Parking meters, Obama's vision, American Airlines, presidential race

It seems that Fort Worth is finally catching up to technology that's been in use in Europe for some time now: parking ticket machines instead of parking meters.

I can recall about 10 years ago leaving our small hotel on a side street in Paris and encountering a black box attached to a building wall.

At first, my wife and I found it puzzling. Moments later, a motorist pulled up the curb, got out, locked his vehicle and went up to the device on the wall. He appeared to be inserting currency into the device, which then printed out what I surmised to be a receipt.

We approached him, and with a lot of hand-waving and finger pointing, we managed to ask about the machine and its function. At the time, we were intrigued by this technology and wondered why it was not in use at home.

If some folks are puzzled by these machines, just wait for a Frenchman to come by, and he'll be glad to explain it.

-- Tony Magoulas, Bedford

Obama's vision

One of President Barack Obama's main talking points in his vision for "an economy that's built to last" is "an America where everybody gets a fair shot."

While that certainly sounds admirable, does anyone know what it means?

To me, it sounds a lot like the chilling words of Jane Addams (early 20th-century progressive, first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, NAACP charter member): "We must demand that the individual shall be willing to lose the sense of personal achievement and shall be content to realize his activity only in connection to the activity of the many."

This concept seems to be a core belief of today's Democrats, and it defines the idea that since not everyone is gifted with an entrepreneurial nature or with exceptional talent, the government is obligated to enact policies that limit personal enrichment and thus discourage inequality.

Is this a vision shared by the majority of Americans? If so, the America that we enjoy today will become something much different, unrecognizable and foreign, where everyone (except government officials) will indeed be equal in misery and poverty.

-- R.H. Gruy, Granbury

I'm not sure President Obama really wants to reduce unemployment. A self-supporting citizenry would be counterproductive to what seems to be his objective: dependency on the government.

Dramatic increases in entitlement recipients plus increasing numbers of government employees equal re-election. Increasing numbers of people dependent on the government (for four more years) equal creeping socialism.

-- Don Ponder, Fort Worth

A large part of the success of our country in the past was a result of an emphasis on personal responsibility, effort and work. Our country is dangerously moving away from this emphasis to a mentality of lessened personal responsibility and entitlements -- someone owes me a nice house, medical care, food, etc. This is a dangerous and destructive direction for any country.

The current administration has encouraged this movement by increasing federal involvement in the private sector and entitlement spending. This administration seems to think the national government is the answer for every problem and owes everyone "success."

There is a limit to how much money can be taken from some and given to others. We must develop policies and practices that encourage personal responsibility, effort and work. I do not think the current administration is leading our country in the right direction and support a change for the sake of our children, ourselves and those who will come after us.

-- Bill Gilbert, Weatherford

Running an airline

I was a passenger on American Airlines the day the bankruptcy was announced, and again Wednesday, the day the massive job and benefit loss was announced. The fine men and women who make the airline run had just received word that their worst nightmares had come true, and so very many of their careers would be ending. Yet, on both occasions, every employee I encountered held their head up and continued to run the airline smoothly and professionally. From the curb to the cabin, everyone performed duties impeccably and with dignity. As my plane pushed back in Chicago, I saw ground workers looking down at their feet, and I know they were wondering how they were going to go home and tell their families that their careers were over through no fault of their own. In the face of corporate greed, the employees of American Airlines stood tall and continued to honor the tradition of professionalism and safety that has been the hallmark of their airline.

-- Gwen Dunivent,

Garland

Which America?

Newt? Romney? Whoever? All want to be president. No one actually wants to run the country. Fix problems. Get members of Congress to act like adults.

And the Tea Partiers? They all want the America of the past? America where slavery was legal? America where women were jailed and beaten so they couldn't vote? Two World Wars? The Depression? America before unions gave us rights as workers? Assassination of its presidents? America that hates every immigrant? Pick one. Tell me that any of those Americas are the Americas of your dreams. And you want that America back?

-- Jeanne Owers, Bedford

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