Winston-Salem Journal LTE TU 10/02/12

One voice for many

I am but one voice, but I know there are many who feel the same way I do.

American is our home, America is our country. Let us put aside standing behind a party because we have always done so.

It’s time to think with our hearts in regard to what is happening to the land of the free. This is a matter of great importance. President Obama has tried and failed. His record speaks for itself.

It’s like a huge train running off the tracks and heading for a high cliff. We need a new president to get the train back on the tracks and moving in a safe direction.

I feel in my heart that God in his wisdom has placed Mitt Romney before us for this purpose.

Remember this when you go to the polls to vote. Use common sense and search your heart to do what is best for America.

JOAN BYRD

Clemmons

Let our veterans down

I am frustrated, obsessed and downright angry that once again, we have let our veterans down by voting against the recent Bill S3457 Veterans Job Corp Act (“Roll call,” Sept. 23).

Unemployment among veterans is now up to 11 percent and there are between 130,000 and 200,000 veterans homeless in America on any given night. This number will be rising as more veterans come home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

This bill was for job creation for veterans, not a handout! With Republicans ranting about people depending on government assistance, it is hypocritical to vote against a program that will surely add to those needing food stamps, housing assistance, etc.

Sen. Richard Burr's reasoning for voting against this bill is that it will only create temporary jobs. Ask any veteran coming home if they want a temporary job or no job. The answer is quite obvious. Ironically, Bill S3457, introduced by Patty Murray (D. Washington) included all of Burr's ideas for the bill.

Whether Republican or Democrat, this is a bipartisan issue. We as Americans need to take care of the people who are taking care of us. If we ask our young men and women to volunteer to go to war, how then can we not develop as many programs as possible to help them reenter civilian life?

GINNY N. BRITT

Winston-Salem

God blesses people

In a day in which most news articles are about crime or politics, it was such an inspiration to read the story about Ernest Hargrove's family reunion, “The stuff of dreams” (Sept. 27). It is refreshing to be reminded that God still blesses people with dreams and places other people in a position to see those dreams become reality.

Thank you, Sharon Stacy of Monarch for being “God's hands extended” and thank you, special correspondent Carl Crothers, for sharing this story with us.

God is good and he is faithful!

BOBBY AND PATTIE MITCHELL

Mocksville

Regaining wealth

Very interesting, the AP story “Americans regaining their lost wealth” (Sept. 21).

According to a Federal Reserve report, “gains in stock and home equity since the last quarter ended likely have raised household wealth to within 5 percent of its peak before the recession.”

Also, “Tumbling home and stock prices during the recession cost Americans nearly one-fourth of their wealth. From a prerecession peak of $67.4 trillion in the fall of 2007, household wealth plummeted to $51.2 trillion in early 2009. As of the April-June quarter, it had climbed back to $62.7 trillion.”

So the economy, on Wall Street and Main Street, has improved quite a bit these last three years.

But that’s not what they say on Fox News.

BILLY C. MEADOWS

Winston-Salem