Beer just isn’t that important
Cheap talk. Beer, cheap or not, but at the taxpayer’s expense. An inordinate amount of media attention about the silliest issue imaginable.
That’s what has become “news” these days. For a moment though, let’s return to sanity and reassess where this country is: In the throes of a very impactful recession; enduring 13 percent unemployment in Rowan County; spending billions on an idiotic war in Iraq; on the precipice of a trillions-dollar healthcare “plan”; spending over a trillion dollars on something dubbed economic stimulus; sitting by to watch North Korea with and Iran build nuclear weapons; reading about India launching its first nuclear submarine and so much more.
With all of these pressing issues in the world today, you and I as taxpayers are paying for our president, a police officer, and a professor to have a chat and a beer in our Oval Office because of a non-event blown completely out of reason. Leave it to the thimble-brained racketmakers on cable news ó who call themselves journalists ó to dwell “stupidly” on this issue. Whoops ó I shouldn’t have used the word “stupidly.” Should I invite all of the media into my living room for a beer (I prefer coffee) to tell them why I think they’re acting “stupidly”?
I’d love to, but as a recent addition to the rosters of the unemployed because of a bank failure, I can’t afford to. Grow up, people!
ó Brandon Kepley
Salisbury
Clean Energy Act will hike power bills
Are you willing to pay 25 percent or more for your electricity? According to a U.S. House representative, it could go as high as $3,000 a year for a family of four. This is because HR-2454 (the Clean Energy Act or the Cap and Trade bill) recently passed by the House and to be voted on by the Senate contains factors that will cause significantly higher costs for the electric companies that will be passed on to us. With this bill, the government will force electric companies to transition from low- cost coal to other forms of generation such as windmills or solar power.
Currently, 50 percent of U.S. electricity comes from coal, and 50 percent of N.C. electricity comes from nuclear power, which is less expensive than other forms of energy. The goal of the bill is to reduce carbon emissions 50 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. Solar and windmill technology are extremely expensive. Natural gas is a more economic alternative but its use still generates carbon emissions, but at rates 50 percent less than coal. Nuclear, the least costly alternative, isn’t even being considered. If nuclear is good enough for Europe, it’s good enough for us. Also, the government will force electric companies to transition from coal on a short, uneconomical timetable, driving up costs further. There will be a huge cost to the electric companies on auctioned carbon permits. The government would see instant revenues. Customers, however, would see much higher energy prices immediately.
Contact your senators and tell them not to support this bill as written. It needs to be rewritten to allow electric companies to transition economically, on realistic timetables that will result in minimized costs to all of us. All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to say and do nothing. You’re all good people; please contact them.
ó Donald Schumacher
Salisbury
County leaders lack respect for diversity
During a previous campaign for the Rowan County Commission, Carl Ford stated during a public forum that he was not in favor of diversity awareness training for county employees, because he believed that only Christian love was needed to address such matters. Mr. Ford, once elected, attempted to violate the commission’s rules to railroad a vote concerning marriage laws in North Carolina. Then-Commissioner Jim Sides was once quoted in state and national news outlets as simply not being in favor of diversity. It seems as if when either are threatened with being exposed to diverse ideas in their roles as county leaders, they revert to tantrums or stating their personal preferences. The citizens of Rowan County should remember this come election time. The next question of diversity may be your own.
ó Reggie Dailey
Salisbsury
A refreshing stand on Christian prayer
I found it refreshing to read of Jim Sides’ stand on prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. In view of the fact that Peter boldly said in the presence of the high priest, rulers, and elders, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
The only assurance of prayer that avails and is answered is that in accord with the will of God, in obedience and trust in Jesus Christ. We need more men in our nation who will stand true to the Lord.
ó Mary S. Lesley
Salisbury
Morals aren’t based on likes, dislikes
Concerning the July 20 letter by R. Howard Andrews, the assertion about what morals are based on, such as what people like and dislike, doesn’t make it right just because they think it. Humans are misled by their desire, which explains why you have hundreds of “churches” instead of just the one true church spoken of in the Bible. Some people try to combat the idea of God setting forth a moral code by trying to explain behavior on Darwinian terms and removing any biblical implications. Their underlying reason is their own desire to not be tied down to a higher standard that might restrict their own actions which they desire to do.
His comments regarding Numbers 31 show ignorance of Bible teaching. Go to apologeticspress.org/articles/586 for an explanation on this matter. His further assertion that the Treaty of Tripoli “proves” that this nation was not founded on Christian principles is either misguided or biased. This obscure document does nothing of the sort. The use of the word “religion” in the First Amendment by the framers of the Constitution had reference to the different Protestant denominations and to prevent any single Christian denomination from being elevated above the others and made the state religion, which was a condition they had endured under British rule when the Anglican church was the state religion of the 13 colonies.
One of many examples that could be given for proof of Christian heritage is why did Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution use the stipulation “Sundays excepted.” Why not “Saturdays excepted” for the Jews? Why not “Fridays excepted” for the Muslims?
Jews and Muslims were here also. Lastly, it is flawed reasoning to try to relate a person’s character and what they read as proof of anything.
ó Michael Rymer
Salisbury
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