Caring for others
The writer of the letter "Something to say" (Aug. 28) intended to cite Scripture to prove that the Bible instructs government to care for all of the needs of the poor. But two of the three Scriptures he cited stated it was the community or church that should do these things, not the government. That is instructive.
I strongly believe in caring for those less fortunate. My church collects canned food and clothing and grows a garden for this purpose. We will help Habitat build a house this week. My civic club helped the YMCA take kids shopping for school clothes, and we will run a mentoring program again this year. Nearly every local community assistance program is appropriate, efficient and wonderful.
But every federal government program winds up with waste, abuse and fraud. Free school lunches are wonderful (although I see a lot of them dumped in the trash), but why should taxpayers pay for free cellphones, and the advertisements for them? Shouldn't a cellphone be something a person should work to earn?
Let's stop inciting class warfare and give folks the opportunity and the incentive to better their lives. Remember John F. Kennedy and "Ask not what your country can do for you ..."? Whatever happened to that?
ROY COLLETTE
Kernersville
Unanswered questions
The writer of the letter "Delving deeper" (Sept. 5) wants to know, "Where did the matter/singularity come from?"
The answer is that no one knows, but we might find out someday.
In an earlier letter, "Complexity and order" (Aug. 1), this same writer wrote, "There is an architect, and the Higgs boson is only one of his many marvels." But in "Delving deeper," he writes, "I do not believe in the supernatural by default …"
But since he believes in an unnamed "architect," it seems to me like he does believe in the supernatural by default. Or maybe aliens.
If the answer to every unanswered question is, "God did it," then over time, as we learn more and more, God will get smaller and smaller.
PERRY MITCHELL
Winston-Salem
Sum It Up
The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Was the Democratic National Convention a success?
The Democratic National Convention successfully refuted the lies, deception, falsehoods, misleading statements and mischaracterization of the Obama administration's records and policies.
BOON T. LEE
Yes, the Democratic convention was a success, a success for the Democrats and a success for our state.
SUZANNE CARROLL
Yes, but I thought more people would have attended.
WILLIAM SAMS
Yes — if success is measured by expressions of resentment and entitlement.
DEB PHILLIPS
Yes, very successful at proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that our current commander in chief is an outstanding husband and father ... while at the same time proving just as dramatically that his vision and plan for transforming America must be derailed in the upcoming election.
RICK STEGALL
Without question. It conclusively demonstrated the Democratic Party has successfully institutionalized death and perversion in their platform.
LESLIE M. MYERS JR.
If spending a lot of other peoples' money and receiving nothing for it equals success, then the DNC was a success.
MONA POTTS
Yes, even God was reinstated over the majority objections of the left-wing loons.
DON WOLFE
No, and only that Hail Mary pass by player No. 1, God Jerusalem, saved them all from being swallowed up by damnation.
LLOYD V. EVANS II
"Yes — if success is measured by expressions of resentment and entitlement. ~~ Deb Phillips".
ReplyDeleteMs. Phillips succinctly set the pace for the day ~ ~ gloom and doom.
I don't see Obama handing out any red roses, or cutting any taxes, so yes, it is gloom and doom.
DeleteYou've got to be certifiably nuts to vote for Obama if you plan on retiring with any money in your pocket.
I don't think I've ever indicated who I will vote for.
DeleteLTE #1...Caring for others.
ReplyDeleteDo insurance agents go dumpster diving a lot at public schools? I know personally quite a few seniors whose free phones have been life savers. I also know a lot of people who are eligible for free phones that pay for phone service because the life line phones only provide 250 minutes/month. It would be great if Churches could provide for the needs of all communities but they can't. Regardless of what the Bible says, as written in the Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 8: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States. If food for kids and lifeline service for the poor is not in the general welfare, I don't know what is.
Imagine this scenario: As a part of its efforts to fight hunger, the State of Illinois gives out a number of grant contracts to private agencies that run food bank programs. One of these grants goes to the Catholic Church’s social services arm, Catholic Charities, which runs a number of food bank programs in several Illinois cities. Soon, state investigators discover that Catholic Charities has imposed a severe condition on its food bank program: They will not distribute the food to hungry families unless the recipients sign an affidavit stating that none of the family members are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Illinois then terminates its grant to Catholic Charities. The group immediately files suit claiming religious discrimination, and conservative legislators repeatedly introduce new legislation in an attempt to exempt all religious organizations from having to follow the state’s human rights laws even when they are using state money to fund their programs.
