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Green Bank gives flat rates for electricity

As co-chairman of the Coalition for the Green Bank -- a group of more than 50 businesses -- I object to the misleading assertions in an advertisement run on a local station by the National Republican Congressional Committee.

In the advertisement, then-Sen. Barack Obama is quoted out of context saying, "Under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates will necessarily skyrocket." At the time (January 2008), he was not referring to the ACES energy bill that the House passed this June. In particular, he did not refer to the included Green Bank provision that makes retail electricity rates stay flat for American consumers.

A fully funded Green Bank has the capacity to create 1 million jobs in the United States. It and other provisions of ACES will save American families money every time they turn on a switch.

The Green Bank will provide investment in manufacturing, transmission and generation of clean energy technologies across the country, and will decrease our dependence on foreign oil.

The Green Bank is a job-creation engine that will finance the transition to the clean energy economy at no cost to consumers.

Co-Chairman Coalition of the Green Bank

Perriello benefits the 5th District

Thank you to 5th District Rep. Tom Perriello for having the courage and foresight to support the carbon cap-and-trade bill to reduce greenhouse gases and encourage creation of new jobs to develop cleaner energy. Included among many other accomplishments of our junior congressman are:

n Plans for new energy for the 5th District to put Southside and Central Virginia at the forefront of the clean energy economy.

n Supporting the Clean Energy Security Act to create millions of new jobs in clean energy and increase national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

n Introducing legislation to expand health benefits for veterans' caregivers.

n Providing on his Web site an online health care forum, "Your Health, Your Voice."

n Authoring a bill to increase on-the-job training benefits for veterans.

n Introducing legislation to bring the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford under the supervision of the National Park Service.

Let us all be grateful that Perriello is our congressman and continue to show our support as he explores new and innovative measures to benefit the constituents of the 5th District and to help chart the course to make the U.S. a cleaner, safer, more economically secure country.

Comparisons to Jesus' suffering were absurd

The Roanoke Times' Tonia Moxley displayed a complete lack of critical thinking skills in her July 11 piece, "Jesus' suffering in a modern context." To compare Jesus' suffering to Guantánamo and waterboarding, as she did, is absurd.

Jesus' suffering was part of an execution. Nobody has been executed at Guantánamo, and waterboarding was never used as a means of execution.

Further, listing Guantánamo and waterboarding in the same context as Daniel Pearl and beheading -- implying they are all the same -- is an insult to our country, government and servicemen/servicewomen. It is easy to see an exceedingly liberal bias in such a comparison.

At least your readers now know the perspective from which she covers religion issues.

Get over gays in the military

This is in reply to Dana Jackson, who was in the military ("Letting gays onboard just isn't practical," July 9 commentary):

Get over it. Gays are already in our military. The question is should they be allowed to say they are gay.

As a Christian, I know that being gay is against God and God's laws. I don't agree with their lifestyle as a Christian, but they are a part of our society and unless you want to round them all up and act like Hitler, they are always going to be a part of our society.

If they don't mind serving with people who think that just because they are gay they can't control themselves, then why should you, a heterosexual, mind serving with them? Get over it.

Pray for their salvation, and I'll pray for yours. God bless.

National health care could be deadly

So you think nationalized health care will solve all of America's health care problems. Then ask yourself this question: Can the same federal government that has Social Security going broke, Medicare going broke and a Department of Defense known to buy $600 hammers and $1,200 toilet seats really run a complicated heath care system?

What about senior citizens and those with cancer? Both are long term and expensive to care for. Do you think they are going to get the newest and best treatments? They will not get the best, because the best is too expensive.

Nationalized heath care will become legalized genocide of the old and very sick. Great Britain's national heath care recently stopped providing life-prolonging drugs for breast cancer victims because it was too expensive.

In short, if the federal government does not want to pay for a lifesaving or life-prolonging treatment, you die.

Congress and the president will get to keep their top-of-the-line health insurance, but you will not have what they have.

National health care sounds great, but is it?

Be courteous to road cleanup crews

Our Rotary Club has picked up trash along a road in Roanoke County for more than 18 years. We would like to thank the 25 percent of the drivers who slow down, some even giving us a friendly thank you wave. For the other 75 percent, you scare us to death, speeding by within a couple feet of us, some talking on your cellphones.

With the cutbacks in highway spending, volunteer cleanup crews will play an even greater role in keeping our valley beautiful. Just like highway workers, give all of us a break.

President Roanoke-Hollins Rotary Club

Heartbreak at pool won't be forgotten

My heart ached as I watched the news article on television of the small black boy who was turned away from the swimming pool at a Pennsylvania swim club. His heart was hurting, as well, as the tears were welling in his eyes. This is 2009. Where have these club owners been?

It really doesn't matter what year it is. Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." Notice, he didn't say just the white ones. This child could not understand why he and his friends were taken out of the pool. Neither can I. It is beyond my comprehension.

I wonder if the club owners could see his little heart breaking and determine what color it was? I can tell them. It is the same color as theirs. There is one difference: His is tender and theirs is hard. This little boy will never forget this hurt, and I will never forget his little face.