Letters to the Editor

Piling on
I totally concur with a recent letter titled “No cause to resign.” The Planning Commission and Lab Rescue are two totally unrelated organizations.

I have adopted two Labs over the past three years and therefore can speak knowingly of the professionalism of the Lab Rescue team and specifically Amy Fabri. It takes a special person to be able to deal with the conditions some of these dogs are found in when they are rescued. The hours spent driving to a shelter to pick up a dog are unbelievable.

Let’s forget the “Gotcha!” game and recognize that none of us is perfect. Be grateful that people like Amy Fabri are willing to take on such a difficult task.

John Caputo
Gift Plantation
Johns Island

No comments
A ruthless murder of a young Asian woman was allegedly committed by a young black male recently, and there were no protest marches or comments from Obama, Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson.

Why?
Robert Fenning, M.D.
Professor of Medicine

MUSC
Jonathan Lucas Street
Charleston

A battle cry
Mark Sanford’s commentary on the Social Security crisis is spot on. He has led the battle on this issue for years and years.

He is the candidate we should have had in this country with the fiscal sense and intestinal fortitude essential to lead Americans as president. As one who admired and respected him and looked forward to his being a contender, I must ask: What in the world was he thinking?

Kathy Worthington
Franklin Court

Summerville
‘It matters’
A front page article in the April 23 Post and Courier concerned the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). In it, Sen. Mike Rose, Republican representative from Summerville, is quoted as stating, “The origin of the legislation doesn’t matter.”

The origin of legislative action matters a great deal to me. I am affected by the state’s laws.

I did not vote for an ultra-conservative think tank with a budget of $7 million to speak for me.

I voted for the candidate I believed would best represent me, an average South Carolina taxpayer.

ALEC’s aim, since its inception in 1973, is to promote and develop conservative initiatives. A quote from ALEC’S website declares that this is “the ideal means of creating and delivering public policy ideas aimed at protecting and expanding our free society.”

Over the last 40 years, however, the objective has transformed. Today it is interwoven and twisted into the goal of enhancing corporate profits.

ALEC has approximately 300 corporate, foundation and private-sector members and representatives in all 50 state legislatures.

Ninety-eight percent of ALEC’s 2010 $7 million budget was “donated” by huge corporations such as Exxon Mobil, Dell, AT&T and Pfizer.

ALEC donations are deductible. State representatives pay $100 for a two-year membership, which may be paid with campaign funds.

Big business pays thousands of dollars yearly for membership.

The American Legislative Exchange Council’s Spring Task Force Summit will be held on May 11 in Charlotte.

I don’t expect an invitation.
Carole Reno Brier

Axtell Drive
Summerville
Business expertise

An average of 47 percent of Cabinet positions for the 12 presidents before Obama were appointed from the private business sector.

The list of 12 starts with FDR and includes six Democrats and six Republicans. The reason should be obvious; the business of America is business.

Maybe the country is in such bad shape, with high unemployment and a recession that we can’t seem to get out of, because 92 percent of Obama’s cabinet is populated with government workers, academics, non-profit executives, community organizers, etc.

Only 8 percent of Obama’s cabinet was appointed from private business.

Robert Wray
Cottage Plantation Road

Johns Island
Wasteful policy
There is a lot of talk these days about wastefulness — much of it about government spending or not separating recyclable goods from household garbage.

At the Charleston County Waste Management Facility on Wadmalaw Island, new regulations highlight wastefulness on the part of the local waste management department, which requires all non-metal and non-recyclable items to be compacted.

Employees at this facility will tell you that this is to prevent “scavenging.” Many people search the facility for items of value such as metal, scrap lumber and recyclable bottles and cans.

Is this not simply recycling?
If someone can use these materials, which others have deemed “trash,” would this not be better than the items sitting in a landfill for the next century?

The Wadmalaw Island facility rules ultimately provide more garbage to be disposed of and add to the already massive Bees Ferry landfill.

It would have been much better to dedicate an area of the facility for items that are reusable, so that others could put them to good use.

Gregory Cushing II
Bears Bluff Road

Wadmalaw Island
Merrill’s character

Renee Dudley’s article ”Money Speaks” gave an impression of Rep. Jim Merrill that did not match my experience with him.

I run Plug In Carolina, a small non-profit teaching the benefits of plug-in vehicles. Non-profits are allowed a minimal amount of lobbying. We don’t have money to do so.

But as my representative, Merrill agreed to help pass a state income tax credit for plug-in vehicles (H.3059 pending).

He recognizes national security implications of oil dependency and an opportunity to attract innovation and industry to the state.

Because of Merrill’s work, a limited tax credit ($2,000 for each plug-in vehicle, limited to 100 vehicles each year, for the next five years) is a step away from the governor’s desk.

Jim never wavered, even faced with oposition from his party.

In my experience, money never spoke to Jim Merrill. Jim Merrill listened to a constituent, and I am grateful to have his principled representation.

James Poch
Executive Director

Plug In Carolina
Sandshell Drive

Charleston
Deserving praise
The brave men and women of the Charleston County Sheriff’s Department put their lives on the line daily to produce the best possible but often unrecognized results.

Four years ago, one of my cars was stolen. I reported this to the Charleston Police Department only to be swiftly referred to the Sheriff’s Office.

Seasoned deputies suggested that I try again with the city since the crime occurred within city limits.

Again, I was sent back to the Sheriff’s Office where I filed the report.

Hope dimmed as time passed. Then, two years later, a co-worker spotted my car on James Island. The Charleston Police Department responded but apparently found nothing since I never heard from them.

I eventually forgot about the matter.

In January of this year I began receiving follow-up calls from the Sheriff’s Office even though there were no new leads. Then, a true godsend occurred. Detective Mike Thompson, of the Sheriff’s Office, got a lead. My car was in Macedonia, S.C.

Detective Thompson began a series of almost hourly updates as to the status of the crime and investigation.

By the end of the day he had solved the case, tracing my car back through six individuals to the persons who relieved me of my car. He even secured confessions. It is clear that he used all available resources and training to solve the case.

We are blessed to have such people as Detective Mike Thompson at the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.

Dwight Ives
Pressley Road
Summerville