Queen City Express will help boost Rowan

Governor McCrory recently announced the creation of the Queen City Express, a freight rail service connecting Charlotte to the Port of Wilmington. It’s a joint partnership between North Carolina and CSX that will benefit the entire state and foster economic growth throughout the Southeast.

The Queen City Express will provide a much-needed connection between two of the state’s largest shipping hubs, fulfilling a major part of Governor McCrory’s 25-Year Vision for transportation in North Carolina by strengthening freight movement throughout the state. The service will also connect to the Carolina Connector, a newly announced intermodal facility that CSX will build in Edgecombe County.

Salisbury’s proximity to Charlotte means the city will enjoy major economic benefits. The Queen City Express and Carolina Connector will allow goods to be shipped more efficiently across the state, reducing transportation costs for Salisbury businesses. In the past, intermodal transportation between Charlotte and Wilmington was far less frequent, so businesses had to wait longer to receive shipments.

These projects will also lower transportation costs for businesses while taking trucks off the road. Transporting goods by rail will reduce congestion and wear and tear on the state’s busy highways, as well as improve safety and air quality.

These projects are major milestones for Salisbury and the state as a whole. They are a clear example of the many ways Governor McCrory is supporting businesses and investing in the future of North Carolina.

— Jake Alexander

Salisbury

Alexander represents Division 9 on the N.C. Board of Transportation.

 

Limiting immigration

Donald Trump was recently severely criticized for suggesting that the U.S. should limit or temporarily suspend the immigration of certain ethnic groups, nationalities, and even people of certain religions (Muslims).

The criticisms condemned such a suggestion as, among other things, being “un-American,” dumb, stupid, reckless, dangerous and racist.

Congressmen and senators swore that they would never allow such legislation, and our (Muslim) president called such a prohibition on immigration “unconstitutional.”

Well, as Gomer Pyle would say, “Surprise, Surprise!”

It seems that the selective immigration ban is already law and has been applied on several occasions.

Known as the McCarran-Walter Act, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 allows for the “Suspension of entry or imposition of restrictions by president. Whenever the president finds that the entry of aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, the president may, by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or non-immigrants or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.”

The act was utilized by Jimmy Carter, no less, in 1979 to keep Iranians out of the United States, but he actually did more. He made all Iranian students already here check in, and then he deported a bunch. Seven thousand were found in violation of their visas; 15,000 Iranians were forced to leave the United States in 1979.

It is of note that the act requires that an applicant for immigration must be of good moral character and “attached to the principles of the Constitution.” Since the Quran forbids Muslims to swear allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, technically, all Muslims should be refused immigration.

— Barry Nesbitt

Salisbury

 

Royalty by inheritance 

In his speech on economics on Aug. 8, Donald Trump again revealed that he thinks constantly about himself and his wealth, not the good of this country. He proposed to eliminate the federal estate tax.

In this country, the wealthiest 1 percent of our population own at least 35-40 percent of the wealth held by individuals and families. Even with the estate tax, wealthy families have been able to pass on much of their wealth to their descendants, generation after generation, creating a kind of royalty by inheritance.

Eliminating the estate tax would greatly accelerate this process. Even more wealth would be held by the wealthiest 1 percent.

— Richard W. Soderberg

Salisbury

Coverups continue

We should thank the FBI for keeping a 1,000-percent coverup of things of national interest. There was Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Ruby Ridge, Waco and now Hillary Clinton.  There’s no group of watch dogs to make sure that they answer for their action, good or bad.  No wonder people of America don’t trust the government.

— John Troutman

China Grove

The overdose epidemic

I am sending this letter because my heart aches for the Rowan County community.  Yet another child has passed away from a drug overdose. It didn’t make headlines. It didn’t make a difference; what is one more drug addicted child?  People are becoming numb to the thought. It reminds me of all the young men we lost during the Vietnam War. It became expected. Less shocking than it should ever have become. It has become an epidemic. I bet if you ask the youth of Rowan County,  50 percent will know of someone who had died as a result of drugs. It’s not just mom and dad who are affected. It is aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, schoolmates, and yes, even the great name of Rowan County. This is not a black, white, brown or yellow issue. This should be our issue.

— Linda Pierce

Salisbury