IMMIGRATION
State underestimates cost of not enforcing law
An AJC article reports that Georgia is trying to save taxpayers revenue by filing for a reversal of a federal ban on enforcing Georgia’s new immigration law. (“Georgia wants immigration law enforced,” Metro, Aug. 16). In the article, the state grossly underestimates the cost impact of not enforcing this law.
The real number is closer to the $2.3 billion per year spent in 2010 by Georgia’s state and local governments in support of illegal-status workers and their dependants. That figure is from the 92-page research report published by the Federation for American Immigration Reform on July 2010 (revised February 2011). Even half of this amount would be unfair, more than taxpayers can and should bear. Dwindling tax revenues are proof of that.
ROGER CARTER, Woodstock
DEFICIT
Giving up everything is not the solution
In response to “Not afraid to make a personal sacrifice” (Readers Write, Aug. 15): I’m retired with Social Security and Medicare. The writer suggested we all cut our SS/Medicare “for financial stability.”
If we gave up everything, it would not reduce the deficit while multinational corporations enjoy benefits of American markets, cheap foreign labor, no tariffs and loopholes enabling them to avoid U.S. taxes.
Our 100 percent contribution would not reduce the deficit while most national expenses go to war-profiteers.
People like me giving up the social safety net we invested in wouldn’t begin to cover the subsidies received by oil companies and big agriculture.
Want a balanced budget? Make everyone play by the same rules. Let the millionaire hedge-fund manager pay as high a rate as firefighters. We have no feudal past — but squeezing the middle class and poor while subsidizing corporations and the superwealthy, will certainly bring about a future of serfs and “nobles.”
BARBARA ROCHELLE, Atlanta
BLINDNESS
Ditch outdated views of the visually impaired
As the president of the Center for the Visually Impaired, I was very interested in Mark Arum’s description of driving around “blind” (“Be thankful we have necessary resources,” Metro, Aug. 15). I thought he might be testing the new car developed by Virginia Tech University and the National Federation of the Blind that can be driven by a driver who is blind. Instead, I was disappointed to read his outdated images of blindness — holding a tin cup selling pencils and stubbing toes when trying to walk.
Each year at CVI we empower nearly 5,000 people impacted by vision loss to live independently. The outcomes include newly blind adults finding jobs and seniors learning how to “see” in new ways with technology.
I’ll let Arum redeem himself if he responds to my challenge. Let us blindfold you and have you walk down West Peachtree Street with a white cane alongside one of our CVI graduates. Let’s see who stubs their toes!
SUBIE GREEN, President, Center for the Visually Impaired
