What our Readers Are Saying

Letters to the Editor

District voting? Only for the right reasons

I read these articles about the demand for the end of at-large voting, and keep looking beyond the “what,” and ask myself, “why?”

The system we have now doesn’t seem broken, so why the large effort to change the system? The motivations of the advocates for change are often the most telling things behind any effort.

I really have to scratch my head and wonder how someone could claim that it would be difficult to elect a minority or woman to a countywide office, when I find myself represented at the state level by more blacks than whites, and one woman.

I honestly recall our county voting in several women to countywide offices. The statement is false, and in short an insult to the voters of this county.

It’s saying we aren’t capable of reason beyond the color of our skin. It’s saying we’re racists.

It’s also an insult to put forth that unless an elected official is the same sex or same race as someone, that that official will not fairly represent. To state that this will happen is shallow thinking at best, racism in truth.

The people of this county should discuss this issue, and should consider it. But they should do so based on benefits not to include the obvious goal of racial gerrymandering.

While many may believe that having districts drawn to concentrate the vote of African-American voters makes them stronger, it actually weakens their interests.

If we have seven districts, and all the African-American votes are in two districts, then the interests of those voters are always at a 5-2 disadvantage.

In our present system, each elected official must answer to all the voters inthe county, no matter what district they are in, no matter what race they are, no matter what sex they are.

Racial gerrymandering steals the voice from the minority, by guaranteeing that they are under-represented.

Fayette County needs to take this time to turn from a path of racial division. We need to celebrate the [MLK] parade [Jan. 17].

If you need any evidence the damage that racially-made decisions will cause in our county, you need only look a bit east, to Clayton County. Please, shun that path.

Todd Hedenstrom
Senoia, Ga. (Fayette County)

District voting more in keeping with democracy

Several years ago when there seemed considerably less to get upset about, we golf cart owners in Peachtree City were informed that we now had to pay personal property taxes on our golf carts.

There was an immediate movement by many in the town to have the tax declared illegal, or get it revoked.

It seemed patently unfair that we had to pay tax to the county to drive our golf carts on town paths when owners of carts outside the city limits would be unlikely to pay the same tax.

The amount of the tax was not the question. It was simply a matter of fairness and propriety. I wondered at the time how such a thing could occur, until I noticed the makeup of the County Commission.

We seemed badly under represented at the time by Peachtree City people on the commission.

While the county commissioners might travel through the city on a daily basis, they did not have our particular experience with the metal beast, and sensed nothing unfair about taxing it as personal property.

Fast-forward to the present and a call to change the at-large voting for County Commission to sectional voting.

It seems to me the golf cart tax question is representative of why we ought to go to such a system.

The reason we have representative government is because direct democracy is normally too unwieldy. The average citizen possesses neither the wherewithal nor the time to attend constant voting sessions, make informed decisions and vote sage government.

We therefore delegate such duties to those citizens we believe will best accomplish that end.

No less than the Founding Fathers agonized over the most perfect way to connect the delegates to their constituency, having studied all previous recorded forms of democracy.

Madison in Federalist 56 makes the point that “recourse must be had to the objects within the purview of that authority.” In other words, the delegate’s knowledge should at the very least extend to his constituency insofar as his powers can affect them.

It makes sense then that we would strive, in any more perfect form of government, to allow our elected delegates the best opportunity to know us and our needs within the scope of the power they will exercise over our lives.

The at-large voting system doesn’t necessarily exclude our commissioners from knowing us well, but by its nature elects people of the same ilk.

Consequently those esoteric matters affecting a relative minority within the community will probably fall through the crack, or, at the very best, not be as vigorously addressed as they would by a person beholden to a smaller electorate.

There seems to be an attempt to paint this movement as a “black/white issue,” and undoubtedly ethnicity plays a role.

On the other hand when we’re talking about local schools, and roads and public safety, doesn’t it make better sense to have a person from that locale intimately involved and ultimately responsible to those most immediately affected?

This should not be viewed as an attempt to “Balkanize” the County Commission, but rather to make it more responsive to local needs and issues.

It is also congruent with the best traditions of local democracy and representative government.

So if and when the issue comes before you, the voter, keep in mind the benefits of electing someone far more accountable (on a per-vote basis) to your particular needs, versus the present “elect a stranger at large” and hope for the best.

Timothy J. Parker
Peachtree City, Ga.

