Readers write

Tax-cutting starves services, raises debt

When the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed with a Social Security deduction to zero out the tax liability for most, I was a bit skeptical. Now that I see the deduction zeroing out my own tax liability, I’m asking: What happened to the Republicans’ concern about the national debt?

My Social Security tax liability was not an onerous burden on my Baby Boomer lifestyle. Even on a teacher’s retirement, I have more than I ever had while teaching. What are we doing to our nation by eliminating taxes in order to balloon the national debt?

It’s the same kind of tax-cutting mantra in the state legislature that has driven the Republican Party’s hostility to paying for public services for nearly a half-century. Don’t worry about paying for the government services you want and need. Just borrow, starve government services to death, and burden our children with debt again.

Republicans don’t seem to understand that government services deserve our support through taxes. They seem to prefer selling us their free lunch economics while cutting police protection, public education, public health and even the fiscal health of Social Security.

FRANK RUECHEL, KENNESAW

EPA no longer protects environment

In light of the recently announced changes in regulatory focus at the Environmental Protection Agency, I’m thinking the current administration might want to consider a new name for the agency.

My suggestion is the Environmental Destruction Agency. It would certainly more accurately reflect the agency’s new goals and policies.

KEN MOORE, SMYRNA

No replacement for atmospheric research center

Purpose-driven scientific infrastructure, such as the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, provides benefits that no single state, federal, private or university can replicate alone.

For over 60 years, NCAR has been an incredible investment in weather and climate science, facilitating advances in forecasting hazardous weather, strengthening agricultural and food security, improving the safety of air travel and supporting defense and national security.

These improvements in forecasting led to better hurricane preparedness, more effective turbulence management by the air travel industry and more effective drought planning for agriculture.

Additionally, six different defense agencies maintain partnerships with NCAR. Lastly, there is something inherently American about the dozens of NCAR member organizations collaborating to produce scientific advances that improve American lives.

If plans to dismantle NCAR advance, we lose far more than a research center. We would lose a distinctly American engine of innovation that benefits our entire nation.

JAMES BURTON DEEMY, BRUNSWICK,