This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Votes that don't count

In his column Feb. 23, Steve Berman argues that we should not change the present electoral college method of electing the president. Part of his argument makes sense: That the Founding Fathers wanted to give more power to the states. I wonder, however, if we have moved beyond that point. I am a Georgian and a Maconite, but I pledge allegiance to the national flag. The Senate represents states (even though we now allow citizens rather than the state legislators to vote for the senators), so that provides enough state power.

But the other point he makes really needs reconsideration: "In effect, your vote would no longer count, because someone in Florida or California could vote against you." Right now, my vote doesn't count because I am a Democrat in a Republican majority state. If I and 49 percent of the rest of the state voted for a candidate, all of Georgia's votes would go for the opposite party. I have no problem with folks from Florida and California voting against me any more than I have a problem with other Georgians voting against me for state and local offices. I do have a problem knowing that as far as the presidential election is concerned, I might as well stay home.

And in case my Republican friends (and yes, I do have many of those) have forgotten, many years ago, Georgia was a strongly Democratic state and their votes didn't count either.

— Charles Lewis

Macon

Tip of the mess

The roof repair on the auditorium is the tip of a mass financial time bomb facing the taxpayers of Bibb County. The adage of kicking the can down the road exemplifies the current and past leadership of the area. I do not have exact numbers, but in order to pay for much-needed road repairs, repairs to drainage lines, work on the toxic landfill and rounding up criminals in Bibb County, the taxpayers are facing a staggering sum.

Our current mayor seems to be blind to everything and everybody except Mercer University, where I graduated. He, too, graduated there, but the corridor to Mercer was extremely costly. Mercer University is one of the largest tax exempt institutions in Bibb County. Yes, they are a great learning institution and provide highly recognized advanced studies to America, but if one looks at the ability to finance whom, Bibb County is in no position to build bridges or roadways for so few.

— Joe Hubbard

Macon

Fair play

William D. Carter whines about Republicans not wanting to vote on a U.S. Supreme Court nominee during the last year of Obama's presidency. Supreme Court justices are rarely nominated in an election year. Live with it, Mr. Carter.

Republicans are finally acting like Democrats have acted for the past 30 years since Lyin' Joe Biden and the disgusting liberal Sen. Teddy Kennedy assassinated (figuratively) the pre-eminent jurist of his time, Robert Bork. Bork, nominated by President Reagan, was ridiculed, lied about and run out of Washington, D.C. by vicious Democrats who (among other failings) hated Reagan. They then torpedoed the nomination of Douglas Ginsberg, ironically due to evidence he smoked marijuana as a college student. I say ironic due to Obama's "Choom Gang" use of the same drug during high school, which is, now, of course, plumb all right with despotic Democrat operatives.

Democrats then demonized and defeated Miguel Estrada, the first Hispanic nominated for SCOTUS. Naturally, Estrada also had impeccable credentials that mattered not one whit to Democrats determined to destroy Reagan and his nominees. Then, as a U.S. senator, Obama loudly opposed a nomination to the court from George W. Bush during an election year, as did Chuck Schumer in 2007. These buffoons can only offer that "What was said in the past is not relevant today." Wow.

For Carter to act surprised by Republicans acting like Democrats always have acted is just as silly as most of his partisan ramblings.

­­— John Brogden

Warner Robins

Debt reduction

Aside from all that hoopla we are hearing from those presidential wannabes ,has anyone heard how the Democrats plan on reducing the national debt over the next four years by the same amount they managed to pile it on during the first four years of the current administration? Thought so.

— Ken Brown

Byron

Gaping hole

The bridge over the railroad tracks on College Street between Mount de Sales and Alexander II is both a safety hazard for the neighborhood and a blight on the College Hill Corridor. The Telegraph ran a story about Norfolk Southern Railway making safety a priority last year in June. Almost a year before, in August 2014, WMAZ reported on this eyesore and hazard. The reporter was told that the delay had to do with how the cost for repair would be split between Macon-Bibb County and Norfolk Southern.

It is now approximately four years after the automobile accident that damaged the bridge. The only change I have seen since the initial media report is that orange barrels have been placed at one end or the other of the barricade where the railing on the bridge used to be. These barrels have frequently fallen off the bridge to the tracks below. If safety barrels can fall through the gaping hole where the railing used to be, what is to stop a person either on foot or on a bike from falling?

This lack of action says volumes about Norfolk Southern's claims to be safety- conscious and the ability of our elected officials to provide safe environments for citizens.

— Wanda Eanes

Macon

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 10:20 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, March 2, 2016 ."