HARD TIMES
Response to "Collateral damage" Living, Dec. 2
Reading Craig Schneider’s article about the Clement family was liking taking a journey from the heart-wrenching to the heartwarming.
Life really kicked that family in the teeth and knocked them to their knees. It was inspiring to read how they have battled back against so many obstacles. Greg Clement’s comment about what compelled him to keep going summarized it all: “Love of my family.”
JERRY SCHWARTZ, ALPHARETTA
CLIMATE CHANGE
Time running out
on global warming
Readers who saw the headline, “Global warming benefits studied” (News, Dec. 2) may have gotten the impression that turning up the Earth’s thermostat can be a good thing.
By all means, let’s look at the “benefits” of global warming: food shortages from increased drought; death and destruction from storms on steroids like Hurricane Sandy; more wildfires in drought- and insect-ravaged forests; disappearing beaches from rising sea levels, and chaos and instability because of increasing numbers of climate refugees.
Time is running out on our ability to contain global warming to manageable levels. We must wean our nation off fossil fuels by putting a price on carbon. Rep. Tom Price, who sits on the Committee on Ways and Means, can help by supporting a consumer-friendly carbon fee that gives revenue back to households.
STEVE VALK, ATLANTA
POLITICS
Some folks just can’t
handle Obama’s win
My, oh my! Michael Ramirez (Opinion, Dec. 2) is the ultimate sore loser .
He seems to be one of those who is determined to make Barack Obama a two-term president!
PHIL DAVIS, POWDER SPRINGS
FISCAL CLIFF
Retiree funds at risk
in budget negotiations
As the drama surrounding the “fiscal cliff” intensifies, the sides in the debate begin rolling out more and more ideas.
There seems to be a principle involved here: The closer the deadline approaches, the more draconian and absurd the ideas become (at least, from the statist, or left, side of the debate).
The latest trial balloons seem to be focusing on the money put aside in 401(k) and similar retirement plans. The left sees those funds as money deprived from the government instead of what they really are: the disciplined decision of individuals to put aside their own funds for their own use later. The government incentivized this appropriate future planning by arranging to defer taxing the growth of those funds.
This latest grab for money is another classic move to redistribute wealth in this country in the name of ‘“fairness.” There is nothing fair about changing the rules of the game while it is still being played. This is nothing short of government-coerced taking of private property, and it should be opposed loudly and swiftly by both political parties.
GARY O'NEILL, MARIETTA
