Congress should not relent on Fast and Furious investigation
Re: “Obama tries to shield Holder from contempt charges,” June 21
I can’t figure out what kind of game President Obama is playing with the Congress of the United States. He jumps in the middle of a serious defiance by Attorney General Eric Holder, who does not wish to comply with a congressional request.
What is Holder hiding? Why not turn in the requested documents? Does he have secrets he is keeping from Congress, or is he simply trying to protect his boss a la Janet Reno?
Congress must get the upper hand on this. Someone high up conjured and ordered Operation Fast and Furious. It was ill-conceived, badly planned and horribly executed. Lives were lost, guns disappeared, and the U.S. became an international joke.
All for what? Was there a profit motive? Where is the money source for the guns that “walked” into Mexico? The ATF needs to take the initiative, trace the illegally sold guns, find the gun runners and sellers, and put them in jail.
And where was Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in all this mess?
Louis Ginesi Dominguez
Warrenton
Ugly attack on teachers unions was unwarranted
Re: “Quote quibbles aside, teachers unions don’t look out for kids,” June 21
Stan Greer’s attack on teachers unions was an ugly smear. Teachers unions really do look after our kids by, among other things, making the teaching profession attractive and stable enough to bring in men and women dedicated to giving all children the best education possible.
Without teachers unions, the public education of 90 percent of our kids would suffer even more than it is by the slashing of school budgets.
As a former teacher of history, government and Spanish, and the brother and uncle of teachers, I know that our hardworking teachers are one our country’s most valuable resources, just like our police, firefighters and health care workers.
Edd Doerr
Silver Spring
Maryland delegates sent a message to Gov. O’Malley
Re: “Proposed MGM casino at National Harbor on life support,” June 20
I want to applaud members of the House of Delegates who stood up for Marylanders by opposing tax cuts for casino operators. While Gov. Martin O’Malley seems perplexed by this, the matter is quite clear. He wanted to cut taxes for wealthy individuals while he just raised them on everyone else.
The people of Maryland should thank House Speaker Michael Busch, D-Anne Arundel, and Dels. Sheila Hixson, D-Montgomery, Peter Hammen, D-Baltimore, and Veronica Turner, D-Prince George’s, for standing up for what is right.
Without their leadership, this would have been another fiscal mess for our state. I hope the governor hears the message loud and clear.
Charles A. Carden
Fort Washington
