Winston-Salem Journal LTE's MO 10/03/11

Good AM, folks! Thank you, WW, for the well wishes!

OK, just enough time to post the LTE's and get moving. No time to over 'em one by one, but I note the suggestion to end Saturday mail deliveries. Fine with me. I recall a time when between jobs, I could have stood mail delivery to have been ended the other six days, also ;)

Another LTE writer suggests adopting biblical morality. Which morality does she suggest?

OK, take 'em to task. Have a good day.

Time to get serious

As a senior citizen, husband, father of three children, stepfather to two and grandfather to eight, soon to be nine, I am concerned about the future of our country, for them and for myself. We are in two arguably questionable, horribly expensive wars that we have no easy way to exit. We are spending more money than we take in, with Democrats wanting to spend even more and Republicans wanting to tax less, and both apparently unwilling to compromise. Politicians want their positions as a profession instead of being temporary public servants, re-election being their main and many times only priority. I agree with Lee Iacocca: "Where Have All the Leaders Gone?"

In 2008, I was one of the Republicans who helped elect our current president for the "change" he promised. It is time to get serious and establish term limits for all politicians, amend the Constitution to require a balanced budget, get out of the two wars, bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and refocus on our own country, including illegal immigration, infrastructure and especially education.

I have a hard time understanding why some of our problems are so difficult to solve. For instance, the Post Office is in serious trouble. It has been procrastinating too long. Someone please step forward and lead. No mail on Saturday, close the appropriate locations, and increase postage enough to make up the difference.

It seems simple enough to me. May God continue to bless America.

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CLARENCE PEOPLES
Clemmons

Speak out
Upon pondering recent events in our nation and world, I am reminded of history and the Western civilization upon which our government was founded. We are seeing today the same progression toward decay that eventually destroyed the Roman Empire centuries ago.

With the abandonment of moral absolutes, biblical values and a true adherence to the Decalogue, we find deterioration in our culture, government and economy that may lead to the same destruction to which history bears witness.

Francis Schaeffer gives this ominous warning in his book, "How Should We Then Live?" which urges followers of Christ to speak out against culture and government when they are in conflict with moral absolutes and biblical world-views. "If we as Christians do not speak out as authoritarian governments grow from within or come from outside, eventually we or our children will be the enemy of society and the state. No truly authoritarian government can tolerate those who have a real absolute by which to judge its arbitrary absolutes and who speak out and act upon that absolute" (pg. 256).

Christians do not need to be in the majority to influence society; moreover, we must not be silent. To not act upon what we believe is very dangerous to our society and our world, which is in great need of salt and light. Let Christians come out of the prayer closet and into the realm of acting out the moral values of the Bible.

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LISA BURKHOLDER
Pfafftown

Real people
All this Republican ideological talk about ending Medicare and Social Security ignores the fact that there are real people receiving — and needing — the benefits. Before these programs existed, most Americans ended their lives in squalor and poverty. That should not happen in what conservatives like to call "the greatest country in the world."

So most of the federal budget goes toward these benefits? Good. What else should our collective resources go to — invading another country?

If the numbers don't add up, if it looks like the resources may be depleted, then our elected leaders should do what it necessary to shore them up — not destroy the most successful collective programs we ever came up with.

"Socialism?" If caring for others makes me a socialist, then I'm a socialist. Go demonize someone else.

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MARK B. HOWARD
Winston-Salem

In full support
I have attended tea-party events. I am in full support of the tea party's agenda — which is to bring fiscal self-control to the federal government.

I am a pure-blooded conservative. I believe in the U.S. Constitution. I'm a strict constructionist. I don't care for all of the amendments to it, but that's a different argument entirely.

I support helping those who are truly in need in society, but I am against the current structure of federal entitlement programs. It serves only to exaggerate and perpetuate poverty.

I support Herman Cain and his conservative, common-sense, morally sound, fiscally practical principles. I believe his 9-9-9 tax proposal is fair to all. Everyone would pay the same rate of tax and therefore "pay their fair share." Rich people make more money and therefore would pay more in taxes — no exceptions. It's time the not-so-rich Americans started paying "their fair share" as well. They need to have "skin in the game," too. No more free passes.

I support Herman Cain. But I guess I'm still a racist since I support the tea party, eh? What does that make Herman Cain?

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WES PATTERSON
Winston-Salem