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Letters to the EditorsGovernment deserves to get less of our money© St. Petersburg Times published April 18, 2003 After I paid my money to the IRS this week, I finally have had it! Anyone who thinks we do not need a tax cut is an idiot. The amount of money wasted in Washington should be considered criminal. Punish success is the theme. As I became more irritated, I called Sen. Bob Graham's office and Rep. Bill Young's office to set up an appointment to discuss the 17,000-plus page tax code and the enormous waste of our money. The end result: I could not get an appointment with either. They are too busy. I am a citizen and a taxpayer and my elected officials will not see me. They have both lost my vote. They waste our money and refuse to see us. I bet if I had contributed large sums of money to both of their campaigns, I could get right in.
President seeks to correct tax inequity I don't mind paying my fair share of income tax, but it makes me very angry when I'm taxed for my corporate stock dividends -- which I know have already been taxed at the corporate level. This double taxation is not right! President Bush is trying to correct this inequity in his proposed tax cut plan, and Congress should support him. My wife and I scrimped in our younger years so that we could buy a few stocks whose dividends would hopefully give us a little extra during our retirement. But we aren't looking for extra money for ourselves. If corporate dividends are made nontaxable, we would "stimulate the economy" by helping our grandchildren with their college expenses. I'm sure there are many other retired citizens who would do the same as us.
Survival of the fittest Re: Can Republicans govern?, editorial, April 11. In observing the way both Bush administrations operate, since neither one has any real opposition to their plans, I see that they demonstrate a complete and total lack of humanity. They both appear to adhere to the philosophy of "survival of the fittest." Perhaps they are hoping that the weak, infirm and poor will just die off the way they would in the wilderness. So as one human being, I would like to remind both Jeb Bush and his administration, and George Bush and his administration (who is using this war to distract everyone from the truly destructive things he is doing in this country), that "we" are not animals. We are supposed to be higher beings. That means we should be evaluated by the way we treat each other, by the way we take care of this "gift" called earth, and by the way we treat the other creatures of this earth.
Hitting a new low Re: Can Republicans govern? Not content with trashing 30 years of progressive legislation, dismantling the state Constitution, putting our government and schools into the poorhouse, and maintaining "Flori-duh's" newfound status as national laughing-stock, the good 'ol boys in Tallahassee are treating us to a new low in conservative "compassion." Now they're going to take out the poor, starting with those who cannot meet their medical expenses. And rather than do it by some more "merciful" fashion, such as lethal injection, House Speaker Johnnie Byrd and Co. have decided to execute the ailing unfortunates of Florida by forcing them to choose between starving to death in some alley or expiring from illness. This not-unexpected callousness from our Republican representatives amply represents why they are the party of choice for those who have it all and intend to keep it all. I hope that those people of lesser means who voted for four more years of the Republican wrecking ball and those who stayed home rather than vote are paying close attention. Perhaps they'll behave more sensibly in the next elections. Or more likely, given recent history, not.
Questionable budget ingredients Re: Can Republicans govern?. What is it about Democrats and liberals alike that they constantly pass the buck? Florida is having huge budgetary problems, which is obvious. The best your paper can come up with is this editorial. This is silly. It sounds as though we have reverted back to the schoolyard days pointing fingers at each other. If you want to talk about blame, let's talk about all of the costly amendments that have been passed in the last couple of years. By and large, those amendments were led and championed by Democrats. This is akin to asking Emeril Lagasse to cook you something using the ingredients given to him by a McDonald's fry cook. Certainly, what the budget looks like is in no way impressive -- neither would an Emeril meal cooked with ingredients from McDonald's. Before you can comment on the job that is being carried out, you first have to acknowledge what the Republicans have been given to work with. Even then, I am sure you can find someone to pass the buck to!
