Letters to the editor for Jan. 9
A brief history of our presidency
The American presidency: 1789-2017
In a world of monarchs, he stood a head taller without a crown. (Washington)
In a world of intellectual salons, he was the greatest gathering of intelligence when he dined alone. (Jefferson)
In a world of automaton soldiers, he led a motley crew of Indians, pirates, slaves and farmers to victory. (Jackson)
In a world of palaces, he proved that true nobility could be born in a log cabin. (Lincoln)
In a world of total war, he tried to give the world a peace to end all wars. (Wilson)
In a world of fear, he gave us the strength to end fear itself. In a world of infamy, he led the world to rid itself of the greatest evil it has known. (FDR)
At the dawn of the atomic age, he was the calm hand to guide the nation. (Truman)
A great general, he beat his five stars into plowshares. (Ike)
A Catholic son of Ireland, he stared into the nuclear abyss, and it blinked. (JFK)
A son of the segregated South, he was a hero of the civil rights movement. (LBJ)
An introvert, he gained the greatest elected office in the world by intelligence and willpower alone. (Nixon)
After a national nightmare, he made us proud of the presidency again. (Ford)
In a world of evil empires, he helped win the Cold War. (Reagan)
In a world of pollution, he gave us the Clean Water Act. (Bush, 41)
In a country drowning in debt, he gave us a surplus. (Clinton)
On a day of terror, he gave us courage. (Bush, 43)
And, in a world us sickness, he gave us health care. (Obama)
Goodbye, Mr. President. So long, world.
Jay Cordell
Lancaster
Stand strong against polluters
In reply to S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson’s opinion published in The Herald Jan. 3, he painted only half the portrait.
In his defense of Scott Pruitt, nominee to become to administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Wilson says that Pruitt “knows the EPA has a critical role to play in ensuring we all benefit from a cleaner environment.” Sounds good enough.
He then adds that Pruitt “knows there is an essential role for Congress and the states, and that new regulations must be weighed against the costs they impose on our economy and pocketbooks.” Whose pocketbook? There’s the rub.
For decades industry and big corporations used our public commons, namely our rivers, waterways and our atmosphere as no-cost, tax-free dumping grounds and sewers. For decades it was the tycoons of industry who imposed their will on the public, putting corporate growth and profits, stock prices, executive pay and perks ahead of the health of the citizenry.
Too often, Congress members fell under the control of lobbyists of giant corporations and became gutless to vote the will of the people.
Congress tended to listen less to good science and more to powerful lobby groups.
The issue of Climate Change is a case in point.
So, after decades of corporate abuse, the natural environment was given a voice when the American public demanded the creation of the EPA. Ever since, corporate moguls have had it in their bull’s eye.
We cannot return to dirty, fouled air, polluted streams, contaminated soils and foods conditions which brought the EPA into existence. Our attorney general has not told us the whole story. Stand strong for our God-given natural world.
Harry Dalton
Rock Hill
This story was originally published January 8, 2017 at 9:32 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor for Jan. 9."