Not “Full of Mitt”
Re “Viewpoint” (May 10th issue): Mitt Romney has shown his ability to work with people across the aisle. Romney was the Republican governor of Massachusetts, a very liberal state. When he entered office in 2003, he faced a $3 billion budget deficit and had to work with a legislature dominated by Democrats. Through most of his term as governor, the budget had a surplus. He also showed that skill when he took over management of the 2002 Winter Olympics. The committee was behind $379 million in revenue benchmarks, and by the end of the Olympics, it had a $100 million profit.
President Obama has shown a complete lack of leadership in the budget and the economy. The Democrats haven’t taken responsibility. They deflect and blame everything on the Republicans, the Bush administration, and the Tea Party. Even when the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress and the White House, the only thing they really did was pass Obamacare, and that legislation was so bad that the Democrats distance themselves from it.
Now that the Republicans control only the House, the Democrats act like the GOP has more power than they do. Romney has shown the ability to go into a bad situation and to turn it around. This is the record. Unfortunately for Obama, he can’t campaign on his record and must deflect attention away from it. However, Romney has a record of making money, profits, and surpluses when those who came before him could not.
Philip Todd
Memphis
The Republican Brain
Much ado is being made over Chris Mooney’s book, The Republican Brain. Naturally, Republicans are in a tizzy over it, though it’s doubtful that any of them has actually bothered to read it. This parallels the paradigm of religious fundamentalists, most of whom are Republican, who are taught that to question their beliefs or read anything that might enlighten them will send them to hell. Never mind that you might actually learn something.
Examples of the GOP tendency to disregard facts or revise reality are easy to spot: Two wars, a horrendous deficit, and a major recession all clearly and unquestionably happened on George W. Bush’s watch, but Republicans steadfastly maintain that Barack Obama is responsible for our poor economy. Republicans argue that gay marriage is a “threat” to traditional marriage yet refuse to explain how. And how about health care? The Obama health-care plan has already (even before being fully implemented) saved seniors billions of dollars, covered millions who previously were not covered, and actually lowered insurance rates. Again, the response is, “Don’t confuse me with facts. My mind is made up.”
Jim Brasfield
Memphis
Ramesses
I disagree with the letter writer who suggested that the statue of Ramesses should be used as a fund-raiser for $5-a-sledgehammer swing (Letters, April 19th issue).
Ramesses the Great was said to have fathered more than 100 children, and a prophylactic, Ramses, was named after him. This priapic and insatiable big guy should be moved to the entrance of Planned Parenthood.
Warren Riggs
Memphis
Gay Marriage
President Obama has finally offered his support for gay marriage. Bravo. However long it took him to “evolve” on the issue, it still takes guts to stand up to the religious extremists and right-wing conservatives, and I commend him for it.
Republicans are going to do their best to paint Obama as a destroyer of “traditional marriage” in the coming campaign, but as one top GOP national strategist pointed out last week, the party is on the wrong side of history with this issue and will pay a political price for it this year, and even more so in the future.
Clay Braeburn
Nashville
Fat City
The number of Americans considered obese is expected to rise from the current 34 percent to 42 percent by the year 2030, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. And Memphis has been called the “fattest city” in America.
The leading causes of obesity are consumption of fat-laden meat and dairy products and lack of exercise. The time has come to replace meat and dairy products in our diet with wholesome grains, vegetables, and fruits and to undertake a regular exercise program. Parents should insist on healthy school lunch choices and set a good example at their own dinner table.
Morris Furman
Memphis
