Chilean mine rescue

When Chilean President Sebastian Pinera was faced with a national disaster of 33 miners trapped beneath the earth since an Aug. 5 mine collapse, he didn’t point fingers or blame others or vilify the mining company.

Although his administration had issues with the mining company, he personally met with the company president and became engaged in a solution. They put aside past differences.

When bureaucrats said international help wasn’t licensed or certified in Chile, Pinera waived the restrictions. A plan of rescue was designed and immediately implemented. That resulted in the miners being freed starting Tuesday night to a watching world.

There was cooperation at all levels that he demanded, and it was followed through at every step of the way.

This president took no vacations, fundraising trips, golf outings or celebrity photo ops. He was personally engaged and focused until the problem was solved.

In the end, a proud nation was united by the president in solving a tough problem. But he directed praise toward others, not himself.

Gosh, it would be nice to have a president like that.

Greg Gardner, Waco

Social Security raises

While it isn’t what I would have chosen, and I really could use the money, if my measly Social Security cost-of-living raise could help my country’s economy get back on track, then I’m all for not getting it for a few years.

I must admit, however, to feeling sold out by those in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate who, after voting to not give me a raise, have proved that they apparently feel they are above me — and all of the other voters who helped to put them into office — by voting themselves quite sizable raises.

Besides receiving no raise, the cost of my Medicare is going up, as lawmakers continue to enjoy their far above-average insurance plans we pay for. 

All the while, I also am helping to pay for their extremely generous retirement pensions. So it doesn’t seem to matter much to them that I haven’t gotten a cost-of-living raise on my retirement. 

With each day, it becomes more abundantly clear that the reason most people run for political office is for personal benefit, and that any gain that the general public happens to receive in return is strictly secondary.

Rita W. Jones, Axtell

Grateful for help

I want to thank everyone who helped my daughter after she was injured Oct. 6 and found at the Chevron gas station near Hillcrest Drive and MacArthur Boulevard. A passer-by, who we believe was an off-duty police officer, stopped to help her and waited with her until the paramedics arrived. She was like an angel to us.

Annette Marquez, Waco

Campaign ads

If I decided who I would vote for based only on campaign TV commercials, I would either never vote for anyone, or flip a coin.

We have a lot of reliable, unbiased newspaper and TV reporters who tell it like it is. I really appreciate them.

Lin Mills, Waco