District voting change seeks to fix what isn’t broken; it’s purely racial

The residents of Fayette County, both black and white, should pay close attention to Rep. Virgil Fludd’s efforts to change the voting procedures of electing officials to the county commission and the school board.

It is unfortunate that Rep. Fludd along with the other three Democratic representatives (all black) have decided to use their political positions to raise this racially motivated and divisive issue, particularly since the other three representatives do not even live in Fayette County.

I would think they would have plenty of other state business to take care of without putting this issue at the top of their agenda.

Rep. Fludd’s desire to change from a county-wide voting process to a district voting process is simply a race-based effort to get more blacks (or as he describes it, “minorities and women”) into public office. I don’t think he’s referring to Asians or Latinos.

Like myself, I am sure that the majority of residents now living in Fayette County have moved here from other cities or counties. We did so for a variety of reasons. It may have been for the exceptional school system, the well-run and efficient city and county governments, which include the police and fire departments, the security of our investment, or in general, just the overall stability of Fayette County.

For the last few years, the residents of Fayette County have been witness to the results of the disorganized and disruptive elected officials of our neighbors to the north, the city of Riverdale, and to the east, Clayton County.

We should all be thankful that our tax dollars are not being wasted to support that type of ongoing confusion.

The decision to support or reject Rep. Fludd’s efforts to change the voting process should be an easy one for any responsible resident of Fayette County; it’s a no-brainer.

The quality of government, school system, and living conditions speak for themselves. They were all developed under the existing voting procedures, and they don’t need to be changed. Rep. Fludd is trying to fix a wheel that’s not broken.

After living in Clayton County for over 20 years, I made my escape to Fayette County several years ago, and have not regretted it one bit. My hat is off to the county administrators and employees for their contribution to Fayette County.

To date, I know of no one who was ever forced to move into Fayette County. We all chose to move here because we liked what we saw and we wanted to become a part of it.

To anyone who is dissatisfied or upset with living in Fayette County, I would remind you that Ga. Highway 54 runs east and west, and Hwy. 85 runs north and south; either one of them will take you out of the county.

Richard O. Braun
Fayetteville, Ga.

Rep. Fludd presses ‘racist’ gerrymandering

Why [does] Rep. Virgil Fludd of Tyrone feel that it is so important to make sure that a minority or female candidate is voted into office? How is that going to ensure that the needs of the county as a whole are met?

Shouldn’t he be more interested in making sure that the best qualified and effective persons be elected to these posts? It shouldn’t matter whether the person elected is male or female, white, black, yellow, or purple, as long as it is the best person for the job.

Frankly, I find Rep. Fludd’s views on the matter purely racist. What do you think the outcry would be if someone came into a minority county and stated that we need to split the county into districts in order to help the odds for a white candidate to get elected? The outcry would surely be “racism,” and that is exactly what Rep. Fludd is proposing.

Matthew Washburn
Fayetteville, Ga.

Students think about Martin Luther King, Jr.: Mixed feelings

A recent poll stated that 67 percent of all middle school students honestly believe Martin Luther King Day is a silly excuse to remain out of school for a whole 24 hours.

Throughout my years of schooling I’ve had mixed feelings about Martin Luther King Day. In my earlier school days I took it for granted as a pointless holiday. Later on down the road, trying to be “cool,” I recognized it as an excuse to get away from school. But now as I come to know all the sacrifices that people like Martin Luther King made to make life for Americans equal to those of different races, the true meaning of Martin Luther King Day shines just like the sun through clouds after a summer storm.

This one special day is about seeing people not by their color, but by the personality that is stored within the walls of their heart. Whether you are black, white, yellow, or red this year, I challenge you to see Martin Luther King Day as I see it: a day when not a single person is judged by his/her color or nationality.

Katie McCreary
Reading 8-1
Whitewater Middle School, Fayetteville, Ga.

Grandparents told of blacks’ struggles

Martin Luther King Day did not mean much to me until I talked to my grandparents.

They explained what a difficult time black people had before Martin Luther King became active in the civil rights movement. They told me about the unfair treatment and struggles they endured because of bigotry.

Blacks had to drink from special water fountains and use certain restrooms. They could not shop or eat where they wanted to. Workers were paid less and there were few opportunities for advancement.

I am thankful today fore the sacrifices Martin Luther King Jr. made. All people, regardless of color, have the opportunity to achieve whatever dreams and goals they may have.