DeleteThere is an easy cure that little problem, Bob. Just tell the Catholic Church to shut down their food program for the needy.
DeleteLet 'em starve. That would make more sense to liberals. It always principle over substance to them.
There is a little something called 'freedom of religion' in the Constitution, even though liberals want to change it to fit into their self-righteous world.
DeleteWhat word do I usually use? That's right! Pathetic.
The point is, Bucky, the Church was receiving public funds, but refusing to serve all the public. Come on, are you that dense? (rhetorical question) I'm afraid private charities do not always serve all the needy.
DeleteStop giving them public funds. Simple.
DeleteWhat are they(the state)giving them? Money for the food? It doesn't make sense to me.
You have to have some sense in order to make sense of things.
DeleteBob, I don't think you want me to respond to that statement.
Delete"Of course, we have a First Amendment. And under the First Amendment, people are allowed to do what they feel they want to do." Mitt Romney OH?
ReplyDeleteCaring for others. We are a long way away from JFKs admonishment of "ask not what your country can do...." Today it is just "stomp your foot and demand it".
ReplyDeleteAsk not what your country can do for you, ask which country makes the best off-shore tax haven while my country protects my investment interests around the world.
ReplyDeleteDo you ever wonder why there are legal offshore tax havens?
DeleteSeldom, and I've never questioned their legality, just the patriotism of those who use them to avoid paying taxes in the country that gives them the greatest opportunity and best military defense.
DeleteThese things enjoy bi partisan support in Congress....off camera mind you. Members use them too.
DeleteI have no doubt. It's estimated there's about 32 Trillion in offshore tax havens.
DeleteTrillion? With a T? That would have to be a global total from all economies.
DeleteLONDON | Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:02am EDT
Delete(Reuters) - Rich individuals and their families have as much as $32 trillion of hidden financial assets in offshore tax havens, representing up to $280 billion in lost income tax revenues, according to research published on Sunday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/22/us-offshore-wealth-idUSBRE86L03U20120722
It does represent the super rich from 139 countries. I understand tax havens, but if Americans want to live in the best country in the world to do business and remain the world's only superpower, it just costs a little more.
Deletethat's what I thought, it is global total. Offshoring is the only defense against corrupt home governments and bad monetary/tax policy available. Just this month, stories have appeared about Greek, Spanish and French citizens sending their cash out of their countries before it is too late. Things will get worse as America has now fully joined those EU nations with yesterday's capitulation by the Federal Reserve Chair Satan.
DeleteCorruption is widespread in Governments and the super rich and they tend to be interconnected.
DeleteAfraid so. Greece started off dominating the news in Europe 2 years ago. People with money got out and this is a good thing. What will eventually rebuild Greece after it collapses and leaves the Euro, will be the repatriation of Capital from off shore. If it was not off shored, it would have just been seized by the government and symbolically burned through as if it was thrown on a bon fire in the middle of the street.
DeleteTax evasion is a Greek national pastime. ATHENS — In the wealthy, northern suburbs of this city, where summer temperatures often hit the high 90s, just 324 residents checked the box on their tax returns admitting that they owned pools. So tax investigators studied satellite photos of the area — a sprawling collection of expensive villas tucked behind tall gates — and came back with a decidedly different number: 16,974 pools.
DeleteWow! Drain the pools and export your cash.
DeleteMethinks there is a missing "." between the 3 and the 2. For one, $280B is less than 1% of $32T which seems to be an awfully low tax estimate. Also, consider that it will take 100,000 individuals to squirrel away $10M a piece in liquid assets just to have a total of $1T. For there to be $32T would translate into 3.2M having $10M in liquid assets that could be saved in offshore accounts. Granted we are talking about the 1% of 1% (3.2M does represent ~0.05% of the population), but still 320k sounds a lot more realistic than 3.2M.
DeleteThe tax rate in the US
ReplyDelete1950 $400,000 - and over 84.357%
1960 $400,000 - and over 91.0%
1970 $200,000 - and over 71.75%
now the top tax rate is 35%, s what's the complaint? Do we want to continue being a superpower or not?
Why do we have to attack the rich. Is this Venezuela or the United States of America?
DeleteSure health costs have risen, but that's because we are keeping people alive longer and curing and fixing things we've never been able to do before. Most of our medical costs are spent on senior care and people like myself with long term manageable illnesses. R&D is expensive, so we face a moral/fiscal dilemma.
