Is the Obama Team

Up to the Job?

My friends tell me I'm oversimplifying the issues. Maybe I am. Maybe the independents who put President Obama in office were not that fired up about the loss of 50 percent of their portfolios and 30 percent of their home values.

Maybe he didn't have a golden opportunity to reinstitute sane boundaries on the financial industry that allow them to grow and prosper but don't allow them to wreck the entire economy.

Maybe he didn't see that pacifying dozens of warlords and creating an allied, centralized government out of a pile of rocks thousands of miles away was impossible and not worth one of our military personnel getting so much as a hangnail.

Maybe all of us who are generally worried about the rising costs of medical coverage should take comfort that the very same industries who hold sway over those costs authored the biggest cluster (of you know what) in U.S. history.

Maybe we shouldn't worry that our president walks into meetings with nations around the globe and consistently comes out empty-handed. Maybe I'm just oversimplifying the issues, or maybe, just maybe, the man and his team in Washington are just not up to the job.

Scott Griffin

Southern Pines

A Critical Issue for Pets

In response to "A Word of Advice to Rescue Groups" by Stephanie West (Nov. 19), you and your husband were not told you were not good pet owners by anyone at Solutions for Animals (SFA).

We shared our concerns regarding pet overpopulation and health concerns for unaltered animals like your 6-year-old female dog. You said you had a fence and didn't want to spay your dog. We asked that you speak to your vet regarding the issue and shared that you could go online and do your own research.

SFA does do home visits, but it would be a waste of volunteer time to do so at your home unless you spayed your dog or provided vet documentation as to why your dog could not be spayed; or to spay your dog, give her the time to recover and come back for the dog you wanted to adopt. You have chosen not to do so but would rather run around town throwing daggers because you didn't get your way.

The dogs will likely not get along during your female's cycle. Neutered males will breed in-heat females. SFA's rescued sweetheart deserves less havoc in his future than you are willing to provide by choosing not to spay your dog.

I can't imagine any shelter staff being appalled that we support spay and neuter, but if so, then adopt a dog elsewhere. Your dog didn't come from a reputable rescue shelter, or she would be spayed! Losing your dog to a preventable illness such as pyometra or breast cancer is just wrong if you can make the choice to prevent it!

You won't discourage responsible families from visiting and adopting from reputable shelters. SFA doesn't encourage anyone to go to a breeder, but we do encourage spay and neuter!

Cindy Bristow

Raeford