GOVERNMENT SPENDING
Don’t be misled about federal deficits, debt
I think Paul Krugman was disingenuous in “’Truthiness’ takes over, and citizens are misled” (Opinion, Aug. 17), implying that the public was misjudging President Obama by thinking the deficit was going up when, in fact, it was going down.
It seems obvious that the responders were confusing deficit and debt. The important thing is that the public was getting the right message: What really matters is the national debt, and that has been going up dramatically. The annual ups and downs of the deficit are much less significant for our future because the current “down” takes no notice of future commitments which cannot be paid for.
President George Bush left us with a bad national debt situation, but President Obama has made it much worse — and wants still more unsustainable spending.
ROSEMARY KITTRELL, ATLANTA
POLITICS
Legislators don’t talk about citizens in need
I received an e-mail recently from a Georgia state legislator who was bragging about his high score with the American Conservative Union — but said not a word about what he has done to help the poor, the hungry, the sick, the homeless, the jobless, the disenfranchised, the voiceless, the young and the old of Georgia.
How have we permitted our elected officials to become so disassociated from the realities of life in the 21st century?
STEVE WILKERSON, LILBURN
SENIOR SERVICES
Social Security more than an ‘entitlement’
Since it was implemented, Social Security has provided a buffer against old age and disability. It probably is helping most members of this newspaper’s readership. It has been unpopular with Republicans, who persist in calling it an entitlement — when it is one of the most successful insurance policies ever created.
The right wing ignores the benefits provided to their constituents and their families. Social Security has worked for a long time, and there is no reason to think it cannot continue for the foreseeable future.
The solution to the nation’s finance woes is not diminishing Social Security, since it is not a contributor to the national debt. Decreasing benefits will cause untold hardship to those least able to withstand it.
TERRELL BENNETT, MARIETTA
MEDICAL COSTS
Both sides must tackle our health care crisis
The letter, “Insurance costs rise; how is this helping?” seems a bit fishy (Readers write, Opinion, Aug. 19).
This writer is either being taken by her agent; incapable of comparing rates, or exaggerating her situation to attack “Obamacare,” which is only beginning to be implemented. One of the features of the act is that you may keep your current insurance — which is certainly what she does not want to do. I am a single, self-employed male with no health problems at 64 years, with a $5,000 deductible policy for around $325 per month. Affordable solutions exist.
We have a health care crisis in this country. It affects every one of us. We need a bipartisan approach to make any headway, or we’ll continue to struggle.
C. COX, CHAMBLEE
