Obama’s legacy; legal logic; dangerous pipeline; Denton’s lesson

Obama’s legacy

Syndicated columnist Byron York’s headline says “Obama’s dangerous legacy for Dems.”

What legacy is that, Mr. York? Rescuing America from the Great Recession and fiscal crisis Republican voodoo economics brought about?

Will it be President Obama’s legacy of securing healthcare coverage for millions of Americans with the Affordable Care Act, which the Republicans are still trying to repeal?

Or will it be his legacy of immigration reform that House Speaker John Boehner and Republicans delayed for years?

Do you know the best part of all? President Obama still has two more years to find solutions to problems vexing America that Republicans will only talk about.

— Ron Lowe, Harlingen

Legal logic

Regarding, “A big year for Roberts and the U.S. Supreme Court,” by Brianne Gorad.

Gorod may be right, but her legal logic is all wrong.

First, the legal logic Gorod uses in attempt to make two different things one escapes me.

She cites the Supreme Court’s past ruling lifting a ban on inter-racial marriage as somehow being legally germane to marriage between two of same gender.

But marriage between two humans of opposite gender, no matter race, is still between just a man and woman. Chief Justice Roberts and even the simple-minded should be able to recognize the stark difference.

America is dumbing down in social ways while smarter technologically. The better parts of human morality are being replaced with a hollow kind of judgment. Many don’t care to see the negative results, just writing them off as the passing of time, happy in their new-found ignorance.

Of course there are changing societal norms. But few now care to address the unnatural side of it, having succumbed as participant or passive observer.

And they may be the ever-emerging new “mainstream.”

While the “mainstream” and some lawyers may be blind to it, nevertheless these “differences” exist, and they should also be treated differently by the U.S. Supreme Court.

— Richard M. Holbrook, Weatherford

Dangerous pipeline

I watched a documentary on the Keystone Pipeline.

Oil sand is a blob like wet cement.

In order to flow, it is thinned down with gasoline, then put in a pipeline with vent pipes so the mess can flow.

The vents in the pipes allow fumes to escape to keep the pipes from exploding.

I also understand that the fumes escaping will double the amount of pollution we already have in our environment.

The jobs it produces are minimal.

The end product will be sent to other countries.

What if the pipeline breaks? Think of the cost to the environment and the expense.

If this is such a great deal, why doesn’t Canada just build factories in its own country?

— Glenda Patrick, Benbrook

Denton’s lesson

I admire what Denton accomplished in creating a referendum through a collection of signatures to allow a vote on oil and gas fracking.

I’m inspired by their methodology in making something happen.

Maybe we should consider this approach in matters of government and allow voters to directly decide certain laws and regulations in lieu of our elected officials making decisions for us — or making us wait while they make no decision.

For example, if most Texans are in favor of horse racing gambling machines that will save the horse racing industry in Texas, then why do we allow for the possibility of groups like Texas charities, Stop Predatory Gambling Texas and Southern Baptists to influence our leaders to block or delay a vote?

If a majority of the people want something that creates a net gain in jobs, a net gain in city and/or state revenue and can be accomplished with no new taxes, then let’s vote on it.

While only an example, perhaps this simple referendum process could be selectively promoted to speed up issues on freedom of choice and better ensure a government of the people, by the people, for the people.

— Patrick Jenkins, Arlington

This story was originally published January 2, 2015 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Obama’s legacy; legal logic; dangerous pipeline; Denton’s lesson."