the people of Obion County and Union City can’t wake up and get rid of the present county commission and the present budget committee? All these people know is “raise taxes.”
Each time the county and city submit their budgets and there is increases in them, we get the shaft with a property tax increase or a wheel tax increase. The last wheel tax increase would be in place right now if it were not for a couple of citizens who called their attention to the fact that it was not within the required two-thirds majority. It will be back again next year, for sure.
All they know how to do is accept the new budgets and tax the citizens to cover the over-budget amounts.
We, the people, are tired of being taxed for things we do not need. We do not need an airport that will land a 747 or a river port that will bring in hardly zero income and 30 jobs, max.
We are currently building an intersate highway that will completely by-pass our city. The only people who will get off of an 80-mile-per hour interstate to stop here will be for gas and a chicken leg from the best-priced gas station.
We cannot keep funding things that we have no immediate need for. We need to be electing people who know how to cut budgets instead of people who only know how to nod their heads up and down and increase the tax rate on people who are already broke.
Goodyear is gone, my friends. We have no industry and no one really gives a rip if you have an airport that can land a 747. The only reason we got Goodyear was the abundance of underground water, not because of the airports.
This tax, and spend more-than-you-have, attitude has got to stop!
We, the people, are fed up and taxed enough already.
David F. Worley
Union City

Published in The Messenger 8.15.12

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