Dear Sirs: John Douglas lodged so many complaints against national, state, and local governments in his June 7 rant against "fiscal madness," I'm still not sure I've counted them all. But, as a lover of irony, I could not let pass his objection to the regional transportation SPLOST. "In July 2012, the state will ask you to approve a new one-cent sales tax increase to fund transportation projects." Douglas wrote. "The current state budget of $18.5 billion apparently isn't big enough to cover transportation so more money is ‘needed.'"

"The state will ask"? Interesting...

As in the State of Georgia, where Douglas served as senator when the Senate voted 43-8 to adopt House Bill 277, the Georgia 2020 Transportation Act, creating the regional T-SPLOST? Given his disdain for the tax, Senator Douglas surely voted NO with seven of his colleagues? Well, not exactly. Senate records show Douglas voted YES.
Douglas made the right vote then. Having failed in every way imaginable to show leadership and solve our state's transportation woes, the legislature was at least keeping hope alive by passing the buck to the counties, cities, and private citizens to do what our senators and representatives could not.

Unfortunately, citizen Douglas (perhaps candidate Douglas?) is so bound by politics and ideology that he's now working against the very solutions he voted into law. Like the other elected officials he chastises, Douglas should know after 13 years in elected office, real leadership is hard. It's not about doing what you want to do; it's about doing what you have to do. You make tough choices and stand behind them. He got the first part right at least once, but he must still be working on the second.

Maurice Carter
Covington