Sleepy kids, hot summer days? No thanks.

The Georgia Senate, including our senator, Michael “Doc” Rhett, D-Marietta, overwhelmingly passed a bill to request that Georgia apply with the federal government to put the state on Atlantic Standard Time permanently.

This will result in sleepy kids going to school in the dark. Hot summer days will have the relative cool of the evening come too late, and kids will be getting to bed too late. Sen. Ed Setzler, R-Acworth, who voted “no,” brought up the fact that Georgia will be out of sync with our neighboring states.

Can you imagine the chaos for Alabamians doing business in Georgia, and vice versa, given a two-hour time difference? Hopefully, the state House of Representatives will have more sense and not pass this bill.

DAVID H. BARRY, MARIETTA

Trump Republicans hold key to restoring TSA paychecks

Compromise. A word that can be a verb or a noun. Being a verb needs to come first. The current situation with TSA workers not being paid but required to work is a festering sore on the Trump administration’s (and Trump Republicans’) backsides.

The demands of the Democrats are not unreasonable and are necessary to end the abusive tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and bring the ICE operations closer to procedures adhered to by all other public safety agents in the United States.

The Trump Republicans are in control in Congress (by numbers), and so they have to break the impasse. I have not heard an explanation of which parts of the Democrats’ demands are unreasonable.

The childish comment of the president that no agreement should be made in this matter unless he gets his disastrous SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act legislation is an insult to TSA workers.

If Congress goes on a recess without resolving this mess, the people should start petitions to recall their Trump Republican senators and representatives.

DAVID PITTS, ATLANTA

Fight against Iranian regime has been almost flawless

AJC cartoonist Mike Luckovich’s March 22 cartoon, “War Planning Meeting,” depicts a military official telling President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, “Next time, let’s have one of these before we attack … ”

This is as profoundly ridiculous as telling Mike Tyson he needed to train more for a fight — right after he knocked out the opponent in 90 seconds.

Our fight against the Iranian regime has been almost flawless to date. To suggest otherwise is absurd.

DANA R. HERMANSON, MARIETTA

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State Sen. Bo Hatchett, R-Cornelia, center, talks with his seatmates during Crossover Day at the Georgia Legislature in Atlanta earlier this month. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Credit: (Ben Gray for the AJC)

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Travelers line up all the way to the baggage claim in the South Terminal for TSA security checks early Monday morning at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during the partial government shutdown on March 23, 2026. TSA officers have been working without pay for weeks amid the shutdown. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC