Include everyone
I grew up with no religious indoctrination. I never went to a church of any denomination. My experience has been that many who follow a religion think that anyone who does otherwise should change their beliefs.
I have my own beliefs, which I share with those who are interested. I don't try to convince anyone that my way is better, or that they will regret not adopting my outlook.
In the Forsyth County commissioners meetings, why can't a silent moment replace the spoken prayers that include some while excluding others?
The reading of sectarian prayers sends the message that those listening are either included or not. Let everyone be included, even those with no religious affiliations.
CATHERINE A. VANNEMAN
Winston-Salem
Any doubt?
Is there any doubt as to whose fault it is that the United States stock market has taken a severe nose dive? We can blame the GOP for its stubbornness, arrogance and simply plain stupidity for holding the debt ceiling vote hostage for future budget-cut concessions. I agree with the GOP that we must get our financial house in order; however, I question its timing and determination in making their point.
This is the first time the debt-ceiling vote has been stalled, with Congress knowing full well the repercussions if the debt ceiling wasn't passed. However, I wonder did it take in consideration the collateral damage that delaying the vote would cause.
Yes, I believe the GOP is the cause of the present United States stock-market decline. However, as usual, its members will not take responsibility for it; instead they will blame President Obama, because as they say, the buck stops with him. Or does it really?
WILLIAM PATTERSON JR.
Winston-Salem
Spiritual foundation
Attention other world countries: Please send missionaries to America to help us return to our roots of having a spiritual foundation and a reverence of God in our lives.
I am saddened by the attitude that the American people, understanding we are a melting pot, can no longer join together in a moment where we declare that we need a little support and guidance in our lives. Such egotism! Pride comes before a fall. A great fall.
WENDY C. VANCE
Winston-Salem
Predictable
With the predictability of encountering 8-year-olds who had just broken a living-room lamp, the puppets of the GOP lined up at the podium to point to President Obama and say, "He did it," when the credit downgrade happened. Now, as much as I revere, indeed, am in awe of Republicans' ability to straight-faced lie to the American people — one need only to look at Swift Boats, WMDs, "death panels" and their own majority role in ballooning the deficit to realize that they are truly artists in this regard — this one makes me chuckle.
Standard & Poor's two stated reasons for the downgrade were: 1) the lack of needed attention to raising revenues, and 2) the cuts implemented were too little. All one need do is pull the newspaper out of the recycle bin from two weeks ago to read that these same two wishes are what Obama asked for — that we have a balanced approach that included revenues as well as cuts, and that we do something big.
Instead, House Speaker John Boehner and his sycophantic colleagues, lips firmly planted on tea-party backsides, preserved tax cuts for the wealthy and put politics ahead of the country. The result is the downgrade.
Afterward, Boehner said he did it for the people who put him in office. As we watch GOP actions tank middle-class savings yet again, it dawns on me that he wasn't talking about the voters.
J. KEVIN BOKENO
Advance
First class
Everything was first-class at last week's National Black Theatre Festival. Volunteers came together to use their gifts, talents and services to make the festival a success. Everyone has a gift from God, and that's what the volunteers did — they used their God-given gifts, their willingness to be used.
The people volunteer themselves to make the festival happen. They performed their services for the theater festival, and the community and did a wonderful job. It was a pleasure and enjoyment for all of us in the community. Thanks, volunteers, for all the hard work. You made it happen.
CLEO KIMBROUGH
NBTF VOLUNTEER
Winston-Salem
Sum It Up:
Do you think the tea party is effective? Respond to letters@wsjournal.com and put "Sum It Up" in the subject header. Only signed entries please, no anonymous ones. Briefer responses receive preference in print. We will run some responses in this space in a few days.
Correspondent of the Weak
Back to basics
Now that the debt ceiling has been raised, it's time to look for answers.
Let's start with pay reduction of 25 percent for all elected officials from the president down. Trim all expenses and perks for them. Have all of them go on Social Security and do away with their retirement. Have them pay for health insurance like all of us.
Serving as our leaders is a great honor, but not a profession; they work for us and guide this nation. Let them begin by sacrificing and working to return us to the solid footing and ideals our forefathers gave us.
