As I watch the coverage of the unimaginable tragedy in Japan; I
am struck by the kind, gentle civility shared amongst these shocked
survivors. In the midst of what must feel like the end of the
world, they band together and they treat each other respectfully
with loving kindness.
Dear Editor,
As I watch the coverage of the unimaginable tragedy in Japan; I am struck by the kind, gentle civility shared amongst these shocked survivors. In the midst of what must feel like the end of the world, they band together and they treat each other respectfully with loving kindness.
As our country tries to recover from a series of disasters of a different sort, can we say the same about our behavior? The corporate greed of Wall Street almost destroyed our financial foundation. The auto industry was thankfully saved from complete collapse but not in time to save countless lost jobs. Despite being elected by a MAJORITY; poor losers are still spreading lies, fear and hatred about our President’s birthplace and religion. An entire political party has announced that their main objective above ALL others is to end Obama’s presidency, period. This same party has also decided to go on attack against women, their reproductive rights, gays & their rights, teachers, unions, immigrants, environmentalists, global warming; ANY regulations on BIG OIL, banks or Wall Street, etc. Under NO circumstances will these same parties allow the wealthy to lose ANY tax breaks EVER?!?!
The middle class is bankrupt, we are losing our homes and we have no jobs to go and try to find. Is this the America we really want? Are the wealthiest of us all and the corporations the only ones deserving of the lion’s share of America’s promises and blessings? When will people tire of being lied to, manipulated and used so that others can enrich and empower only themselves at the expense of the very people who elected them?
My constant prayer is that we return to a nation with the ability to conduct our politics with a spirit of cooperation, civility and respect. We are eating each other alive with HATE thoughts that lead to HATE speak which is leading to HATEFUL actions. We cannot allow our elected officials to advocate ideas such as death penalties for miscarriages?!
We cannot allow Senate hearings investigating a specific religion based only on fear and ignorance and not backed by any facts.
Americans want above all things: economic fairness, social justice and equal opportunity. Our elected officials owe us; ALL of us, nothing less.
As I pray for Japan, I continue to pray that my country will survive these disasters of its own making. May we ALL find it in our hearts to act like the Japanese and try offering nothing but loving kindness and respect to one another? We have to work together as a United States of America.
Christy Howe, Hollister
Cut entitlements
Dear Editor,
Suddenly our news is featuring the precarious state of our nation’s fiscal condition. Thank goodness, the denial of our deteriorating financial affairs is beginning to be dispelled.
Correcting our dependence on debt to fund today’s expenses is vital and will be painful, but cut and tax we must. It is only fair that we all share the pain. And this includes us seniors who collect Social Security and Medicare benefits.
When we consider our entitlements, we forget that they depend on the fiscal well being of our nation’s finances, as are all the other functions of our government. Without a solid financial structure, our government can not provide security, law and order, justice or any of the other many services we all depend on. Thus the smooth functioning of government is far more important to each of us, young and old, than our entitlements. So we all should be willing to sacrifice for the common good.
The other hard fact is that mandatory spending, mostly for Social Security and Medicare, now makes up more than half the government’s budget, while discretionary spending is little more than one third. So, to cut into the huge budget deficit in any significant way will require some reduction in our entitlements.
A gradual reduction of Social Security benefits is essential. As for Medicare, we should certainly reduce support for costly procedures that only prolong life after one reaches a certain age, say 85. A large part of Medicare costs go to keep patients alive during their last two years of life, and in so many cases this only prolongs a miserable existence. I am aware that this will cause cries of “Death Squads”. But can we afford unlimited spending just to prolong life in its final few years?
I am well on the wrong side of 80, and the prospect of our grandchildren inheriting a Nation on the brink of bankruptcy is certainly not attractive.
John Blake, Hollister
