Opinion
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'Close Ties'
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Published: October 22, 2008
Updated: 10/21/2008 09:15 pm
I have received a very disturbing mailing from the N.C. GOP implying that Sen. Barack Obama has "close ties" to domestic terrorists after serving with William Ayers, and many others, on an education project financed by the Annenberg Foundation.
Since Leonore Annenberg's foundation provided the money, by the GOP's reasoning, she must also have "close ties" to domestic terrorists. Leonore Annenberg has endorsed and contributed to the McCain campaign. By association, does that mean Sen. John McCain has "close ties" to terrorists?
ELLEN L. BLAIR
Winston-Salem
Dangerous Failing
With Election Day fast approaching, I'm reminded, yet again, by Bob Herbert's Oct. 16 column, "Distractions: Amusing, but not funny," of the most tragic and potentially dangerous failing of the Bush administration: the failure to lift America's schools out of the doldrums by developing a comprehensive plan of education reform. The shortsighted failings of No Child Left Behind are well documented, the responsibility for which has to include our own 5th District congresswoman, Virginia Foxx.
If we are to improve the quality of education in America, and save the cornerstone of our Republic, we must first seek the wise counsel of successful, professional educators. We have the chance to do that this November by sending Roy Carter, a much-loved teacher and coach, to Washington. Our not-yet-grown citizens need his help and support; our Republic needs his leadership on this vital issue.
DALE STELTER
RET. SCHOOL COUNSELOR
Winston-Salem
Needs to Know
I need to get to know Gov. Sarah Palin much better and see much more extensive vetting before she would have any chance of securing my vote.
As an independent with predominantly centrist views, I find it deeply troubling to have a relatively inexperienced and unknown "outsider-maverick" Alaskan governor becoming president in a tragic heartbeat. The idea that these two months leading up to Election Day provide the required national vetting to address the gravity of Palin's position seems bizarre to me. She could very well be our president in January. We all need to see much more of Palin in action. Let's get to know her.
As 2010 comes to a close, she can start the climb to the presidency in earnest. Should she prevail or again be chosen as the vice president, I could then seriously consider supporting a Republican ticket including Palin.
DAVID E. WHANGER JR.
Germanton
Ineffective
Jimmy Carter was a great man but an ineffective president. Ask any of the Iran hostages how they regard him.
Will Sen. Barack Obama be any more effective? He has many good intentions, but there doesn't seem to be much substance to his promises. And his inexperience as a government executive or administrator does not promise any more effectiveness than Carter.
Sen. John McCain by virtue of his years in Washington holds more promise.
MARC SAUNDERS
Winston-Salem
Prayer
I pray that whoever is elected president will run our country with wisdom and honesty and will keep the people of the United States in his mind at all times.
JERE DAILEY
Advance
Conserving Energy
A conservative group in Washington is making robocalls criticizing U.S. Senate candidate Kay Hagan. The caller accuses Hagan of using "Jimmy Carter's failed policy of 30 years ago" which led to "skyrocketing energy costs and increasing reliance on foreign oil."
In fact, Carter told us that conserving energy was the "moral equivalent of war." He and President Ford both pushed for higher CAFÉ standards of 27.5 mpg, a goal achieved in 1985, thereby weakening OPEC. Carter even had solar panels installed on the White House roof. All of this was dismantled by Ronald Reagan.
According to Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, if we had followed Carter's lead, we would have needed no Persian Gulf oil after 1985, and we would be producing far less greenhouse gases.
Hagan favors policies that increase fuel efficiency. In 2007, Sen. Elizabeth Dole voted against raising the CAFÉ standards, and her rating by the League of Conservation Voters is virtually zero. Let's send Dole back to Salisbury, put Hagan in office, and put solar panels on the Senate office building.
THOMAS W. MANN
Winston-Salem
Opie Situation
Many remember The Andy Griffith Show episode in which Opie, using a slingshot, shoots a mother bird. Andy teaches Opie a lesson about responsibility by having him mother the surviving baby birds. Opie fetches the baby birds, puts them in a cage, and feeds them until they are grown. Finally, Andy insists that Opie must do one more thing for those birds; he must let them out of the cage so that they might be all they are meant to be.
As voters, we are facing an Opie situation. We can vote to keep our fellow citizens caged, or we can vote to free them. The "spread the wealth" socialism of Sen. Barack Obama's dream is a cage; the free- market policies of Sen. John McCain are outside of that cage.
JAMES PARSONS
Winston-Salem
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