LTE1: A moment of silence is fine. Institute that, drop the suit, quit showboating and wasting money on an unconstitutional crusade.
ReplyDeleteLTE2: The GOP was a factor in the markets' decline. So were the Dems. So were some European economies. So is US unemployment.
LTE3: I'm not sure of this LTE writer's point. I refer her to my comments re LTE1.
LTE4: TB rant. Yes, the R's bear some blame for not raising tax rates, but the Dems backed up on some cuts. Lots of blame to spread around.
LTE5: I'm glad the Festival did well. Perhaps I'll have more time to give it the attention it deserves next year.
Sum It Up: Yes, the Tea Party has had an effect. Whether that effect is relatively benign or malign remains to be seen.
Correspondent of the Weak: wrongo bongo, you get what you pay for. Cut elected officials' pay and benefits, you get rich gadflies, union-bought trained seals, and True Believers.
ReplyDeleteI've pretty much stayed in the LTE shadows, but I am compelled today to agree with you regarding silent prayer. When someone takes the lead in prayer at a government (non-sectarian) function, that government entity should assume the responsibility of making sure that the leader in that prayer does not exlude anyone else in attendance. If that leader does not know how, or refuses, to do so I think individual silent prayer is appropriate.
ReplyDeleteCorrespondent of the Weak
ReplyDeleteWas that a typo of a decedent play on words? I hope the latter. Regardless: I think Federally elected officials (and career federal employees) are already on the same Social Security system the rest of us have - they had their own system until sometime in the 80's when that was eliminated and they were morphed into the man system. Other Perks, like Salary for Life and Premium Health Insurance are different matters.
"decedent" was to be "decent".
ReplyDeleteTEA PARTY (in general terms):
ReplyDeleteI think they have some good goals, but their attitude is a turn-off and their plans unworkable, kinda like "We're driving down the interstate at 70 mph and the wrong direction. Let's ignore the Mack Truck on our left and jump the Jersey barriers to get in the opposite lane NOW." It would seem better to drift right, take the next exit (which might be a few miles down the road), then make a couple left turns (honoring the stop lights at the overpass), then accelerate to merge back on to the Interstate, headed the other way.
It's interesting that a lot of people that write into the editorial page blame the Tea Party for the debt debacle. The decline in the stock market was due to a lot factors, a good many were global in nature, just like back in 2008. However, had the Democrats adopted 'Cut, Cap, and Balance', the stock market would not have taken such a dramatic downturn. It was widely reported that S&P was looking for a serious $4 trillion dollar cut in government spending.
ReplyDeleteSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) immediately tabled 'Cut, Cap, and Balance' without discussion after it was passed in the House of Representatives. We, as Americans, will probably pay dearly in the future for Sen. Reid's action. It was probably the only real chance we had to get our fiscal house in order. Now, we're back on a highway to hell route with no solution in sight.
I'll give the Democrats credit. They make a lot of noise. Since the WS Journal has taken an extreme left turn in its own editorials and reporting, I can see why liberal Democrats flock to the editorial section of the paper and use it to spout their mantras and propaganda.
We spend billions upon billions in wars, and nation building abroad. If we utilized at least some of that money domestically, we wouldn't
be in such dire straits.
One thing I always keep in mind in life. Just because something is said a lot (particularly by Democrats), doesn't make it true.
LUCKY Bucky:
ReplyDelete" ... a lot of people that write into the editorial page blame the Tea Party for the debt debacle."
Really? I inferred the focus was TP's expansion of Congressional Malaise.
"However, had the Democrats adopted 'Cut, Cap, and Balance', the stock market would not have taken such a dramatic downturn."
We're each entitled to an opinion.
"We, as Americans, will probably pay dearly in the future for Sen. Reid's action."
Surely you do not think the current situation (name it: debt, deficit, relocation of manufacturing & the related unemployment, the failure of public education, etc. - let's throw in fungal toenails) as the result of one man or one group of people or one anything ...
"... back on a highway to hell route with no solution in sight."
I have solutions - but chances are you won't like 'em.
I'm gonna snore through your next paragraph, nay: diatribe ...
"We spend billions upon billions in wars, and nation building abroad."
Surely an exclusively Democrat failing.
"Just because something is said a lot (particularly by Democrats), doesn't make it true."