ReplyDeleteThere was an article in the paper the other day that stated there were hundreds of billions in unnecessary medical tests, paperwork and fraud wasted each year.
DeleteWhy doesn't the Obama Administration focus on stopping the fraud? Because it's easier for it to tax people more, than to hold people accountable.
DeleteI don't doubt it, dotnet. Bucky, get a clue. HS Secretary Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder announce a new public-private partnership to fight fraud. Participants include federal and state governments and groups working to fight health care fraud. A few of the partners: Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association
DeleteIn a massive crackdown on Medicare fraud, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force arrested and charged 91 people, including physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals in false billing schemes worth $295 million, announced Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder yesterday.
Described as the single biggest takedown in Strike Force history, this is the highest amount of false Medicare billings at one time.
Bob, you've said two things that give me indigestion: Holder and Sebelius. Anytime those two are involved in anything, there is nothing comparable to justice around.
DeleteHey, look at the bright side. If Obama is reelected, I'll be around for four more years ripping the shreds out of that administration's inept policies and actions.
DeleteThe biggest medicare fraud bust in history.
DeleteIndigestion....Bob. Indigestion!
DeleteGood afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: Theological argument. "But every federal government program winds up with waste, abuse and fraud." - that parroted line is really tired. "Shouldn't a cellphone be something a person should work to earn?" - if one has a job, then sure. Many retired before cell phones became omnipresent.
LTE 2: I also noticed the contradiction. The question becomes will the answers and any derived technological breakthroughs come from here in the US, or will we decide simply that "God did it, it's too complex to answer" and punt to SE Asia to reap the rewards.
Sum it up: My answer's the same as for the RNC: didn't watch it, so I don't know. The DNC is a pep rally just like the RNC. The responses were predictable.
I watched part of the DNC, because I wanted to see Sandra Fluke speak. And she confirmed what I had earlier thought: That she's related to Rush somehow.
DeleteI 'love' how she gives a 'sneer' every third word.
She goes to $100,000 a year school, but she can't afford birth control.
What's the word? Pathetic!
Bucky, you would need an extension ladder just to look pathetic in the eyes.
DeleteI've seen pathetic, and much worse with my eyes closed when Democrats are around.
DeleteIt unbelievable what these Democrats do. I can't even make up the stuff they do, it's so bizarre.
DeleteTry me? Tell me what "these Democrats do."
DeleteI sure hope somebody is keeping tabs on 'Anthony Weiner'. Geeeez!
DeleteI think Neil Horsley is watching. You just can't go one day without thinking about weiner. I'll bet you dream in living weiner.
DeleteWell, Mitty has completely lost it now:
ReplyDeleteIn an interview with ABC News Thursday evening, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney suggested that, after all was said and done, the Obama administration concluded that his criticism of their handling of yesterday's embassy attacks was valid.
“What I said was exactly the same conclusion the White House reached, which was that the statement was inappropriate. That’s why they backed away from it as well,” Romney told George Stephanopoulos.
What he actually said was to accuse the President of sympathizing with the attackers. He has joined the ranks of the birthers.
The statement in question was not made by the President. It was made by the US embassy in Cairo. It was made before the attacks took place. And it was not an apology.
Romney is counting on fools like Dunce who don't bother to find out what is really going on...that's the only hope he has left.
Obama is counting on the nitwits of the world like Rush. No sane, thinking individuals would vote for Obama at this stage in history.
DeleteEmbassies attack in Tunisia and the Sudan, KFC attacked in Lebanon.
ReplyDelete________
I'd be really pissed if that would have been a Chick-fil-A.
People must think Obama is at least half Muslim and won't do anything about the attacks. What else can explain it?
Apparently Obama and 'Ace' administration knew about the potential attack in Cairo over the anti-Muslim film.
DeleteHmmmmmmmm?
Clinton could have captured Usama in the 90s, and Obama could have prepared for the attack in Cairo. But it's George Bush's fault. Do Democrats ever make sense?
Knew about a potential attack? How so? I'm positive the film maker knew his so called "free speech" would incited violence and it was meant to do so.
DeleteMcCain: Libya a 'Terrorist Attack'
DeleteThe liberal media is going to work hard to keep this one buried. Gotta get Obama elected you know.
They attacked KFC because they like Chick-fil-A...all hysterical fumblementalist dunces do.
ReplyDeleteDemocrats are at it AGAIN!
ReplyDeleteHR 4646 sponsored by a Democrat would 'tax', it oughta be a four letter word, all incoming and outgoing money from your bank account by 1%.