Brittany Doss , Team 8-1 Reading, Whitewater Middle School Fayetteville, Ga.

MLK took stand against Jim Crow laws

To countless students around the nation, Martin Luther King Day is just another day off from school, but to me it means so much more.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood as a pillar of hope and strength while the South was split by the “Jim Crow” laws in the 1950s and ’60s. Heroically, King took a stand against racism, while everyone else hid in its shadow.

Participating in Martin Luther King Day is important to me because it celebrates the life of an exceptionally courageous man, who fought to end the horrible act of segregation in our country.

Kyndall Hester
Reading 8-1
Whitewater Middle School, Fayetteville, Ga.

Proposed rail crossing is safe, shouldn’t bar Wieland annexation idea

As a resident in the Centennial subdivision, I am deeply concerned by the Peachtree City Council’s decision to table the annexation proposal by John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods.

Delays at McDuff Parkway and Ga. Highway 54 are ever increasing, which prompts residents to block the intersection just to “make” the light. In doing this they risk either a $350 ticket or an accident.

The number of accidents at McDuff Parkway and Hwy. 54 have placed this intersection into the top 10 list of most frequent accidents in Peachtree City. This is not a top 10 list that you want to be on.

John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods put a proposal before council in which the builder would have extended McDuff to the Comcast tower at Ga. Highway 74. He would put in a fully gated railroad crossing, the safest at-grade crossing type available. There would be no cost to the city in his doing this.

In return he simply is asking to have roughly 360 acres annexed. This annexation would bring a higher tax base to the city during a time when the city is scrambling for money. Nationwide there are just shy of 250,000 at-grade railroad crossings. Of those, roughly 8,400 are located in Georgia. Over those 8,400 crossings, the Federal Rail Administration estimates that 9,139,140 cars cross.

The type of crossing that Wieland has proposed has the highest safety margin of any of the typical at-grade crossings. This type of system accounted for 1.4 percent of all at-grade crossing accidents in 2003.

Compare that to the type of crossing at TDK, Paschall, and Kelly and it jumps to 31.5 percent of all at-grade crossing accidents.

My point that I am trying to make is some on the council don’t feel they can support an at-grade crossing due to safety. Safety is something that the ailroads, the Federal Rail Administration, and John Wieland take seriously.

Nobody would risk lives unnecessarily and in fact what they have proposed is the safest at-grade crossing available.

While council is concerned about safety, every day they delay increases the probability of an accident to a Peachtree City resident at McDuff Parkway and Hwy. 54.

With roughly 3,000 Peachtree City residents’ only means of access to and from their homes being McDuff Parkway and Hwy. 54, I would gladly accept the crossing that Mr. Wieland has proposed versus running the gauntlet of lights on Hwy. 54. After all, I have to pass through four of the op 10 accident sites just to head north on Hwy. 74.

I am asking that council pass phase 1 annexation when it is requested again. Give us the relief that we need, relief that will not cost the city a dime.

If you feel as I do, then contact the council members and voice your concern. You can find their e-mail and mailing address at http://www.peachtree-city.org.

Dana Kinser
Peachtree City, Ga.

Mayor: PTC’s ‘old guard’ filing ethics charge to hurt Brown financially

I want to personally thank everyone that has called with words of support regarding the pending state ethics charge that the Direct PAC has announced that they will file against me.

A PAC representative stated in [The Citizen] that they are filing the charge against me on the state level because it will cause more of a financial burden on my family.

As many of you know, this is not the first time that I have had to endure such treatment from what is now referred to as the “old guard.”

Around five years ago, as a private citizen, I disclosed in a letter to the editor [to The Citizen] that the city attorney at that time had an ongoing business relationship with some developers that were in litigation with our city.

I questioned how City Attorney Webb could objectively defend our city against a developer with which he had a business relationship.

City Attorney Webb would also have had to generate legal opinions for us regarding variances, rezoning, etc., concerning some of his developer business relations over time.

The city attorney then engaged in what is known as a “SLAPP suit” (strategic lawsuits against public participation) against me [and The Citizen] and publicly announced that it was going to be a very expensive process for my family and me.

To make a long story short, I spent a lot of money, the city attorney dropped the lawsuit the day prior to his deposition in order to avoid disastrous results, and the then-City Council replaced the city attorney.

Later, I ran for the elected office of mayor of Peachtree City. A short while after being elected, I had a schedule conflict with a very important meeting regarding the negotiation of the Local Option Sales Tax with the county government and getting my 6-year-old daughter to a local camp.