I rest my case.
I'll start bottom up:
ReplyDelete-Is the TEA Party effective? Just look at the volumns of type devoted to them everywhere you look! They are not even a party! A grassroots movement that has no structure or headquarters. Condemnation falls on them for everything from the S&P downgrade, to the markets fall to ring around the collar. What nonsense! Official ruling class Washington fears all grassroots movements as does all governing bodies anywhere for that matter. They could not stop the debt ceiling increase but did manage to put the problem front and center which is why the furor is coming their way. Now something has to be DONE about it and that constipates the ruling class to the point of fits. The challenge was mighty at 14.5 trillion. Maybe an extra 2 trillion will be easier. When the selected "holy dozen" agree to nothing in November, maybe it will be time to turn up the volumn again as we will be well into budget year 2012 and NO budget will be forthcoming from the Democrats in the Senate still.
Kevin Bokene should just stop with both parties have their finger prints on our debt because they do. His take on the S&P is almost word for word script I have seen in other papers and blogs and is phony. A cooked up story line to be sold to try and cover up what is now obvious to anyone watching: our little president Maximus Pontificus is no match for his job and has been sidelined. S&P derives its status and place courtesy OF our government. The rest of his LTE is formula and amounts to rote regurgitation.
ReplyDelete+ 1 on your 11:25 AM, Whitewall .. and on the general topic today submitted a LTE.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Patterson's LTE is similar to the Bokene LTE. This was not the first time a debt ceiling increase was late. It IS the first time the issue was brought out in the open for public view at long last. "The Markets" are not fools. Even the NY Times published the fact that Treasury had already made back up plans to pay obligations in the worst case. All the big players knew this even earlier. Default was a scare tactic that was never going to happen. But it is a convenient part of a 25cent script that the official governing class and their mouth pieces are peddaling for the reason I mentioned earlier. Again, the only two things that resulted from the debt debate are- we are even deeper in debt, and now this fact is on the mind of the electorate. Official DC is not amused.
ReplyDeleteMorning JD. A rare day off?
ReplyDeleteGood PM, folks!
ReplyDeleteYes, JD, a weak play on words, a la, "I get paid weakly."
The federal government helped fund a study that examined what effect a gay man's penis size has on his sex life and general well-being.
ReplyDeleteThe study was among several backed by the National Institutes of Health that have come under scrutiny from a group claiming the agency is wasting valuable tax dollars at a time when the country is trying to control its debt. This particular research resulted in a 2009 report titled, "The Association Between Penis Size and Sexual Health Among Men Who Have Sex with Men."
The study reported, among its findings, that gay men with "below average penises" were more likely to assume a "bottom" sexual position, while those with "above average penises" were more likely to assume a "top" sexual position. Those with average penises identified themselves as "versatile" in the bedroom.
_______________________
See what we've got to look forward to. We'll soon hear presidential debate questions such as, "Are you a pitcher or a catcher"? After all, we don't want to end up with a 'submissive' gay president president.
Heaven help us if we have another president Johnson.
ReplyDeleteGripe #26: people who don't know the difference between a pun and a play on words.
ReplyDeleteI see that Bucking Bucky is getting really "deep" into the research on his favorite topic.
ReplyDeleteHey, Bucking Barney, Barney Frank's toenails are smarter than you are. Of course, you already knew that, didn't you. Does he paint them? What color?
ReplyDeleteIf Barney is so smart, why did he force banks to give underqualified home buyers loans which resulted in the collapse of the housing market?
ReplyDeleteI guess he was distracted during that period by his boyfriend's gay prostitution ring that was being run out of his Washington apartment, huh?
I didn't say that Barney is smart, although he IS smarter than his toenails. Where does that leave you?
ReplyDeleteBucky, your obsession is well-exhibited today. I think your point is made. Let's change the subject. Please note that while the operator of the LTE Forum Branch Office is center-right, the LTE comments page is not, welcomes different opinions, is for the expression of all viewpoints reasonably presented. And, on this page and the others, diversity is welcome, including sexual orientation, race/ethnic heritage, political outlook, even union supporters. I have jousted with several folks in the Readers' Forum. Some have joined us. I wish others would.
ReplyDelete