Don't rob children for ease of the rich
Merry Christmas to wealthy corporate elites! Your Republican handmaidens have delivered.
Over the last 30 years, Republicans and spineless Democrats have presided over a historic redistribution of wealth from working Americans to the super-rich. This was not a product of market forces but a result of premeditated government policies that exported well-paying jobs and stuffed the pockets of the rich with lavish tax breaks.
This year, while bemoaning the growth of the national debt, Republicans added billions to it with Christmas gifts for the rich. When workers complain, all the right-wing talking heads warn of "class warfare" and claim that Americans are just jealous.
The truth is that the rich have waged war against working Americans for the last 30 years. We are not jealous. We are angry that our government places the interest of the rich ahead of the interest of America.
It would be wise to heed the words of Dwight Eisenhower, who said, "Avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering for our ease and convenience the precious resources of tomorrow."
In particular, stop robbing our children for the ease and convenience of the rich.
TERRY STULCE
Food stamp program abused
The food stamp program should be looked into more closely. Why are people who are in our country illegally reaping the benefits that so many Americans can't obtain? This has helped to add great debt to our deficit, by allowing people who are here illegally, do not pay taxes, take jobs and get paid under the table, and get free medical help to run our country into debt.
Also, if Mrs. Obama wishes to control obesity in this country, she should start by controlling the food stamp program.
Go to your local Walmart or grocery store on the first of every month when food stamp cards are loaded and observe what is in shopping carts. Cookies, candy, chips, sodas, frozen dinners, juices and basically junk food. If food stamps were regulated in a normal fashion, they could only buy staples: bread, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, cereals and more balanced diet foods. That would cut down on obesity.
They could only buy what is needed for a nutritious way of eating and would have to pay out of their pocket for the junk food, or could only get the provided nutritionally balanced packages as another letter writer suggested.
SHARON CLEMMER
Brainerd