My assistant volunteered to take my daughter so that I could make the important meeting with the county; I accepted. When I returned from the meeting, I was promptly informed by the then-city manager that I had committed a city ethics violation.

I reviewed the ordinance and drafted a letter citing myself for an ethics violation less than an hour after the incident occurred.

It was computed that the violation cost the city less than $10 and I reimbursed the city for that amount along with an apology. The city’s Ethics Board was angry at me for citing such a small matter.

Unfortunately, former Mayor Bob Lenox decided to have me arrested for the incident and accused me of a state felony violation. I had to pay more attorneys’ fees for my defense, Lenox developed a tremendous case of emporary amnesia when questioned at court, and the judge threw the case out stating there was no merit at all to Lenox’s claims.

Now here we are with a political action committee whose sole aim is to get me out of elected office and they have resorted to filing a state ethics charge against me in an attempt to cast doubt on me in an election year.

They state that my crime was going to the Comcast studio and issuing an equal time comment as a private citizen in response to a closed forum on the SPLOST sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce (Bob Lenox serves on their Board of Directors). The program was aired on Comcast’s private community channel. The Direct PAC (Bob Lenox is a participant in the PAC) wants to wear me down and make me spend thousands more dollars defending against their accusations.

Throughout all of their actions against me, I have followed Jesus’ advice of “fear not” and it has served me well. In addition, I harbor no hatred nor grudge against any of my persistent accusers.

These events have been a marvelous test of my faith. I am grateful that they have made me walk closer to God and cause me to deeply appreciate the freedoms that are granted to us in the U. S. Constitution.

Much like the Founding Fathers that often shared their thoughts in letters to ewspapers, I am in awe of our freedom of speech and the fact that the pen is, indeed, mightier than the sword, the back room deals and the political machines.

To our children, I honestly request that you never forget that you live in the greatest country in the world because of the freedoms that many have died to preserve over our history.

I want to thank the editors of local newspapers that have generously given of space in their publications to enhance local thought and opinion. I want to commend Comcast Cable for wanting to provide balanced views on their private community channel and for allowing differing points of view beyond the Chamber of Commerce’s closed stance.

To all the wonderful families that I serve, please know that it is an absolute honor to be your mayor. The position only pays $9,000 a year but to me it is more like $1 million.

Being able to interact with our beautiful children, devoted mothers and hard-working fathers on a daily basis gives me a profound understanding that without quality citizens we simply could not have a quality city.

Many have asked how I can endure all the obstacles that the old guard throws at me and still remain productive and good-natured?

My answer is always to change your perspective and know that hardships ll make you a stronger person and that taking a stand, no matter how difficult, for what you believe to be right can be beneficial to our society’s future.

Please continue to keep me in your prayers.

Steve Brown, Mayor
Peachtree City, Ga.

Parker fiddles while world burns

In the Jan. 5, 2005, letters section, Mr. Parker commented on the “3 fallacies about Iraq perpetrated by flag-wrapped but misled Republicans.”

Mr. Parker cannot get past the title of his letter without resorting to vacuous rhetoric over rational argument. (Editor: If you dreamed that doozy up for him, you are clearly on the same ideological page.)

Parker continues in that vein with his second sentence, referring to Karl Rove as “the Goebbels.” Still not an iota of rational thought, but Parker has added the logical fallacy of ad hominem attack to his repertoire of techniques.

Having opened with no substance, Parker proceeds to discuss what he perceives as three fallacies in articles by misters Donahoo and Jansen.

Parker says that the first fallacy is that Clinton neglected the military and cites his expert knowledge as apparently a pilot who retired in 1998 with 20 years service.

I spent 25 years in the U.S. Army Infantry, retiring in 1994 and have remained active in military affairs. In my view, the only president who did more damage than Clinton to our military was Carter. Equal and opposite experts.

Parker says the second fallacy was that “Rumsfeld and his cabal of neocons were responsible for the tactical victories in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Parker then proceeds to praise the military while critiquing the policies of troop numbers, and not continuing to isolate Iraq.

I would have used more troops too, but not continued the failed policy of isolating Iraq. Another expert difference of opinion.

“The liberal media” is the third fallacy identified. To call the liberal media a fallacy defies credulity.

For every scrap of evidence anyone can deploy advocating their objectivity, or more incredibly, as has been asserted in some quarters, their conservative bias, it is easy work to find an overall huge liberal bias.

