Winston-Salem Journal LTE SU 10/14/12

No comparison

In response to the writer of the Oct. 10 letter “Four years later,” who compared the hiring of President Obama to hiring a CEO:

There is no comparison between running a business and functioning in government. Anyone who has done both knows what I’m talking about.

Businesses must pay attention to the bottom line, shareholders (in many cases) and happy customers. Those involved in government processes (which are varied and complex) must pay attention to the goals of their particular functions.

Elected officials also must represent their constituents. The entire premise and structure of one is not at all transferrable to the other. Saying that a good CEO would make a good president is making the same mistake I've seen many times, assuming that because a person is good in one role, they have the necessary skills to be successful in a very different role.

And remember that the person running for president who's supposedly good in business — his business experience consists of buying businesses and dismantling them, not running them.

ANGELA PEARMAN

Winston-Salem

A house divided

Politics can really bring out the nasty side of people. Just recently, letter writers to The Reader's Forum have called President Obama a “complete failure,” “dishonest and incompetent” and implied that he doesn't believe in God and that he hates America. Spare me. He has also been called “evil” and “terrorist.” I guess these attackers feel better about themselves.

When certain people disagree with others, they jump to extremist language that only polarizes the situation. It is fine to disagree with a political candidate and speak out against him or her, but this name calling gets ridiculous — and old.

In a conversation with someone the other day about politics, the first thing said was, “I hate Obama.” Well, that sets quite a tone. Many people say they want to “bring America back” because apparently, Obama has somehow “kidnapped” it. I support Obama for various reasons, but I don't think that Mitt Romney is “evil” or that his supporters are “idiots.” (Yes, I've heard those terms to describe Obama supporters as well.)

Why can't adults with opposing views have intelligent and rational dialogue? Vote your conscience, folks, but don't act like anyone who disagrees with your views are “morons” who need to “wake up.” People are different and thank God for that.

A house divided cannot stand and extremists keep it divided. I am speaking about both sides here. Ultimately, people who use this extremist language make a much larger statement about themselves than their targets.

EDWIN B. WADDELL

Winston-Salem

Well represented

I'm registered as an unaffiliated voter because I choose to vote for the candidate, not the party and because I don't want either party to take my vote for granted.

Having said that, I'm voting for Gail McNeill for Forsyth County commissioner. Gail is mature, experienced, thoughtful and wise. She makes decisions after careful deliberation and analysis of the facts and, with her as my representative on the county commission, I know I will be well represented by a commissioner who will put the needs of people first.

Gail has lived in Forsyth County and Winston-Salem her entire adult life. She's a former teacher and is a mother and grandmother. I know she is concerned about the same things that concern me: quality of life for all of us, good schools, safe streets and public spaces, a clean environment and keeping taxes as low as possible, consistent with the need to deliver vital services to people. A also know Gail is a woman of conviction and will not compromise her principals on vital issues.

I'm confident Gail McNeill will represent me on the county commission as I wish to be represented. I encourage my fellow citizens to likewise cast their votes for her.

KENNETH R. OSTBERG

Winston-Salem

Wrong approach

I am appalled by the approach Walter Dalton has taken with his campaign and advertisements for governor of North Carolina. Instead of worrying about the way he presents himself as a candidate and his own policies, he has used and abused negative campaigning against Pat McCrory to try and persuade voters in his favor.

Pat McCrory has tackled the task of campaigning in a much more respectable way. He focuses his time and advertisements on explaining his plans and policies as governor in a positive way rather than succumbing to panic and desperation as Walter Dalton has done.

Pat McCrory has shown us strong attributes as a leader and that he has what it takes to set North Carolina back on track. After seeing his positive message and maturity throughout this campaign, I know that he is the best candidate for the job of tackling North Carolina’s biggest problems, such as our economy and high unemployment rate of 9.7 percent, and doing so respectfully.

MABRY E. MARTIN

Winston-Salem

Sum It Up
Do you think North Carolina's overwhelming approval of 'the marriage amendment' in May will be a harbinger of the November election results?

Correspondent of the Week

Answers in the wind

Reading the Oct. 3 editorial “North Carolina must keep pace,” I remembered that there is a wind turbine near Herrnhut, Germany, supplying power to the old Moravian town. We could have the same here from a prime wind area off our coast. Wind turbines will not serve all our energy requirements, and we will need petroleum products for some time to come. A kilowatt produced by wind, however, is one less kilowatt that has coal’s mountain-top removal, ash ponds and respiratory health risks.

Many wind-turbine components need to be fabricated near the site where they will be installed. This will create jobs needing skills many of the unemployed already have acquired. How many jobs will our miniscule deposit of natural gas and the possibility of offshore petroleum provide in the years to come? How many North Carolinians have these job skills?

There are two things we can do to promote wind turbines and renewable energy sources. We can vote for the candidates who recognize the opportunity that North Carolina has for renewable energy sources, and who do not believe that we can drill or frack our way toward an energy future. Second, plan to attend an offshore-wind forum, an opportunity to learn what renewable resource could mean for us.

The choice is being controlled by fossil fuel or embracing our own energy sources.

HENRY FANSLER

Lewisville