Honor John McCain by remembering his legacy in 2020

Regarding “John McCain, 1936-2018 Maverick statesman, war hero dies from brain cancer” (Aug. 27): With the sad passing of this patriotic public servant and war hero, I challenge every voter to honor his memory by using his example of honesty, humility and integrity as the standards by which you select the next POTUS in 2020.

These standards are not too much to ask of any presidential candidate seeking our votes regardless of party affiliation. After the hiccup in 2016, these standards need to be restored as requirements for all presidential candidates in order for all voters to have trust and confidence in our government.

As a longtime voter, I expect nothing less.

‘American hero’

Regarding “White House flags offer tribute to Sen. John McCain, then return to full staff” (Aug. 27): John McCain, a genuine American hero, is gone. It would suit me just fine if Donald Trump said not one word on the subject: he doesn’t deserve the privilege.

‘Rest in peace’

Regarding “John McCain, 1936-2018 Maverick statesman, war hero dies from brain cancer” (Aug. 27): Rest in peace, John McCain. John McCain was one of my heroes in the U.S. Congress, and I am a registered Democrat.

He told the truth and knew that you serve the country – the country doesn’t serve you or your re-election.

Perhaps the president, instead of criticizing him, should try to emulate him, as all members of the Congress should.

‘Irony’

Regarding “UNC officials and state leaders: ‘Mob rule’ won’t be tolerated” (Aug. 22): There is cruel irony in N.C. legislators railing against the toppling of the Silent Sam Confederate statue on UNC’s Chapel Hill Campus and their calling for the protesters’ prosecution; this and the fact that during the 70 years after the Southern rebellion, mob rule lynched and slaughtered thousands of blacks in the states of the former Confederacy, going unchecked by the civil “authorities.”

While true that a country established on the rule of law cannot abide the application of “justice” by unruly crowds, there can be no honest comparison between unarmed mobs knocking over Confederate statues and the rabid, armed vigilante mobs that for so long violently exacted blood from their former slaves and their descendants. (Most members of said hateful mobs never faced any prosecution whatsoever.)

Elected officials and judges would do well to thoughtfully consider this glaring, historic difference as they decide the fate of the young people who destroyed inert property, as well as how to dispose of Confederate statues going forward.

Plan ahead

The letter to the editor “ADUs needed” (Aug. 23) did not address some important considerations. A Wilmington court decision some years ago disallows municipalities to require that a primary residence with an Accessory Dwelling Unit be owner occupied.

An investor could build an ADU and rent both units. No owner supervision.

ADUs will not proliferate in neighborhoods with high price points. Investors will be drawn into the older 1960s-era subdivisions where housing is more “affordable” (a slippery term). Will an owner of an ADU charge a rent affordable to people with service jobs? No, the rent will be what the market will bear.

For a number of decades some real estate agents have not shown homes in older neighborhoods because they are “close to busy roads” or “there are too many rentals.” What happens when these older neighborhoods have an increase in rentals with ADUs, and are owned by landlords whose exclusive concern is cash flow?

A few bad apples can do a lot of damage. More rooftops, more stormwater and more parking is needed. Will sewer lines handle increased flows? How will the extra traffic be handled? Are ADUs transit-oriented development? Plan 30 years ahead, not one year.

Special sessions

Regarding “Lawmakers will vote on rewrite for amendments” (Aug. 24): Am I alone in questioning the use of my tax dollars by the N.C. General Assembly?

The pattern seems to be: Call a special session to address the leadership’s latest grievance(s), pass a law, defend the law when challenged in court, law overturned by court, call a special session to re-write law – and again.

How many special sessions? How many lawyers paid to defend bad laws?

This story was originally published August 27, 2018 at 11:17 AM.