Readers: Stop the rural fireworks, and political fireworks for Beto and Granger
Why can't county stop fireworks use?
Why are fireworks deemed inherently dangerous activities and both possession and discharge a crime within cities in this county, but perfectly safe and legal out in unincorporated Tarrant County?
Why is it OK to start grass fires and threaten homes in Tarrant County but not in cities?
Why do our state lawmakers and county commissioners consider the property and safety of those of us who live out in the county less important than people who live in cities?
Why do fires started during firework seasons always seem to start from "lightning" rather than fireworks?
And when fireworks is recognized as the source, why do citizens of unincorporated Tarrant County have to continually live under the fear of their homes burning down because fire department service is typically volunteer and not immediately available?
County commissioners should act as responsibly as municipal city councils or tell us why they won't.
—Don Feare, Fort Worth
Democrats out of touch
Here's the Democratic platform:
▪ Gun control.
▪ Raise taxes.
▪ Abolish ICE.
▪ Impeach Trump.
That's all they got and it ain't gonna fly in Texas.
The hardworking people like having more money in their pockets because of the recent tax cuts. And most of them are in favor of borders too.
—Stan Edwards, Graham
Democrats, Beto more in touch
How about a column that summarizes where and when U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke campaigned during the past week?
Beto appears to be spending more than half his time somewhere in Texas expressing his position on major issues.
Then he appears to be spending one-fourth of his time in El Paso or in Washington, three-eighths of his time traveling and one-eighth of his time with his family.
Where is Cruz spending his time invisibly?
—Nacho Chavez,
Fort Worth
Against Granger: Why no town hall?
Kay Granger hasn't had a town hall for constituents in 10 years.
Yet over July 4, she goes to Russia with seven Republican Senators.
Russia refused to allow a Democrat. I watched as Sen. Shelby weakly mumbled to grim-faced Russian officials. No Western press was allowed. But the Putin-controlled media was allowed.
Meanwhile, a commentator for Russian RT (Russia television) mockingly stated: "What trouble did we cause? We just elected Trump, that's all."
Yet Granger refuses to speak to constituents or hold a free event here.
I am fed up with Granger.
I have a suggestion for her: Stay in Russia.
—Cary Clark,
Fort Worth
For Granger: Proud of her global clout
I’m proud one of our U.S. congressional representatives was picked for such an important international meeting.
If Kay Granger walked on water, her detractors would protest “Kay can’t swim!”
—Thomas P. Sullivan,
Denton
For the garden, against bike trails
The Botanic Garden is part of the city's history and our Cultural District.
All the problems are from age and the lack of repairs.
The city needs to take care of problems and do fewer new bike trails.
—Pat Adams, Fort Worth
Against term limits in Arlington
Should term limits succeed in Arlington, it would prohibit me (and other citizens) from voting for our choice of council member. ("Term limits sought for Arlington city council," Tuesday)
Limiting terms that a council member can serve, by inference, tells me that I am too dumb or lazy to know when it is time to vote someone out of office or vote to keep them in.
If a citizen does not want a sitting council member to remain, all they have to do is vote for their opponent.
If there's no opponent, and they're dissatisfied with the incumbent's service, then why not run?
—David Lowe,
Arlington
Count interest in bond amount
I believe it would be more instructive to say $1.2 billion and then add, "for the life of the bond the interest payments would add 'x' dollars." ("Tarrant County needs $1.2 billion for hospital upgrades," Wednesday)
Our minds have been cauterized to numbness by the barrage of bond debt.
Then do the same whenever a school bond is proposed.
—Daniel Lee, Aledo
Here's easy money: parking tickets
Employ a crew to canvass parking lots and ticket all vehicles parked illegally in the reserved handicapped parking spaces.
Make the fine huge so that it will be too expensive for the violators to even consider parking in spaces reserved for the disabled.
—Sue Williams,
Fort Worth
On Ambrose column: He ignores mothers
Jay Ambrose's column is disgusting. ("Chlld separation reminds of why fathers are important to families," June 26) He rambles on and on about fathers as if there isn't a mother involved.
—Shirley Wiley,
White Settlement