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By Times Staff
Published January 27, 2008

Economic stimulus

Fixed-income investors losing

More rate cuts to bail out the banks that overextended their level of risk by loaning money to the credit unworthy. Why? So they, too, could cash in on the rising real estate market? They rolled the dice and lost, but we continue to bail them out.

Those of us that have been conscientious about managing our money are getting hurt! We're not "credit abusers" and we take a conservative approach to investing. When the Fed lowers rates, rates on savings accounts and CDs drop, hurting anyone that prefers, or depends on, the security of fixed-income investments.

If the Fed wants to stimulate the economy, it had better pay attention to the impact it is having on fixed-income investors. We are losing discretionary income every day.

Bill McGlynn, Odessa

Stimulus package is a short-term fix

The financial stimulus package under consideration by Congress and the Bush administration is at best a short-term fix for our ailing economy. It will exacerbate our already problematic over $9-trillion federal deficit. The dollar will continue to devalue, putting American assets on the sale block for foreign investors.

The stimulus could be spent, which is the government's intent, rather than saved. This could lead to stagflation, where prices continue to climb and job creation is in decline. American businesses may not get the benefit of this spending, because much of it will be spent on imports, stimulating their economies, and adding to their cash surplus. Does Washington really believe that a service economy and conspicuous consumer spending will result in a strong economy?

The government needs to create financial incentives to save and build capital. Businesses and corporations need reduced taxes and red tape to allow them to produce a quality product at a competitive price. When we spend more than we have, governments, individuals and businesses get poorer. As we have seen the past few weeks, some of America's biggest financial firms have turned to Asians for multibillion-dollar cash infusions. Last year, foreign investors poured a record $414-billion into securing stakes in U.S. companies, factories and other properties. Having traveled abroad some, I realize that America is the only place I desire to live, but as stated in the Bible, it is the debtor who will become the slave of the lender.

Rob Chapman, Dunedin

Hunt for jobs gets tougher Jan. 29

Was intention to scare readers?

Reading the entire article, I find out at the end of a seven-column article that in fact Florida is actually below the national rate and "by historical standards" far below the 1970s and even 1990s.

It was my understanding that the overview of an article should appear in the first paragraph or at the least a better editing of the headline: "Jobs in Florida are there if you have the right skills." In the first paragraph, Helen Huntley could have provided information that gives hope for our employment future: where the jobs are as she did at the end of the article and how we are much better than both the national average and past history. This would lead me to believe that in fact the purpose was not to inform us, but to frighten us. Where was the editor? Did the editor read the article?

Stephanie Phillips, Clearwater

What's your salary? They may know Jan. 22

We should compare wages

If all that is known at "Work Number" (Equifax), can someone write an article comparing the salaries of jobs gone outside the United States vs. the wage/salary of the new jobs created that we hear the politicians bragging about?

For example, what was the average and range of the wages of the 700 workers at the Hershey plant that is moving to Mexico vs. the average wages of the new jobs created in Pennsylvania the last year?

Curtis O. Zeigler, Land O'Lakes

Publix tipping policy

Want to tip? Just ask again

At least at the Publix store where I shop, the baggers apparently are allowed to accept tips so long as they refuse a tip when it is first offered. If I try again to convince the bagger to take my tip, he or she does. I tip whenever a bagger pushes my cart out and helps me load its contents into my car, and the technique of repeating the tip offer always works.

I like this policy because I don't believe that people who need assistance with their groceries should feel obligated to tip. However, people who sincerely want to tip the baggers are not prevented from doing so - they just need to know not to take the first no for an answer.

Susan Dunlevy, Tampa

Smart car

Other cars get good mileage, too

My 1997 four-door, standard-transmission Honda Civic LX is small, not tiny, but I spent only $14,500 for it new, and I get 33 to 35 mpg all the time with this 10-year-old car. The only exception occurs when I drive the interstate at very high speed. Then the mpg sinks to 29 to 30. The Fortwo doesn't seem too "Smart" to me, or it has a great PR man!

Lois H. Fries, Largo

Carmakers embrace green change Jan. 15

'Plugging in' just isn't practical

The concept is great! Just plug in your car and it's ready to go in the morning, like charging a cell phone.

But it seems that nobody has realized a minor problem exists: Even if the price of these practical "green machines" were within reach of the average person, how are most people going to charge them?

I estimate that 60 to 70 percent of residents live in a high-rise apartment complex, a condominium or a house that has no garage, meaning they have to park in the lot or on the street in front of the place and charging the car would be difficult.

The complexity and cost of providing an extension cord to charge up would be out of range for most. Rather than a "pure" electric car, the hybrid model seems more logical - a little gas engine charges the batteries as you go. Nothing else appears to be practical.

Ron Greider, St. Petersburg

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[Last modified January 25, 2008, 21:57:18]