If Parker has simply missed the liberal bias, I feel so sorry for his powers of observation that I will personally donate up to five hours of my time to providing him with myriad examples of liberal bias. Call it another tie.

Next, Parker in passing throws the “flag-wrapped” accusation at Donahoo before returning to discussion of the General Shinseki troop numbers prediction controversy.

Only a far left-wing, anti-American would consider “flag-wrapped” a negative description. Why, Parker, how you reveal your true nature!

With the early history of the war now at our side, it seems that General Shinseki was right. Unlike all the anti-American perfectionist, nit pickers, the general has had the common sense, decency, and I must say flag-wrapped patriotism, to keep quiet about the issue while the bullets and bombs are still flying and the American soldiers he dearly loves are still in harm’s way.

Perhaps Parker would be well advised to learn some basic American values from a great leader he purports to admire.

In any case, the too few soldiers issue, like vehicle armor and thousands of other issues, remains to be adjudicated by the victors and history. Being too early to the perfection of hindsight is not a virtue.

Perhaps Parker can cite the perfect general or the perfectly conducted war he uses as the standard?

I am no great historian, but just pick a general or a war and I can cite a perfect storm of errors.

No one who understands war thinks they can be conducted to perfection and without loss or horror. Wars are more frequently lost by cautiously trying to avoid all possible error than by being too audacious. Win to Dickinson.

Now Parker hits Wolfowitz for “never wearing the uniform,” Rumsfeld for “criminal negligence,” Donahoo again to “take my flag off his back,” “Red staters” for not “bothering to do any homework to begin with,” again “Rumsfeld and his cabal,” “the fool in the White House,” and “51 percent of America [who] puts their body to sleep at night, and their brain to sleep in the morning.”

This is all simply the ranting and raving of someone who has made the attempt but sadly run out of rational discussion of issues and logical arguments.

Absent a good idea or recommendation, in conclusion, Parker insults those who have never worn the uniform, salaciously accuses Rumsfeld of criminality, slams patriotism, demands return of a flag he is abusing, accuses red staters of sloth, belabors Rumsfeld now for witch-like plotting, calls the president a fool and finishes with 51 percent of our population being asleep on duty.

If Democrats are still wondering how they have managed to destroy a formerly great party, they need look no further than the hateful, irrational ranting of men like Parker.

Who in his right mind could want to be on this guy’s side? He can carp away, but the issue has been decided for the time being.

Mr. Parker, I am not now nor have I ever been on any “Rove talking point” list or any other talking point list. The points I express here are solely my own and I accept full and exclusive responsibility for them.

You, sir, are anti-American, anti-Western civilization, and a threat to a decent future for mankind. Other than that I am sure you must be a fine and redeemable fellow.

You see, sir, your list of fallacies and the accompanying incoherent, irrational rant does not address the only important point of this war we are now in. It matters not the least whether you or I are right in our assertions. Many years from now, history will adjudicate the fallacies you allege.

But right now, Parker, we are in a war for our country, our civilization and the future course of humanity. You and your ilk are giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

The loyal opposition in my view went way beyond the bounds of prudence and decency in the last election but that referendum has passed. You lost, whether because you are a pathetic fool and blind to the facts or because I and my cohorts are. The fact remains that you lost.

For a while, the vile comparison of our side to Nazis, the silly accusations of pagan cabals, the fallacious ad hominem attacks, and general disingenuous rhetoric from your side, need to cease.

If you have a better idea for how to win the war, bring it on. But in time of war just continuing to spew hate for your duly elected political leadership serves no useful purpose other than to help the enemy.

If you are successful in causing the U.S. to again give up a war after the hard part may be largely done, you will make terrorism the future of all mankind.

If the U.S, like invertebrate Spain, slinks away from this confrontation, the future will be clear. The Islamic terrorists will have a great victory, and just like when invertebrate France, and the appeaser Chamberlain gave an astounded Hitler the Rhineland, they will go on a rampage of terror that will return the world to a new dark age.

As you say, “All the good headlines in the world will not catch Osama bin Laden, nor squelch the insurrection in Iraq.” And neither will your diatribes.

So, take a break, go ahead and join the side you are on. Come up with some great ideas to win the war and keep America the last best hope of mankind.

You will feel better, your heart will last longer, and if you and yourcomrades can actually think of something positive and practical to do for America, the people just might return some of your favorites to office.

