TAX ENFORCEMENT
It turns out alleged partisan bias wasn’t
Since the author of the letter is curious, I’ll fill in some blanks (“‘Inexcusable’ abuse is now just a distraction,” Readers write, Opinion, ajc.com, July 30). The reason the IRS “scandal” has changed from inexcusable abuse to distraction is because the rest of the story has come out.
The initial wailing and gnashing of teeth was over the perceived “targeting” of conservative groups applying for 501(c)3 status. Now we know that with the growth of applications for tax-free status, the IRS was examining groups of all stripes to make sure they qualified. IRS employees were doing their jobs, in other words.
The story was reported as if only tea party-type groups were being singled out for extra scrutiny. The report itself was skewed to mention right-leaning groups, and not the left-leaning ones that went through the same process.
The whole thing now qualifies as a distraction because there is no there, there. The real scandal is the manipulation of the facts, and the manufactured outrage on the right from those whose only wish is to grind government to a halt until President Obama is out of office.
DAVID LEEDLE, ATLANTA
CHURCH AND STATE
Why spend tax dollars on Muslim culture?
With all the rhetoric spouted by the liberal community regarding adhering to separation of church and state, why is there no outcry about our federal government providing grant money — our tax dollars — to 840 library systems to highlight Muslim culture (“Libraries add ‘Muslim bookshelf,’” Metro, July 30)?
P.D. GOSSAGE, JOHNS CREEK
EDUCATION
Higher standards good for state’s reputation
In the early 1960s, a pregnant friend of mine lived in Columbus with her husband who was stationed at Fort Benning. Just before her due date, she went to her parents in Boston because she didn’t want her child to bear the stigma of a Georgia birth. I thought it was a little silly, but I understood her concern.
Shortly after that, I moved, by choice, to Georgia, and have lived here since. I was a public school teacher for much of the time. Mostly, I have been very proud to call myself a Georgian, and to have my children graduate from public schools here. However, statewide resistance to raising education standards of Georgia and the nation pains and embarrasses me.
I see this ill-conceived and often crude reaction as flaming the embers that had led to our derogatory “redneck” profiling and, as a result, will be detrimental to our progress.
RUBYNELLE W. THYNE, WOODSTOCK
ECONOMY
Minimum wage fails to cover living costs
I can’t seem to understand why some feel the minimum wage should stand still when the cost of living is constantly rising.
I am a very hard worker and I get paid minimum wage, but I don’t make enough money to meet the bills. I have recently earned a associate’s degree and can’t find a job, so I decided to go for a bachelor’s degree. Hopefully, I will find a job then.
I am for increasing the minimum wage. We should give everyone a chance to live comfortably — or at least, to be able to pay their bills.
LUVONIA DAVIS, FORT GAINES
