Illegal Immigrants draining America
If you cross the border illegally in another country, you may go to jail indefinitely; may never be heard from again; or even shot. If immigrants cross the U.S. border illegally, they get a job, driver’s license, Social Security card, welfare, food stamp card, credit cards, subsidized rent/loan to buy a house, free education, free health care, a lobbyist, public documents in their language, carry their flag while protesting, vote, use of the American court system to air complaints while you, America, pick up the tab.
Do you, America, want better schools, jobs, better health care, better roads with less traffic? Are you tired of dialing “1” for English? If illegals were not in our schools, teachers could spend time teaching the basics plus creative writing, etc., instead of English as a second language.
Our federal government cannot understand why the budget cannot be balanced. Simple — we have millions of illegal immigrants in America draining the lifeblood from America. We cannot continue to give to every country in the world and support the illegal immigrant. Americans want the jobs the illegals have. Send the illegal home ASAP! Sympathize with them? Yes, but charity begins at home!
TINY STEELE
‘Millennials’ live for here and now
A study by the Pew Research Center shows that “millennials,” those born from 1981 to 2000, are more ethnically and racially diverse, less religious, more secular and more optimistic, despite the current economic mess.
Robert Putnam (Harvard and Bowling Alone fame) links this age group’s attitudes to the success of the religious right in politics, being turned off by the politicization of religion. But he is optimistic. He thinks that the millennials, given a more heterodox option, might return to organized religion.
The main leaders of our founding — Jefferson, Madison, Washington, Franklin and Paine — rejected the ideas of the orthodox Christian founders as the Declaration and Constitution were drafted. They did not focus on salvation in an afterlife; instead they wished to improve this life here and now as do the millennials.
It is ironic that polls find more Americans in the “unaffiliated” or “nones” category than in the mainline Protestant category, while the modern option that Putnam recommends, to return to the fold, a message that appeals to people of every political background — is the very one the mainline congregations are preaching every Sunday.
I think Putnam is engrossed in wishful thinking.
B.J. PASCHAL
Sevierville, Tenn.
Solution is not more of the same
A little known fact is that right now, there are $57 trillion worth of unfunded promises — basically Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. That’s $184,000 debt for every man, woman and child in the United States. Last year’s budget deficit alone is 10 percent of our total economy.
This should be alarming notice to America that tax increases will not solve this problem. But the powers that be have a myriad of such actions on the horizon, from the hidden Obama costs to the permitted expiration of the tax cuts of 2001-2002.
After regulating, taxing, spending, borrowing and printing us into the worst recession in decades, establishment politicians and power brokers assure us they are working to fix economic woes. Their solution — more of the same.
The gimmicks and slight-of-hand, along with repeated lies about where and when the money is coming from, is criminal.
Taking Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid off the automatic increases locked in by law is a must. Budgetary items cry out for cuts and reshaping of the automatic programs. This must be responsibly addressed before the profligate conduct relegates our country to third-world status. In five years the debt increase exceeds George Washington to Bill Clinton. The apocalypse is near.
JOHN J. SPITTLER
Signal Mountain
Taxpayers are still the losers
It appears from reports that President Obama’s summit on health care reform and his latest attempt to breach the partisan political chasm has ended with the same divided and contentious politicians alive and well with no compromise in sight.
As usual, the taxpayers are the losers, and another $trillion will be squandered with no apparent end to the health care reform bickering.
From all appearances the liberal wing of the Democratic Party is bent on establishing a nanny America with total governmental control from the cradle to the grave; redistribution of the wealth and ultimate bankruptcy of the United States as the only compromise they will countenance.
CHARLES DAVID
SLIGER
Shelbyville, Tenn.
Circus animals have harsh lives
Ringling Circus is bringing animal cruelty back to town this week.
I urge the people of this community to not attend this circus and please support only animal-free events.
This is not a safe environment for your families. Captive animal attacks are numerous due to the incredibly cruel vicious “training” and harsh inhumane living conditions which they are forced to endure for our entertainment.
Also, Ringling’s animal-care record is riddled with tragic animal deaths as well as U.S. Department of Agriculture violations, investigations, warnings and penalties. Animals are kept in chains or small cages and are abused, tormented and tortured in order to perform confusing and unnatural tricks.
These creatures have been forcibly removed from their home lands and from all that is good, they have no semblance of a normal life. Animal circuses are not normal, tigers do not jump through fiery hoops, elephants do not stand on their hind legs on small boxes.
Bull hooks, whips and electric prods are only a few tools of the trade.
They are not performing because they want to; they are performing because they are afraid not to. I ask you to please put an end to this cruelty under the big top
LIBBY SIMONS
Harrison