Take personal responsibility Re: Here's your choice: Buy medicine, or pay the mortgage? by Mary Jo Melone, April 15. Once again Mary Jo Melone shows us how out of touch with reality she is. I assume the retired secretary she wrote about did not have the foresight to put some funds into a 401(k) plan at her workplace. She probably didn't do that because "Social Security" would take care of that. I also assume that she has no children and was unmarried. Thus there is no payment from her husband's retirement plan or any assistance from her children. But Melone and the secretary think that I should have to pay for the needed medications. So sorry. People like this should take care of their problems by first demanding that their children help and then by thinking about what they could have done over the years to take care of themselves. While employed, I put the maximum that was allowed into my 401(k) plan. I also put a goodly sum aside every month to cover my costs in the event that I could no longer work. I am retired now and living quite well, thank you, and will continue to do so. If I perchance die and leave my wife behind me, I am taking only a portion of my company retirement now. The remainder will go to continue my retirement check, undiminished, to my wife. If she dies before me, I lose the amount not collected now. Oh well, that's life! My mother is a woman like this retired secretary. However, she lives with my sister and has no housing costs or living expenses. The only thing she pays for from her retirement check is Medicare part B and her meds, and she is also doing quite well. She is now 84 and will never see the inside of a nursing home or retirement facility as long as my sister and I are still around. Melone needs to find something that does not smack of socialism to parade before us. That system does not work. Look to the great social experiments in Russia, China, France, Italy, and all the other less than glorious states filled with people who think like her. I don't want to become a second-class citizen like the people who live in those countries. She should spout her stuff somewhere else.
Seek aid elsewhere Re: The April 14 letters on financial cuts for the Medically Needy program. I feel very bad for those thousands of Florida citizens who will lose their benefits for medication. Please notify them that most pharmaceutical companies have programs for people who cannot pay full price for essential medications, including chemotherapy. They should contact their doctor's office or the pharmaceutical company directly for this information.
Sickening cuts Re: Tuesday's paper. What a shock, but not a surprise, to see how the "Little Guy" eats it again. First, workers' compensation is basically gone. And the Medically Needy program is being cut, and there's really nothing we can do about it. It sickens me to be a Floridian, and see our government cut services that are crucial to the needy. I didn't see anything about our lawmakers taking a pay cut to help with the budget crunch.
Consider limited casinos Re: Casinos could add revenue, April 3. This recent letter to the Times states: "The time is now for Florida casino gambling." The letter writer's suggestion has merit in the idea of choosing one area and not saturating the state with casinos. Since habitual gamblers will travel to Reno, Las Vegas, New Jersey and bus themselves to Biloxi, it justifies keeping those dollars in Florida. Yes, just one gambling area would help increase employment and bring much needed financial aid to our state. Gamblers from other states would possibly try their luck here and also help fill our coffers in ways other than gambling. We are already aware gambling is inevitable. It appears reasonable to retain those greenbacks in Florida in an appropriate single area under accountable supervision. As a confirmed nongambler, I'm ahead of these games -- way ahead.
Rotary is a partner in polio fight Thank you for publishing the Associated Press article on the effort to eradicate polio in India (India goes door-to-door to help stop polio, April 7). Unfortunately, Rotary International, a key partner in the process, was not mentioned. I have subscribed to your newspaper for 19 years and sense a reluctance on your part to give credit to service organizations that give millions each year to benefit mankind in your subscription area and worldwide. Rotary, a global network of 1.2-million professional leaders united in humanitarian service, was the first to have the vision of a polio-free world. In fact, Rotary's foresight was the catalyst that sparked the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, which is today spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In February, Rotary joined the Indian government in immunizing a targeted 165-million children. To galvanize communities, Rotary is also working with such organizations as Aligarh Muslim University, community leaders and Indian film and cricket stars to help build critical public awareness. Since 1985, Rotary has committed more than $500-million and thousands of volunteer hours to end the needless suffering from this crippling and deadly disease. Yet, as the world stands at the threshold of victory over polio, a funding shortage remains the greatest threat to this effort. Rotary is currently undertaking a major campaign to raise an additional $80-million which, hopefully, will complete their task of polio eradication worldwide. Anyone wishing to donate can send contributions to the Rotary Foundation at District 6950, P.O. Box 2274, Dunedin, Fla. 34697-2274.
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From the Times Opinion page |
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