Local businesses like mine are reliant on airlines. Bailing them out really matters.

Airline bailout

Regarding “Don’t bail out the airlines,” (Oct. 9 Forum):

Locally owned businesses like mine are reliant on airlines. Without immediate federal support for airlines, local jobs face dire consequences and the economic impacts will be felt throughout the Triangle and RTP area.

Many new tech companies are continuing to choose RTP as their place to relocate from the West Coast. Flight availability and routes are a big attraction to these companies as they are making their final location choice.

Federal support for airlines helps all who do business at the airport, such as operating restaurants in the terminals like my company does.

RDU is an economic driver for the Research Triangle, providing thousands of jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local taxes and even more in economic output.

Kristie Nystedt

CEO Raleigh Brewing

Empowering women

I do not recall another Supreme Court nominee being asked, with awe, who is responsible for doing the laundry in his/her household. Amy Coney Barrett’s hearing portrayed a mythical creature, capable of raising a large family and excelling as a legal scholar.

This bemused celebration is bitterly unhelpful at a time when most parents are stretching (and failing) to juggle remote learning and work, and when many worry whether a Justice Barrett will empower other women by respecting the precedential opinions of her predecessor.

I have neither the credentials nor half as many children as Barrett, but my ability to work while parenting is dependent upon high-quality daycare, paid sick leave, vacation and parental leave, a workplace committed to equality, after-school programming, reproductive freedom, and family support.

Rather than merely idolize mothers like Barrett, we should name the advantages that contribute to success and strive to make them more available and affordable for all.

Emily Yeatts, Durham

NC Supreme Court

Despite the N&O’s compelling case that Judge Mark Davis is better qualified for the N.C. Supreme Court than opponent Tamara Barringer the paper endorsed Barringer.

As the endorsement noted, Davis has considerable experience in private practice, state government, and as a judge on the Court of Appeals. He is viewed as a moderate and well regarded for his legal judgment and knowledge.

While certainly not without accomplishments of her own, Barringer, a former legislator, simply does not bring the judicial experience or wisdom the people of North Carolina should expect of a judge of “the” Supreme Court of North Carolina.

As stated, Barrringer has “no bench experience.” Adding a “dissenting voice to the court” is hardly a rationale for this endorsement under these circumstances when the role of a Supreme Court judge is to interpret the law, which is better served by the qualifications of someone like Davis.

John T. Dowd, Raleigh

Labor Commissioner

After 20 years of Cherie Berry as our Labor Commissioner, we have rising workplace fatalities, rampant wage theft and worker misclassification, and some of the lowest penalties in the U.S. for rule-breaking employers.

During this pandemic, Berry has advocated quickly re-opening our economy while pushing back on efforts to protect agricultural and meatpacking workers. Investigative reports reveal that her department has failed to follow up on COVID-related safety complaints and whistleblower retaliation claims.

Working people deserve better, especially in the midst of COVID-19 and what could be our greatest occupational safety crisis to date.

MaryBe McMillan

NC AFL-CIO president

All lives matter

The Black Lives Matter movement is sadly experiencing a counter-narrative with a group called Back the Blue. The two can and should go hand in hand.

Like Joe Biden, I disapprove of the phrase “defund the police.” But it’s hard to put “Sensitize police to historic racism; use trained therapists for mentally troubled citizens; wield heavy force only when necessary, “ on a slogan.

Instead of diving into different trenches, both movements should see what good American values they share so that all lives will matter.

Linda Sutton, Durham

Democratic process

When Sen. Lindsey Graham promised to uphold the principle of not nominating a judge during an election year then broke his promise, it was a dishonest dirty trick.

No politicians have been more blatant about supporting acts like this than Donald Trump and Sen. Mitch McConnell. The former overrides the democratic process, the latter subverts it.

The last time I was truly inspired by American politics was in 2008 by John McCain’s concession speech when McCain spoke against the divisiveness in this country when it would have been tempting and easy not to. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I had been for such words.

But now I am rarely inspired. Yet, I still know what is dishonest, fake and self-serving — and I have voted.

Dan Darnell, Durham

Campaign spending

Election campaigns have become monstrous and unbelievable billions are spent. Our country could use that money to repair infrastructure.

Why do we have to begin three years in advance to look for the next president? Just think of the money and jobs that would be available to fix up America.

Claus Wolf, Cary