Austerity hysteria II
Too many uninformed politicians are pushing us toward austerity. They advocate deficit-reduction policies in our weak economy similar to those that have caused the economies in Great Britain, Ireland, Spain and Greece to sink. They want to cut public spending to balance the budget, but not do anything to put people back to work and thereby revive our economy. If we support their policies, our country, like those in Europe, will remain stuck in an economic downturn with more of us without jobs and poor.
What we now need in Washington are legislators who will commit to growing our way out of the hole we are in and in so doing create more jobs. One obvious step would be for the government to make a major public investment to rebuild our roads, bridges, airports, and modern public transportation systems. We should also replace our current energy system that is dependent on fossil fuel with green-energy production.
We should pay for these and other vital priorities by revamping our tax code so that multinational corporations and the wealthiest 1 percent of our citizens pay their fair share of taxes going to efforts to revive our economy. And right now, because of the recession, the federal government can borrow money at record low interest rates to finance a range of economic stimulus efforts.
The obsession with budget deficits borders on the absurd; the big deficits of recent years are entirely the result of the economic downturn. The solution is obvious.
STANTON TEFFT
Winston-Salem
Policy of intolerance
This is in response to the l etter “ Potential c onsequences ” in the Feb. 5 Journal. I also am not a prophet, but for the writer’s grandson’s sake , I hope he wasn't born gay, because I do believe that would end the writer’s love for him. According to him , h is grandson would then be a child molester and a rapist ( “ gay leaders and gay S couts will not only engage in sexual behavior with each other but also will attempt to do so with S couts who are not gay"). Gay people obviously aren't able to control their deviant behavior.
The writer’s ignorance is disgusting not to just every member of the LGBT community, but to the intelligent members of the straight community , also.
I kept my son out of the B oy S couts because of their policy of intolerance . I would be proud to have my (future) grandchild join if they end the discrimination and begin a policy of acceptance.
I hope every parent and grandparent will do whatever is necessary, but legal, to spread the message of love and acceptance for everyone, no matter if they are gay/straight, black/white, man/woman, etc.
TRACEY BECKER MESZAROS
King
Irresponsible
In response to your Feb. 3 article "Shootings spark debate on video game violence:"
Easy access to guns? Nope. Mental illness? Nope. Absentee parents? Nope. Video game violence? Yes!
It is beyond irresponsible to use the video game industry as a scapegoat for the fact that we don't have politicians who have the political guts to stand up to the NRA; that we don't have politicians with the guts to make sure there is full access to health care for the mentally ill; and that parents allow children to play games that are not made for them and should never be playing in the first place.
This article should never have been published. At the very least it should have had the other side of the story. And no, the small part of avoiding scapegoating doesn't make up for the fact that the article quotes gamers, but makes sure to point out that one is unemployed. It also states that parents and ratings matter, but fails to mention that a 13-year-old should never play Grand Theft Auto.
If you want to point out video games as part of the problem it is at best 1/4 of a problem, not the whole problem. The article is weakly written and despite saying that violence in video games is a "common denominator" it can only cite two shootings 12 years apart.
The Journal can do better than this and it should.
WILL SCHEIPERS
Winston Salem
Expand Medicaid
In the aftermath of the mass shooting of elementary-aged children at Sandy Hook Elementary School there has been much talk from politicians and experts about the need to increase access to mental-health care. I agree. The problem is especially acute in our state.
Many of our working but poor citizens cannot access care (mental health or medical) because they lack insurance. Unless one is poor and pregnant or disabled, it is nearly impossible as an adult to get Medicaid health insurance in North Carolina. Yet this group includes many who are in need of mental health care.
By accepting the federal dollars now available to expand Medicaid (“ McCrory reserving Medicaid decision,” Feb. 1) , our state government could provide over 500,000 more adult North Carolinians with the insurance they need to access care. We should not let this opportunity pass us by.
DR. ARTHUR KELLEY
Winston-Salem