Don Dickinson
Peachtree City, Ga.

Rebuttal on military, Social Security

Juan Matute has to be kidding us in his last letter. The good part about writing it is that it was written here. If it had been written in my native Cuba, he would be in real trouble.

First, the Army’s Reserves are where they are because of the Clinton cuts in our military. During the past administration I remember reading about the conditions of our military, hangars leaking onto F-16s and F-18s when it rained.

During that time many enlisted members of the military because of the neglect of our equipment and policies of the regime did not reenlist. Our son was one of them; he just could not take it anymore.

Next, IF there ever was a budget surplus, it was achieved on the back of cuts in our Armed Forces. Check the budgets of those years and see who took the brunt.

About weapons of mass destruction, while we have not found the caches which are probably in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon or in Syria, we have found projectiles in Iraq with enough sarin to kill over 100,000 people. How much is enough for Mr. Matute?

Besides that, he needs to look at all the UN resolutions authorizing force that were never acted upon.

Reading now about the Oil for Food scandal and the involvement of members of the UN right up to the top, now we know why they were never enforced.

Remember the quotes of all the senators and congressmen talking about the necessity to remove Saddam during the previous administration? It’s all right there in the Congressional Record.

The 9-11 attack did not start when it happened; it was a result of escalation of attacks starting with the original bombing of the parking in the basement of the World Towers, our embassies in Africa, the USS Cole.

Other than launching cruise missiles to the point that we had almost exhausted the inventory, and the refusal of the previous administration to take custody of Mr. bin Laden when the Sudanese government offered him on a platter, the Islamic terrorists decided we were weak.

We sent our military to Haiti, to Bosnia and Milosevic was removed without “permission” of the UN. Just think about this, we sent our military to protect Muslims from Christians. Do you think the Arab nations appreciated it?

As far as our reputation, let’s face it: If somebody in the world is going to be the only superpower, I want it to be us.

I could care less what other countries think of us as long as we can defend ourselves from any danger. The European, Arab and Asian nations that hate us just want us to become weaker. I really care about them fearing us if they cross our path, than to “like” us because we have become “sensitive.”

The rest of the world does not care about us. If they did you would have seen Arab and other countries send relief when hurricanes devastated Florida. We always take care of business at home, and away from home, we are by far the most generous nation in the history of the world.

Now lets tackle Social Security. Just imagine an American corporation selling a plan where they take by force (try opt out) 14 percent of your gross pay and promise you a pittance per month only if you live long enough to be 65 years old, and 255 dollars for a funeral when you die, but if you die early not even your family gets any of the money you may have contributed for 30 or 40 years.

What do you think the government would do to that company?

The Social Security Fund does not exist because for 30-plus years the politicians have borrowed the funds to use the money for their grandiose pork barrel social programs, and in exchange they have issued the equivalent of IOUs for the funds.

The “Fund” consists of a bunch of IOUs in a filing cabinet in West Virginia. The latest news reports estimate that the unfunded liability for the Social Security and Medicare funds is in the proximity of $4 trillion.

The baby boomer generation is about to start retiring, and as we have already seen, the age to start collecting benefits has already been hiked to 67 years, and there are proposals to go to 70 years.

But then politicians that want to keep Social Security as it is now just want to get re-elected and they will not be in office when the insolvency kicks in.

In the 1980s when a municipality could pull out from Social Security and have their own plan, this is what happened: Three Texas counties, Matagorda, Houston, and Brazoria, did it.

The plan goes like this: Workers continue to pay their Medicare payroll taxes and to receive Medicare benefits upon retirement. But while the cost of the private program, known as the Alternate Plan, is virtually the same to the employee and employer as Social Security, the benefits are far greater.

According to First Financial Benefits, Inc., which created and administers the plans:

A person retiring today at age 65 with 40 years of deposits and an annual salary of $20,000 would retire with $383,032 in a personal account. Someone with a $30,000 salary for 40 years would retire with $573,782, and a person with a $50,000 salary for 40 years would retire with $956,303.

A personal retirement account this size provides a much larger post retirement income than does Social Security.

Retirees under the Alternate Plan have a number of options not available to retirees under Social Security. For example, those with the Alternate Plan can choose among several annuities or take their money in a lump sum.

As the figure shows, under one option:

A retired $20,000-per-year worker with the personal retirement account would receive $2,740 each month at current interest rates, while Social Security benefits would be about $775 per month.

