Preserve benefit for retirees
When Congress created the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan in 2003, it encouraged companies to provide Medicare-eligible retirees prescription drug benefits by providing a tax-free 28 percent subsidy. This has been a tremendous saving to the federal government on Medicare and a benefit highly valued by retirees. Congress eliminated this incentive in the name of health care reform.
Now, many employers are saying that because of the new health care law,they are considering reducing or eliminating health care benefits provided to employees and retirees. This scares me.
Congress should:
Repeal the provision that denies employers the tax deduction for federal subsidies for Medicare Part D drug plans.
Enact the National Retiree Legislative Network’s proposal that would assure continuation of benefits and also offer tax credits to companies who commit to maintain retiree health care benefits. This saves the Medicare program from the high costs of covering retirees entirely. The proposal is a win-win for retirees and the government.
Since much of the health care reform is being financed through cuts to Medicare, the least Congress can do is to preserve the few company-sponsored benefits that retirees still have.
CLEMENT MICHAEL CRONIN
Harrison
Messianic teaching is base for unity
The evangelical character of American Protestantism arose from a strong claim to natural liberty for common people. A universal priesthood has direct access to God. One’s conscience either accuses or excuses his actions (Romans 2:15); and nobody’s liberty can be judged by another person’s conscience (I Corinthians 10:29). This was the struggle for complete separation of church and state that began with Pope Gregory VII in 1082.
Historians uniformly agree that the Great Awakening that stressed moral behavior rather than dogma prepared the people for democracy. When religion accepted this responsibility, local self-rule succeeded. Voluntary sensitivity to community needs restrained governmental authority.
America’s conscience decayed after a politicized, dogmatic church disregarded Messianic instruction. Governments provided societal needs through exorbitant taxation.
Messianic instruction is the foundation of unity. The rule of conscience — self-government — is pure, undefiled religion. Uniting a diverse people into one indivisible nation is prerequisite to other Constitutional goals.
Conscience is lovingly nurtured rather than legislated. History conclusively illustrates that political reform necessarily begins with spiritual reformation among common people. Democracy succeeds only when the church accepts its independent responsibility. Political reform fails because church and state compete for power.
RICHARD D. VICKREY
Obama beginning another takeover
Because of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (or “the ocean” as Janet Napolitano so ignorantly referred to it), Attorney General Eric Holder has dispatched several dozen Obama administration lawyers to New Orleans, specifically to solicit anyone who desires to sue British Petroleum.
Now, Obama has closed all offshore drilling and promised to “review” all oil companies’ drilling procedures, operational plans, financial records, P&Ls, marketing, and other programs, present and future. This will drive gasoline prices to new heights: his goal is probably $5 to $8 per gallon.
And to what end? Why, so that he can “come to the rescue” and begin another government takeover, this time in the oil industry. I mean, the record of government takeovers is great so far, right? (Check profits of GM, Chrysler, major banks, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, etc. Medical crisis to follow shortly.)
This president is well-spoken, well-educated, and loved by many. However, he has never held a real job and knows absolutely nothing about managing a single company, much less a multitude of complicated industries. We are sentencing our children and grandchildren to lives of abject poverty and government dependence. I sure hope the liberals who voted for him are happy now.
JOHN BERGEN
Elect Smith, bring fresh air to capital
I’ve known Robin Smith and her husband, Scott, for several years and I’m thinking that Robin would be like a breath of fresh air to Congress.
It appears to me that there is a great need for some fresh air in Washington. Far too much hot air is being exhaled in way too many offices.
Too many laws are being made by lawyers, and what we need to be doing is making the laws that we have start working for us.
Help get America back some of the common sense that has been missing for a long while. The people of the 3rd District need Robin and her ability to fulfill the position of Congress.
Robin has the concerns of the people of the 3rd District at interest as she travels around the area asking for your vote to help send her to Washington, and in doing so we the people of the 3rd District would feel well represented.
Robin has a strong sense of helping people. She has being doing this for years through different ministries at church. Help send Robin Smith to Washington Aug. 5
DON HOLLAND
Soddy-Daisy
Donate blood during slow time
June, July and part of August are the summer semester months for UTC. During that period, the many students who so plentifully donated blood product to Blood Assurance will be away.
I urge others to step in to share their whole blood, platelets, plasma and red blood cells with the community and with the region.
I also ask that young donors also fill out the questionnaire and apply the mouth swab to join the national registry of the National Marrow Donor Program. My name will be removed on my 61st birthday.
At my age, I do not know if I have many or even any more years of good health sufficient enough to continue to be a regular donor. I will render my platelets and plasma as often as I can.
If I knew that I would die tomorrow, I would try to donate today.
HARRY GELLER