Democrats just love to tax, and do the other word (hint: it has four letters) to us.
HR 4646 was introduced in 2010 Status: died (referred to committee) was reintroduced as HR 1125 march 16, 2011,
DeleteTo establish a fee on transactions which would eliminate the national debt and replace the income tax on individuals.
Status: referred to committee March 16, 2011,
This bill was assigned to a congressional committee on March 16, 2011, which will consider it before possibly sending it on to the House or Senate as a whole.
DeletePROGNOSIS:
This bill has a 0% chance of being enacted.
Stop with the stupid crap and at least try to be challenging if at all possible. Ho Hum.
DeletePhargo, if he stopped the stupid crap he wouldn't have anything left to post. See below.
DeleteIt doesn't have a chance NOW, but what if the no good, mangy Democrats get back in control?
DeleteIf we've got a Chick-fil-A in Lebanon, I hope Obama has the decency to put out extra guards over there.
DeleteI might get hungry the next time I'm in Beirut.
Dunce, the world traveler.
DeleteABCs for some tambù at the El Gato Negro.
Philly for gourmet fare at the Le Bec-fin
Cold Mountain for a hike without a view.
Next he'll be hitting Mt. Airy for a pork chop sandwich.
I have been to 'Snappy's' as a matter of fact.
DeleteIn short, Rush...., anywhere you've been, I've probably been somewhere 'better'.
Of course, that won't be a surprise to the forum.
Better hurry back for another pork chop cardiac special, because Charlie Dowell just died and who knows how much longer the grease pit will stay open. And since Charlie's name was not "Snappy's", the place isn't called "Snappy's".
DeleteWhole bus loads of tourists have been known to have synchronized heart attacks. No wonder Dunce has to run .5 miles a day.
People that took me there said it was called Snappy's. Since they lived there, I took their word for it.
DeleteOne pork chop sandwich won't kill 'ya. Smoking a bag of pot a day for 30 years, will...hint hint.
Charlie Dowell was in the Golden Living nursing home for the past year. I asked Susan about Snappy's. She said it was gross, she couldn't eat there. She mentioned "grilled fried greasy pork chops," said Oprah Winfrey went there once, ordered one, then wouldn't eat it.
Delete"In short, Rush...., anywhere you've been, I've probably been somewhere 'better'.
DeleteDX: The "Mine is bigger than yours" syndrome.
(I doubt it)
Rielle, you just can't get over the fact that you were wrong about my identity, can you?
DeleteYou used to like me at one time. I guess that went out the window when I started exposing the fact that illegals are/have been registering to vote.
DeleteTell the truth for a change. You've seen and heard them register, haven't you?
By the way Rush, while you were sitting on your Democrat yesterday, I hiked this trail.
Deletehttp://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/boogerman_loop.htm
__________
Sorry I wasn't around yesterday to tell you how pathetic you are, but some people have to get out and just 'Do it'!
Stab, Susan has it right...gross. In addition, you have to take a shower after eating one of those grease chops. Ugh!
DeleteWatching those senior citizen tour buses arrive and disgorge their starving hordes is frightening. I'll bet the single bathroom on board is very busy the rest of the day. And I always wonder if every tour includes a resident doctor.
Of course, the Snappy is not the only place like that. I've seen it all over the country. Maybe we should work on enacting some kind of national health bill...oops, we already did.
LaSombra, thanks for your comment. Gotta love Dunce's disconnect from reality.
DeleteYou used to like me at one time. I guess that went out the window when I started exposing the fact that illegals are/have been registering to vote.
Tell the truth for a change. You've seen and heard them register, haven't you?
Did anyone ever "like" Dunce, including his parents?
And I have to ask, when the only time he leaves his basement is for chemical chicken runs, how does he "see or hear" anything except for his frequent viewings online of Weiner's wiener?
Remember John F. Kennedy and "Ask not what your country can do for you ..."? Whatever happened to that?
ReplyDelete--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROY COLLETTE
_______
That went out the door when OBAMA got elected, and he started offering 'food stamps' to everybody that wanted them.
Protesters in Muslim countries are chanting 'God is Great'.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear what happens when Democrats tell them there is no God.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012/09/14/middle-east-protests-spread-to-more-countries/57780766/1
U.S. downgraded again. I'd hate to see what our economy would look like if Obama were doing a 'bad' job, according to Democrats. Geez!
ReplyDelete