Published: August 18, 2008 09:08 pm            

Letters to the editor - Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008

‘Liberalism, greed at terrifying heights’

Beginning in 1964 with Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society,” better known as the “Welfare State,” America took a huge step toward redistributing the people’s wealth. The irresponsible quickly took advantage of Uncle Sam’s generosity. America soon led the world in un-wed mothers and illegal immigrants.

Those looking for a free ride loaded into the wagon pulled by the American taxpayers, greed became the password of the day. Big unions such as the UAW negotiated the best contracts and pay scales in the world but were never satisfied, always screaming for more. Corporate CEOs raked in obscene salaries, bonuses and stock options. The millionaire club in the House and Senate was always locked in a civil war, fighting over take-home pork. Finally, the Golden Goose began to falter under the heavy load.

Low and behold, a savior rose up from Hope, Ark., the young, handsome, well-spoken, playboy governor, better known as Slick Willy, became President Clinton, and in the name of free trade soon handed America a ticking time bomb made in communist China. Clinton’s actions destroyed America’s manufacturing base and created the largest trade imbalance America has ever had with any nation in history many times over.

Clinton not only destroyed America’s ability to compete in a global market, he lifted communism back into power, and they are on the march once again, quickly moving into the Western Hemisphere. Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela are already in their camp. Mexico just missed in the last election. We could be just one election away from communist rule in Mexico. These countries will drill wells and extract the oil that America has sat on for decades and sell it back to us at exorbitant prices.

Liberalism, greed and big government have grown to terrifying heights of power, and if the Democratic party retains both houses of Congress and wins the oval office, we will be saddled with the most liberal federal government in U.S. history.

Ondis Brantley, Russiaville

Retired teachers still owed money

A surplus is usually defined as more than you need. A debt is something owed to somebody to be repaid in money or goods.

Indiana is still going by its constitution of 1851. A provision in it prohibits the state from going into debt. This provision was fairly well followed until the last 40 to 50 years. The General Assembly and administration established a formula to fund the Indiana Retired Teachers Fund. Indiana didn’t literally go into debt. It simply quit funding according to the formula. At present the amount not paid to the fund is more than $6 billion. It only appropriates the minimum amount to get by. For 2009, the COLA is 1 percent. If the state had paid accordingly, the retired teachers of Indiana would have pensions comparable to Illinois and our neighboring states.

This debt, of course, will never be paid. Our national debt of $452 trillion won’t either. The main difference between the two, except the size: The national debt is mainly owed to the citizens of this great nation. Our state debt is owed mainly to a small group of people – retired teachers. When the governor and his opponent talk about how to use the “surplus,” they step on many toes. Probably one of those old teachers taught them how to count theirs.

Jim Springer, Kokomo

Obama will scale back U.S. military

My son had the book, “Obama Nation,” written by Jerome R. Corsi, sent to me to read after he saw Corsi on Fox News. Tom doesn’t have time to read and, besides, I read much faster than he does.

It is a very well-researched book, and I hope one of you will read it and tell the voters about Barack Obama. He is a very slick opportunist. He views the presidency as an opportunity to get rid of the military and all of our defenses. He naively thinks that the United States is the reason that other countries develop nuclear weapons, and that if we disarm, all the countries will do away with their militaries and weapons.

Evelyn B. Harrington, Kokomo

        

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