Letters to the editor: Trump's appeal hardly a secret

He's loud, he's arrogant, he's bombastic, he's smart, and he's untouchable. He's an enigma, everything to everybody. He's pro-America and pretty much anti-everything else. He's all of us, he's none of us. He's an enigma. He's an anomaly. There is something about him that most of us find offensive. He's going to be our next president.

There is so much to be unhappy about. There's a good deal that can be dealt with by enforcement of existing regulations that fall under the oversight of Congress. When that body is do-nothing, then problems compound and frustrations mount. When year after year nothing is done and apathy grows, people don't vote. When taxation without representation continues unabated, why should they?

Mr. Trump has become the champion of many by ranting and raving about issues dear to all of us. There is an increased awareness of issues. He's anything but business as usual. He covers so much ground that no one is sure just where it is that he stands. Voting is up. People might not agree with what he says, but they are voting for him because he says it. There is hope that our representative government will once again become efficient and represent us.

The experts are confounded and offer excuse after excuse for his popularity. It's pretty simple, people are fed up with the status quo and their voices have fallen on deaf ears while the Donald can't and won't be silenced. It's been pretty interesting so far and if I were an incumbent running for re-election, I would be concerned, very concerned. The people are pruning dead wood. It might be a little late for some of them to show that they actually have a pulse. God bless America!

Norman W. Davis

Phenix City

Tasteless, misleading

Your decision to publish the editorial cartoon of Justice Scalia's shoes trampling a certain portion of society was both in poor taste and significantly lacking an understanding of the law and government. Citizens transfer certain rights to the government in exchange for certain benefits. This transaction is set forth in a contract. At one time slavery was allowed, women did not have the right to vote, and FDR was president for life. The contract was thus amended to remedy these conditions.

Justice Scalia did not deny anyone any rights, much less stomp on them. He enforced the contract. If society wants abortion to be legal, anyone to be able to be married or corporations to be denied the right of free speech, then amend the contract. Justice Scalia deserved an obituary that acknowledged his integrity; not an insult that had no basis in fact.

Michael L. Fox

Midland

House of cards

I read your editorial regarding the "chronically troublesome Columbus Aquatic Center," commonly known as the Natatorium, and I am compelled to convey my opinions.

For some research, I read a report from WTVM.com dated October 30, 2012 which quoted the mayor of Greensboro, N.C., as saying that their "pool" brought in about $42 million the first year that it was open. She added that people were coming in "from all over" to enjoy the water and spend their money.

She also noted other important words such as costs, charges, and marketing, and concluded that they ran their center "like a business."

I think that our city leaders got so blinded by the possibility of $42 million that they forgot to apply the other necessary parts of the Greensboro mayor's advice. Did they (and do they now) run this multi-million dollar facility as a business? Did they consider the costs of operation? Do they charge the users enough? How effective is the marketing for it?

And the final straw that, for me, causes this house of cards to fall down flat involves this suggested solution: turn the city's before- and after-school daycare program over to the school district!

The best that council can come up with is to stop the city's involvement with many hundreds (or thousands) of children who receive vital benefits from the daycare program just so a few (dozen?) swimmers can have a heated pool? That smacks of elitism, and I will vote against my district's councilor and the at-large councilor if they approve this bad idea. Maybe they should turn the operation of the pool over to Whitewater Express!

A final thought involves future SPLOST projects: if this is the type of spending you suggest, then you can count on my resounding "No!"

Ken Paulk

Columbus

Sickness of spirit

When the three black youth pictures appeared on the front page of the 2/7/16 Sunday Ledger-Enquirer paper it was a shock. The three were reportedly involved in the brutal murder of a black mother, her son and 10-year-old granddaughter.

As shocking as their story is, it's only a forecast of what the future will bring. It would be a great misfortune if we fail to seize the opportunity to learn from this tragedy.

According to the Bible, each of us has inherited from the first man (Adam) a sinful nature (not a sinning nature) that is corrupt and forever influencing us towards evil. Romans 8:2 calls it the law of sin and death. It knows no restraints and wars against our mind.

Nobody's life is worth losing over sneakers or technology while we must not judge motives, justice has to be served, but with mercy because guilty youth often do not really understand why they do what they do, especially if they have not been taught about the war between the flesh and the Spirit.

Wesley B. Jones

Columbus

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor: Trump's appeal hardly a secret ."