Separated families a result of lawbreaking parents
Some choices are inconsequential. Other choices are more consequential. Those of us who listen to the news are aware of the consequences of choosing to break the law. When parents are caught breaking the law, any children they may have are taken away by Child Protective Services. Every separation is a tragedy. It is a too-common occurrence in our state. The foster care population in Georgia has drastically increased over the last several years. Family separation happens too often. Sadly, children get caught in a web of parental bad choices. Recently, our nation has rightly been outraged by the family separations taking place at the border as a result of parents knowingly choosing to break our laws. Whenever parents make bad choices, it has a direct impact on those closest to them. Parents, for your children’s well-being, please make good choices.
JOE PEREZ, WILDER
Bipartisan lawmaking needed on climate change
With the resignation of Scott Pruitt, the ethical cloud hovering over the Environmental Protection Agency will now start to lift. Those who desire a safe climate for future generations, however, have little reason to celebrate, as the dismantling of initiatives like the Clean Power Plan and fuel efficiency standards will continue at a feverish pace. What has become abundantly clear in the last year-and-a-half is that our nation cannot rely on executive orders to solve big problems. Solutions must be legislated, and the solutions likely to hold up over time will have bipartisan support. Regarding climate change, Republicans and Democrats are finding common ground in a fee on carbon with revenue returned to households. During this election year, politicians will be tempted to use climate change as a wedge issue. Instead, we should see it as a bridge issue that unites Americans against a common threat.
STEVE VALK, CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY
