The coronavirus is killing people worldwide, yet all we can see are dollar signs
On the coronavirus
As the extremely dangerous coronavirus continues to spread, why is so much attention and concern being focused on how it might affect the global economy — rather than on how it’s affecting the lives of more and more people all around the world?
It is sad to see how the world is viewing this alarming problem.
William Bull, Gilbert
On free stuff
It still amazes me that so many people don’t understand that there is no such thing as a free lunch.
They have clearly forgotten these words of wisdom: “If it is too good to be true, it usually is!”
Annie Bates, Irmo
On voting
After serving as a poll manager during the recent presidential primary, I feel compelled to remind voters about the need to make sure their names and residential information are updated.
A voter’s precinct is determined by where the person lives, so when you change your address it is important that you provide that information to the voter registration office. You can also update your information online at scvotes.org, vote411.org. or at any voter registration drive. For more information, contact your county voter registration office or the state Election Commission at (803) 734-9060.
Voting is crucial for democracy to work. so make sure that you are ready to vote before the next election takes place.
Elizabeth Jones, Columbia
On the metric system
The U.S. needs to convert to the metric system because we have wasted millions of dollars over the years due to conversion errors.
It is estimated that our country would see a 10% to 15% boost in the economy simply by converting to the metric system. When Australia converted to the metric system, it enjoyed a 10% economic boost that was directly related to making the switch.
Our country must convert to the metric system, and now is the time to do so.
Thomas Burns, Columbia
On student debt
Sen. Bernie Sanders has made forgiving student loan debt one of the pillars of his presidential campaign. I believe that forgiving student loans would be wrong — but I also believe it’s wrong to charge interest on these loans because it merely enriches Wall Street banks without improving our country’s future.
Wouldn’t it make more sense for our federal government to require students to fully pay back their loans, but to also allow these debts to be paid back interest-free? I believe this is the most reasonable solution to student loan debt; to me, it’s a no-brainer.
Robert Buys, Columbia
On Santee Cooper
If history shows us anything, it is that Santee Cooper cannot be trusted to reform itself.
It is now clear that Santee Cooper’s past leadership hid critical documentation of the looming failure of the VC Summer nuclear project, which has cost ratepayers $4 billion and triggered an investigation. The executives responsible for this failure were not fired — in fact, they were rewarded with millions of dollars in bonuses paid for by ratepayers.
Most recently Santee Cooper has been called out for promoting its latest so-called reform plan in ads and videos — and with lobbyists in violation of the law governing bids.
We are all familiar with the old saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again while expecting a different result. And it is insanity to think that Santee Cooper — an entrenched government bureaucracy that is accountable to no one and has a legacy of deceit and failure — can effectively reform itself.
Lee Padgett, Georgetown
This story was originally published March 3, 2020 at 3:01 PM.