LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Fix foreign aid, not Medicare

7/1/2011

Sens. Joe Lieberman (I., Conn.) and Tom Coburn (R., Okla.) are trying to reduce the deficit by moving the age for receiving Medicare benefits up to 67 ("Proposal by 2 senators would lift Medicare age," June 29).

This proposal takes taxpayers back to the woodshed for another beating. Instead of fixing Medicare, why don't we fix foreign aid?

We give billions of dollars to unappreciative countries that are under communist control, and some to countries with whom we are at war. We even give foreign aid to China, the country to which we are in major debt.

Take money from foreign aid and give it to Medicare. Take what is left over from foreign aid and give it to a country that might really need and appreciate it.

It's time that we get back to the old adage that charity starts at home.

Tom Shondell

Sylvania

 

Budget exposes lawmakers' greed

Your June 28 article "Ohio Senate to vote today on $55.7B plan" said that a committee took out a provision that would have required our legislators to take a pay cut.

On June 29, I read that Toledo schoolteachers approved a contract that will cut their pay and raise their health-insurance premiums.

All of the cuts in the state budget, yet the people who passed it couldn't step up to the plate and include a token cut for themselves. It's greed, pure and simple. It makes me nauseous.

Marie Vitou

Hughes Boulevard

 

Legislators look out for themselves

Ohio's lawmakers have voted for cuts in many areas -- but not their pay.

I guess as long as we keep voting for these idiots, we can expect them to protect the most important things: their salaries.

Sharon Tobian

Adella Street

 

Denial of Vess' appeal a relief

The equine community breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Robin Vess' appeal was denied ("Horse owner loses appeal, to be told to report to jail," June 29).

The Ohio 6th District Court of Appeals agreed with what we already knew: Ms. Vess' claims of bias by a witness who allegedly had a "vendetta" against her would not have changed the outcome of her trial.

Still, 42 starving horses spoke for themselves. I'm sure that Ms. Vess is appalled by the idea of having to do time behind bars, but I can assure her that jail time is much less unpleasant than starving to death.

Kelly Meister

Walbridge

 

Not appropriate for polite company

It is true that the Bible speaks far more about Hell than it does Heaven, but "hell of a …" is not an expression that is used in polite company ("Is the Bible also offensive?", Readers' Forum, June 28).

I do not want a product so labeled in my home. For that reason, I do not buy it. I have no doubt that many others feel the same. Manufacturers, take note.

Barb Love

West Unity, Ohio