March 19, 2024

Letters 09-22-2014

Sept. 21, 2014
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Lame Duck Move

Twenty three states are controlled by Republican state legislatures and governors including Michigan. It is reported that Michigan Republicans are planning a sneak attack during the lame duck session to change the way electoral votes are allocated in presidential elections. No longer would the candidate with the most votes win. The candidate with the most districts (gerrymandered, of course) would win the state’s electoral votes. Rep. Greg MacMaster introduced the bill last year, and it was put on the back burner. Watch for it to be re-introduced during the holidays when no one is paying attention to politics. Vote November 4!

Beverly BJ Christensen, Cedar

Lessons From The Middle East

"My enemy’s enemy is my friend." That statement applies in the Middle East.

Since the U.S. invaded Afghanistan and Iraq in 2002, 2.5 million members of the military have been deployed to the wars. One-third of them have served more than once. Billions of dollars have been spent and thousands of lives lost. Are we more safe and, if so, at what cost? Should we spend more money trying to form a federation government or a democracy when history has shown "there can be none?" Their culture is tribal.

Senator Joe Biden’s advice in 2006 was there should be a semi-autonomous regime in Iraq; the north for the Kurds, the south for the Shias and the Sunnis in the middle, with the three factions splitting oil revenues fairly. This policy worked in Dayton in the Balkans. Three separate regions, thus giving them breathing room to work on some form of mutual existence.

Had we listened to that advice, then would things be different now? I pray that they would, but history shows it would not"¦ so why are we there? Could it be our attacking Iraq because of WMD created a false foundation so all that follows is destined to fail? England found that out from 1918 to 1922. If the Middle East did not have oil and the major oil corporations were not making massive profits, I doubt America would be pursuing another war in the Middle East.

Ronald Culp, Traverse City

Student Athletes, Coaches Worth It

Are coaches at major universities overpaid? A simple Google search will show quite the opposite. These coaches do not get paid with taxpayer money. The coaches get paid by media companies, equipment companies, alumni groups, as well as revenue from ticket sales and merchandise. The salary from the school is much lower. The coaches make more but do not take away from other faculty.

Another reason these coaches make what they make is the football and basketball programs tend to be the only departments that actually make a profit for the school. These coaches make less than 10 percent of an entire school’s athletic budget. Teams that go to a bowl game get paid millions of dollars just for showing up, and even more for a win.

Also consider supply and demand; there are far fewer coaching positions and less people with the required skills to coach a winning team than there are people with adequate skills to perform the duties of the dean (just as an example). This is not to devalue teachers; they hold huge importance. But they are more easily replaced with little or no loss to what the students gain.

And finally it should be noted that student athletes that receive scholarships are not taking away seats other academically gifted students are trying to get... they are paying for them. The school needs the money that these teams make for them. The teams need coaches and the coaches need players. These scholarships are paid for by the athletic departments and do not come out of the school’s funds. Most of these student athletes receive tutoring and do not take up space in the classroom.

George Nemetz, Lake Ann

Mute The Political Ads

Mark Sunday, September 14th as the opening of the flood gates, with TV political attack advertising. Fasten your seat belts until November 4th.

As much as we dislike them, ask the question, "do they work?" I think so. Otherwise how come so much big money is spent? Perhaps because it is dark money that does not have to be identified as to where it comes from and the real reason behind the ads. I remember asking Ray Franz when he was first elected to the State Senate, and he coyly said he didn’t know. I remember receiving expensive, weekly mailings slamming his worthy opponent and now we have a representative that only knows how to vote no on any and all issues.

I hope that won’t happen again. Let’s discern the presentations made by office seekers this mid-term when voting, as we must, to be adequately represented, whatever office being sought.

As for the TV attack ads, we can use the simplest and fast response of MUTE. Their dark money be dammed.

Thomas E. Hagan, Empire

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