Obama tax plan is far from socialist
The charge that Obama’s tax plan is socialist is highly inaccurate. Obama’s plan is traditional American. He would simply restore tax levels on those making more than $250,000 to the same levels as during the strong economic years of the Clinton administration, by allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire for those wealthy individuals. This is the same argument McCain made when the tax cuts were enacted.
Closer to socialism is the bank nationalizations that took place under Bush, with McCain’s support. Are Bush and McCain socialists?
Reagan signed the Earned Income Tax Credit into law early in his presidency to support low-income workers, praising the earned income tax credit as the best “anti-poverty” and “pro-family” legislation ever! Was Reagan socialist too?
Taxes redistribute wealth. Major metropolitan areas of the country pay a disproportionate amount of taxes compared to what is received in return. If rural areas had to rely only on their own tax dollars to fund their portions of interstate highways and other federally maintained roads, for example, they could not do so. McCain would not have highways to get from city airports to those rural communities where he likes to campaign, and that Palin calls “the real America.”
The Republican tax schemes of the last eight years disregard the working and middle class. Under current tax law, a hedge fund manager making millions pays less in taxes than his chauffeur.
Currently, the wealthy keep getting wealthier on the backs of the working and middle class, who see their real income deteriorate. That is hardly fair. The Republican scheme is more like the distribution of wealth from the populace to the controlling classes in order to maintain an autocratic system that one would expect in Russia or Venezuela, and not the United States.
ó Rod Goins
Salisbury
John McCain’s facts speak for themselvesMy vote for McCain/Palin has everything to do with who I feel in my gut truly is the better candidate, who I feel really will always have our back(s) and who I feel is the more honest and trustworthy.
John McCain running negative ads? I don’t agree. Facts are facts. When did it become acceptable to associate and serve on boards with someone like Ayers, an unrepentant bomber, when Obama had presidential aspirations? What does Obama understand about American people that we don’t know ourselves?
Completely off the point, I can’t help but wonder what influence Ayers has on his students now. When I was a student, my teachers were my role models. As far as Palin’s experience ó someone tell me ó is Obama any more experienced?
I believe McCain when he says he’s not Bush. I believe he will do everything he can to turn our country back into one that can take pride in itself. I trust the man. He spent five years in a POW camp, he turned down an early release. Why can’t the facts just speak for themselves for once? I’m naive enough to still have faith in a person based on his actions, and McCain’s actions back up his words.
ó Sandy Smith
Salisbury
Obama has integrity, GOP has lost its way “Your father would be rolling over in his grave to know you’re an Obama Mama,” they say. I reply, “My dad would be rolling over in his grave if he could see the Republican Party today that he loved so much and served so well.”
My dad was Bill Miller, who ran for vice president with Barry Goldwater in 1964. His values reflected the old GOP mantra: fiscal responsibility, limited government, peace through strength, separation of religion from politics.
I believe the party in general and George Bush in particular no longer represent in any fashion what my father stood for.
We have the biggest deficit in history. Government is so powerful on the one hand it robs us of our liberties in the name of fighting terrorism, but so deliberately powerless on the other as to allow private enterprise to run amok. “Trickle down” economics doesn’t seem to have narrowed the growing disparity between rich and poor. We’re in a misguided war for deceptive reasons. Religion has become a litmus test for patriotism. Issues that were not topical in my dad’s day ó health care, gay rights, environmental integrity ó seem only to be fairly addressed by Democrats.
Campaigns are always ugly, but I find the Republican brand lately ó labeling Obama a terrorist, not seeing America as we do ó reprehensible and divisive. What’s happened to America the melting pot, to our history of celebrating difference?
In fact, I can’t imagine a finer person than Obama to bridge our nation’s divisions: half white, he knows white America; half black, he knows black America; a resident in his youth of the Muslim country of Indonesia … how we could use someone with some knowledge and understanding of the Islamic world! How regrettable he can’t trumpet that without being accused of encouraging the next jihad on America.
I admire and respect Obama’s youthful vigor, intelligence, vision, wisdom, judgment, integrity and temperament and feel he is ever the leader our country so desperately needs at this critical juncture.
ó Mary Miller James
Salisbury
Raymond Coltrain a man of wisdomI have been asked several times to write a letter to the editor supporting candidates but have never done so, until now. I believe in the strength, wisdom and tact of Raymond Coltrain and encourage Rowan County to vote for him. I already have.
Raymond is the sort of man we all respect. He is a gentleman. He keeps his word. He is as honest as the day is long. He arrives early for meetings. He thinks before he speaks. When he says he’ll do something, he exceeds your expectations.
I have talked with vendors who served Raymond when he was manager at the Piedmont Research Station. They tell me he was as careful with taxpayers’ money as he is with his own. He made sure that a purchase was necessary before pursuing it and checked to be certain that the price the taxpayers paid was the best available.
I am proud to know Raymond. I respect him, and I ask you to consider him when you vote for county commission.
ó Maggie Blackwell
Salisbury
Don’t let pets suffer due to hard timesPlease consider adopting a pet. Well, you may say, times are hard right now. Yes, they are more challenging right now, but saving a life is worth it.
Please care for the pets you may have now and also consider adopting another pet if you can provide a loving home. Your pets should be just as much a part of your family as your children are and should be cared for with love and attention.
The animal kill rate is extremely high in Rowan County, and that is just one out of 100 counties in one out of 50 states. You can make a difference!
Please visit the Rowan County Animal Shelter (704-216-7768), contact the Human Society of Rowan County (704-636-5700), or Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary of Rowan County (704-433-8169). At all three of these animal welfare organizations, you can find absolutely wonderful animals that deserve a chance at life and a loving home! If you can not provide a home, please consider a donation of food and supplies or money. Anything would be so much appreciated by all three organizations.
ó Sharon Spry
Rockwell
School lockdown got slow responseI was volunteering at my daughter’s school on a recent Friday when around 1:20 in the afternoon it came over the intercom that the school was on lock down. Of course, we made sure that all the children were safely where they were supposed to be and sat there and waited.
Thirty-five minutes later, the announcement came over saying that it was safe for us to return to the classroom but not to come out into the hallway. Later, after talking to a few teachers, it was said that it took a sheriff’s deputy 30 minutes to arrive at the school, and the Rockwell deputy who is just two minutes down the street arrived at about the same time. The Rockwell deputy said that it was out of his jurisdiction since it was a lock down.
Wow! If this had been a really serious situation, it could have gotten really bad before any law enforcement arrived.
I believe that all the teachers and staff that were involved handled this the best way possible, but we need to expect a little more from our local law enforcement agencies. As parents, we all love our children and want them to be safe in our school systems.
ó Amanda L. Collins
Rockwell
Hit-and-run could have been worse Just wanted to say thank you to Walter and Chris Weber for reporting the hit and run on my car at Crystal Cleaners at Arlington Street on Oct. 22.
To the elderly person that hit the car, just wanted to let you know that we did get a partial license plate on your brown Trailblazer. I hope the next time you hit someoone or something the person is as lucky as I was ó not hurt.
ó Tammy Ford
Salisbury
Endorsement letters Letters endorsing local candidates in the Nov. 4 election must be received in the Salisbury Post newsroom by 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27. Please limit endorsements to 150 words.