A $50,000 per year worker would receive $6,843 from the private plan, compared to $1,302 from Social Security. Folks, that is more money than when they were working!

In addition, the employer’s contribution pays for much more generous benefits than those provided by Social Security.

The life insurance benefit is three times the worker’s salary (with a minimum benefit of $50,000 and a maximum of $150,000). Social Security, by contrast, pays a one-time death benefit of $255 to a surviving spouse.

Disability insurance under the Alternate Plan pays 60 percent of an individual’s salary until age 65 or until the individual returns to work and is relatively easy to qualify for, while Social Security disability benefits can be very difficult to qualify for and are unavailable to young workers who have not yet worked the required amount of time.

Is the program safe? One of the biggest challenges to privatizing Social Security is to ensure the safety of the contributors’ investments. Workers under the Alternate Plan are required to make their payroll contributions, and the money is invested in annuities with a highly rated insurance company. Though the interest rate can fluctuate from year to year, the financial institution that invests the money must pay a guaranteed interest rate for that year.

George Bush is trying to get citizens to keep some control of their money but the nay-sayers will keep demonstrating their hatred for him by blocking his efforts.

Gerard Jansen
Peachtree City, Ga.

Mr. Bush, words have consequences

Not exactly read out of the Fayette Citizen, but fodder for your instinct to provide space for provocative discussion of the issues.

“WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush says he now sees that tough talk can have an “unintended consequence.”

Welcome to the real world, Mr. President. Words such as declaring war on Iraq, and “bring ’em on” are what I think you are referring to.

The “unintended consequences” like a failed search for weapons of mass destruction, the development of a breeding ground for terrorists, and the loss of 1,400 United States service men and women, and over 15,000 Iraqi citizens head the list if consequences.

Perhaps your definition of “unintended consequence” is what the rest of us call “mistake.” Now, the problem is, how do we get out of this messcreated by your tough talk?

The rest of us can talk tough about how we feel about what you have done, but only you can correct your own mistakes.

Juan Matute
Peachtree City, Ga.

Thoughts on fallen Marine, President’s grandson

About the burial of the fallen Marine Jeffery Blanton, it matters not where a person is buried. After a person has passed, it’s too late for any contact, what matters is the time spent from birth, until the person takes their last breath.

How am I qualified to speak? I lost a beautiful little 7-year-old grandson in September 2004. The only thing that keeps me going is the time spent with Jake, in person and on the phone.

I have had much time to reflect on my relationship with Jake and I have so many memories that make me smile.

The fact that he is buried in North Carolina makes no difference; the memories suffice.

How long Jeffery and Amber were married also makes no difference; she was his wife and where he was buried was her choice to make.

The second opinion I have is in regard to the arrest of President Jimmy Carter’s grandson. I have noticed few comments have been made.

When the news broke of his grandson’s arrest, I thought the media should just leave it alone and let the parents deal with their son’s problems. However my opinion quickly changed when the family attorney made the statement by the father that their son would be completely exonerated of all charges.

What a slap in the face of the family who found him in their home, an invasion of their privacy, to say nothing of the position they faced knowing he was the grandson of a former President of the United States.

Wouldn’t it be a novel idea to just admit that your child has a problem, and that everything possible would be done to help him?

Then there was the news that he was given special attention by the justice system: a hearing on Sunday. Come on now, did anyone really think he would be treated the same as a child with poor, unknown parents?

Just imagine the power a President has; the people of influence he knows would boggle the mind. However, pull or no pull, the facts still exist, and no one can exonerate the facts.

Yes, I thought twice before making my comments, but I still have my opinions. Thank God for freedom of speech.

LeGay Saul
Fayette County, Ga.

Santa debate about faith

The real debate here is not about Santa; it is about tradition and religion versus faith.

I say that the Christian church has grown lukewarm with religion and thus destroyed all of its faith. I say that this is the reason this world feels that it needs Santa, because he who has nothing better than a lie to give their child gives the lie.

I say faith is the greatest gift any father gives his child. My father gave me faith. He also played Santa. But when Santa died, faith in Christ was still real, for he taught me that as well.

Tim Wallace
Newnan, Ga.

Reader votes with Sallie against continuing paper’s Free Speech

Kudos to Ms. Satterthwaite. I fully agree with her column about the Free Speech section, and hope you will follow her recommendations.

Beverly J. Reid
Fayetteville, Ga.