Boehner must stand his ground
12/13/2012President Obama’s fiscal proposal includes hundreds of millions of more stimulus dollars and no commitments to spending reductions (“Living on the edge; President, speaker look for leverage on fiscal cliff,” Dec. 2). Instead, his deficit-reduction proposal focuses on attacking the rich. There is no effort at compromise.
We need tax reform to wipe away the Byzantine system of deductions, together with spending reductions and means-testing for government benefits.
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio should not shy away from the cliff if he cares at all about cleaning up this tax-and-spend mess for future generations.
GARY GOLDEN
Perrysburg
Political chess game wearisome
I’m tired of being a pawn in a political chess game.
Instead of the House passing legislation, like the Senate did, to protect the middle class from the burden of rising taxes, some representatives are holding out to avoid tax increases for the wealthiest Americans.
While this political posturing continues, hard-working, middle-class Americans are forced to watch and wait, hoping that they won’t get socked with tax increases and reductions in programs that are the fabric of our country.
It’s time for politicians to forget about the no-tax-increase pledge they made, and to remember the pledge to serve their constituents.
I hope elected officials do some soul-searching, and remember all the families of firefighters, nurses, and factory workers who are counting on them to stop the chess game.
If they don’t, we the people will suffer.
DAN GREENBERG
Sylvania
Older workers should gladly exit
So 73 Chrysler Group LLC employees, some with as much as 40 years of service with the company, are upset because they have to go home and collect their pensions (“73 Jeep retirees to lose jobs at paint facility; Group had been recruited by Chrysler to work in shop,” Nov. 29). This is not a boo-hoo moment.
After that many years on the job, it’s time for those older workers to move on and let younger ones have a life.
JOHN MANNING
Springfield Township
Workers, trust no employers
After reading about Chrysler taking control of the Jeep Wrangler paint shop, I advise workers: Don’t trust any employer.
The economy is bad and unions seem to be waning, allowing companies to do as they please without fear of reprisal.
HENRY RYBACZEWSKI
Douglas Road