This is Viewpoints for Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015
Vote no on the E-LOST
I am a huge supporter of public education. However, in light of how grossly negligent our Board of Education has been since the last E-SPLOST, I MUST vote "no" to the upcoming continuation vote.
We, the taxpayers must ensure the remaining members of the "Dallemand Five" receive some form of consequence for their inexcusable waste of our tax dollars. How the voters could re-elect Wanda West, Tom Hudson, Ella Carter and Thelma Dillard after their utter disregard for our children's well-being absolutely baffles me. The ignorance must come to an end.
Until these disgraceful public "servants" are removed from office, and we can restore some sense of competence, I don't see how anyone can vote to give them more money. They have wasted millions upon millions of our tax dollars in support of a snake-oil salesman, and still refuse to acknowledge their role in selling out our school system.
Tom Hudson has even gone so far as to say we need another superintendent just like Romaine Dallemand. Even while we were being fleeced, Councilwoman Elaine Lucas was quoted as saying: "we cannot let a small bunch of malcontents run our superintendent out of here." As one of those malcontents, I say "enough is enough." Until these fools and their like-minded ilk are removed from power (the most noble thing to do would be to resign).
I urge everyone to send a clear, concise, and undeniable message by voting no to the E-SPLOST extension.
— Mark J. Holmes
Macon
Thelma Dillard, Jason Downey and Lester Miller, took office in January 2013. Dallemand left the district in February 2013. Daryl Morton joined the board last year.
— Editors
The real numbers
Ronald L. Cain's Viewpoint letter stated, "The military budget today encompasses over half the federal budget." I have no idea where Cain got his information, but he is wrong.
What makes matters worse is Viewpoint readers think writers conduct research before stating statistics, so readers might repeat Cain's false information. In 2010, the federal budget, as specified by the Office of Management and Budget, indicated 21 percent of the total budget was for military spending (not over 50 percent as Cain stated.
The federal budget, whether passed by Congress or not, always differs from what is actually spent. That is why we have deficits or surpluses. For this analysis we will use a $3.8 trillion budget for 2010 and for 2015.
For 2015, the budget did not continue with 21 percent of the total for military spending, but was reduced to only 16 percent. While the average person would view this as a 5 percent reduction it is actually a 23.81 percent reduction in military spending from the 2010 budget.
Social Security, unemployment and Labor are 33 percent and Medicare and health are 27 percent (they represent 60 percent of federal spending). With our national debt at $18.4 trillion something must be done.
Maybe we need to raise the age for Social Security. Maybe we need to get lazy people off welfare. President Obama has weakened our country and our military. Obama and Congress have already added $7.8 trillion to the debt. With Russia, Iran, North Korea, ISIS, etc. threatening, do you feel safe reducing military spending?
— Mike Smith
Warner Robins
The fix is in
Had Vice President Joe Biden chosen, he could have followed his announcement this morning of not running for president in 2016 with another revealing U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch will not seek any sort of criminal indictment against candidate Hillary Clinton. That finding is as sure as night following day. To paraphrase the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, "The dream lives on," unless it is derailed by "The Donald."
— John G. Kelley Jr.
Macon
Here they come
With the latest data coming from areas in Michigan and elsewhere, why are there no red flags concerning the Muslims rebellious activities? Like in Britain, they are demanding that they get absolute control by enacting all of their religious programs. Since America is a God-fearing country, why are we looking the other way while they usurp our freedoms?
Radicals like the Nazi populations in Germany, if you remember, ultimately caused more than 50 million deaths and destruction of countries and their governments. Do not rely on what is being called the friendly members who worship the Koran.
Our low morale, educational failures and looming $20 billion debt is a welcome sight to those who would seek to enslave us. The very fact that there are 1.3 billion followers of the very vicious teaching of the Koran is terrifying to consider. It clearly states that if you are an infidel, you are their enemy.
Just like ISIS, the world needs to encircle them and stop their aggressive intents. Just like Australia did.
— Joe Hubbard
Macon
Timing off
Although my wife and I had agreed to limit our monthly expenditures to $4,000, we had already spent that much in October without having paid the mortgage, the car loan and our credit card debt. A heated argument ensued regarding whether we should pay those bills even though we would exceed our spending limit.
This, in microcosm, is the annual congressional theater over whether to raise the debt ceiling.
The time to argue was before the money was obligated, not when the bills are due.
— Neal Snyder
Warner Robins
Prefer fairy tales
Thank you Dr. Bill Cummings for your enlightening columns regarding the holy book. Be not dissuaded by those who would smite thee a mighty blow for casting doubt on their cherished beliefs that God wrote the Bible. They have the minds of children and prefer fairy tales and myths.
— Thomas Spence
Bonaire
This story was originally published October 21, 2015 at 9:32 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 ."