I applaud ApiJect for not requesting taxpayer incentives to expand in the RTP area

Incentives

The article about ApiJect’s adding 650 jobs in the RTP (Nov. 20) contained one of the most joyous sentences I’ve seen in ages: “ApiJect did not reach out to the state to request incentives for the project.”

Instead, the company chose to expand here “because it has a strong pharmaceutical presence, a highly skilled workforce, and ready access to regional and nationwide transportation networks.” What was most important was human capital and infrastructure, which is what the state should be investing in instead of incentives.

As one who has long inveighed against incentives, I say it is time to end the game of giving taxpayer money to corporations that in turn, quite rationally, play states and communities off one another in a way that is close to corporate extortion.

Jesse White Jr., Chapel Hill

Fair elections

In “President Trump is leaving the blueprints to end our democracy,” (Nov. 22 Opinion) writer Timothy Egan says, “What’s unfolding now is an attempted coup by a con.”

Nicolás Maduro, the defeated president of Venezuela (through a coup) has illegally held onto his presidency for a year. Hopefully, our government will prevail and oust Trump on Jan. 20. The rub is that we quickly forget how we fought against England, and a king’s oppression, to achieve equality under our Constitution.

Our foundations for democracy are based on fair elections and the will of the majority. Once these principles are challenged, we revert to a dictatorship without fair elections. And as Egan said, “...I fear there is no going back.”

Norman Singer, Cary

A sinking ship

Even rats will run off a sinking ship, but our GOP in Congress persist in its support of President Trump. While aboard this sinking ship, political power can be cornered, secured and thrown in a GOP lifeboat. And, thereby, misplaced concern about the election results continues.

Somewhere in this mess of a storm is our democracy. It, too, needs rescue.

Deborah Brogden, Raleigh

Stimulus bill

President Trump is the modern-day Nero, who fiddled while Rome burned. Trump played golf while the virus burned throughout our country

Many people have not been able to work. We have not heard from our senators. The U.S. Senate will not be back in session until after Thanksgiving.

To give the people hope for the future, the Senate must pass the HEROES bill the House approved over four moths ago.

Tom Oriel, Garner

Coronavirus

There is a large group of Americans who believe not wearing a mask is an expression of independence and personal freedom. There is another group who think mandatory mask-wearing is fundamental to curbing the spread of the virus and preventing deaths.

As we head into winter, this divide is only going to prolong the pandemic which has killed 250,000 Americans, 5,005 in N.C.

We are in a war for our lives, our freedom, and our way of life against an invisible enemy that doesn’t discriminate. Young, old, Republican, Democrat, healthy or sick — it is trying to infect us.

Let us come together to defeat this enemy and return to our lives so we can spend time with friends and family without a mask, go to a movie, hug each other.

Self-sacrifice in times of war is valiant. Loving your neighbor is a shared value. Let us all wear masks to protect one another. It is kind, patriotic and it will save lives.

Erik Butler,

Family physician, UNC School of Medicine

Green New Deal

Regarding “No Green New Deal,” (Nov. 22 Forum):

This Forum writer claims any negative effects of global warming are “small and can be adjusted to.” Seriously? More frequent and powerful hurricanes with loss of life and property — small? Droughts, heat waves, and devastating wildfire — small?

Mass migrations of people as large areas become unsuitable for agriculture and habitation — small? Sea level rise and the inundation of tens of thousands of square miles of coastal land, including many large cities — small?

Denying the current and future effects of global warming is a real head-in-the-sand exercise. Remember, science does not care what you believe.

Peter Aitken, Chapel Hill

This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 2:51 PM with the headline "I applaud ApiJect for not requesting taxpayer incentives to expand in the RTP area."