Public’s main concern is money, not troops
The results of the recent Pew survey aren’t surprising (“Poll: 1 in 3 vets sees the 2 wars as wastes,” News, Oct. 6).
As a Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, I’ve experienced the disillusionment one has after returning from combat tours. I can only surmise how returning to a public that has been less than engaged in America’s war efforts can affect one’s psyche.
Public engagement has been reduced to sporting bumper stickers, greeting troops in airports with half-hearted “thanks for your service,” and declaring all returning servicemen and servicewomen heroes. To those young people, I wish I could say it gets better. It doesn’t.
War is tough on the mind, body and soul. You’ll find that the less-than-engaged public is less and less willing to shell out the necessary resources in attempts at making you whole again. I wish it was because we’ve lost the stomach for war — but sadly, that’s not the case. It’s about money.
Ronald D. Johnson, Austell
Reform foes’ scorn doesn’t alter the facts
Regarding “‘Magic buttons’ won’t fix broken economy” (Opinion, Oct. 5), are AJC readers going to ignore their common sense and the vast majority of expert opinion and analysis?
Jay Bookman’s sniping shouldn’t obscure the facts. Georgia and federal tax systems are a mess. Georgia’s 6 percent income tax and antiquated sales and property tax regulations are costing us jobs and economic growth.
Strong bipartisan support for federal tax reform in D.C. will give us a fairer, flatter tax code in 2014. Without action on tax reform by Georgia’s Legislature, federal action will effectively revise our tax structure for us, and our budget planning will vault into turmoil.
Call it a “magic button,” a “restart button,” or whatever button is in vogue. The fairer, flatter tax reform recommended by the Special Council for Tax Reform and Fairness is excellent tax policy and should be welcomed — not ridiculed.
Tax reform means jobs. That’s what low- and middle-income Georgians need most.
Christine P. Ries, professor of economics, Georgia Tech
Blame Mother Nature, not immigration law
The faux argument “Farm labor shortages take a toll” (News, Oct. 5) ignores the historic drought. Am I the only person north of the Gnat Line who drove across South Georgia to the Florida line this summer? Mile after mile filled with parched brown fields of dead (and dying) crops.
There were major crop shortages because of heat and lack of rain. The reason Georgia needed fewer farmworkers this year was fewer crops to be picked. Mother Nature didn’t give a flip about House Bill 87 — or illegal immigration costs to taxpayers.
Linda Edmonds, Decatur
