Letter to AJC 2-29-12
Senator Santorum must be very happy with the Michigan democrats. They came out and voted for him in opposition to Governor Romney. So, in spite of his gaffes and belligerent rhetoric, his campaign is still alive. Some people called it a dirty trick to invite democrats to vote for him, but frankly it's one the republicans use to advantage all the time.
When it's our turn in Georgia, I'm sure there will be many who will chose Santorum over Gingrich. Let's hope so, Newt needs to be brought down a peg or two. His insufferable egotism, lies, and distortions have strained this country ever since he devised his despicable tactic of telling people how to describe opponents with the worst of epithets.
The man does not deserve to have our vote. His attitude and behavior should have relegated him to the murky background long before now. He has fooled far too many with his supposed frankness when all that is intended is more book sales and publicity pouring dollars into Newt's coffers. So join your democrat friends and vote for Santorum next Tuesday.
Tom
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Newt Gingrich gas price fantasy
Letter to AJC 2-27-2012
Newt Gingrich entered the realm of fantasy when he claimed that by increasing drilling he could reduce gasoline to $2.50 per gallon. Dream on! The only way that price is possible is through another full blown recession like we experienced as a legacy of the Bush administration.
Gingrich seems to ignore all the facts. US drilling under the Obama administration has surged. According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal in Aug 2011, the number of oil rigs drilling in the USA rose 60% last year and is the highest since 1987. Under the Bush/Cheney regime oil production in the US fell from 5.7 millions barrels per day to 5.0 in 2008. Under Obama that output has jumped back to the level it was when Bush first took office. Offshore drilling under Obama is at the highest it has been in a decade.
If Gingrich took the time to research the issue he would find that presidential actions have little effect on the ultimate price of gasoline. That figure is driven by free market demand and his comments are pure hypothetical posturing. In fact his plan smacks of government interference in the free market economy, something I thought was anathema to the conservative agenda.
The only reasonable way forward to reduce the impact of the price of gasoline, is to improve the efficiency of automobiles and transport in general. If we were to double or triple MPG then the net effect would be a lower gasoline cost in our budgets. Why don't the conservatives try to help the country and get fully behind that program and use the might of our engineering talent to reduce our dependency on oil by leading the world once again in truly innovative automobile technology?
Tom
Newt Gingrich entered the realm of fantasy when he claimed that by increasing drilling he could reduce gasoline to $2.50 per gallon. Dream on! The only way that price is possible is through another full blown recession like we experienced as a legacy of the Bush administration.
Gingrich seems to ignore all the facts. US drilling under the Obama administration has surged. According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal in Aug 2011, the number of oil rigs drilling in the USA rose 60% last year and is the highest since 1987. Under the Bush/Cheney regime oil production in the US fell from 5.7 millions barrels per day to 5.0 in 2008. Under Obama that output has jumped back to the level it was when Bush first took office. Offshore drilling under Obama is at the highest it has been in a decade.
If Gingrich took the time to research the issue he would find that presidential actions have little effect on the ultimate price of gasoline. That figure is driven by free market demand and his comments are pure hypothetical posturing. In fact his plan smacks of government interference in the free market economy, something I thought was anathema to the conservative agenda.
The only reasonable way forward to reduce the impact of the price of gasoline, is to improve the efficiency of automobiles and transport in general. If we were to double or triple MPG then the net effect would be a lower gasoline cost in our budgets. Why don't the conservatives try to help the country and get fully behind that program and use the might of our engineering talent to reduce our dependency on oil by leading the world once again in truly innovative automobile technology?
Tom
Friday, February 24, 2012
Letter to AJC 2-24-2012
Letter to AJC 2-24-12
We all knew it was coming, but the final capitulation of the AJC to the forces of the right is still a hard blow to take. Placing Mike Lukovitch's political cartoon alongside an opposing view, of lesser substance, has brought the paper to a new despicable low. A long history of courage in the face of popular stupidity is finally at an end. What next? Eliminate Doonesbury ?
Luckovitch is in a category by himself and always portrays the asininity of his subjects, whether liberal or conservative. The slate of right wing political cartoonists carried of late in the AJC appear to be puppets of the anti- Obama crowd whose hate speech has splintered our nation. Shame on the new editorial staff of the AJC for this lily livered right wing action.
Tom
We all knew it was coming, but the final capitulation of the AJC to the forces of the right is still a hard blow to take. Placing Mike Lukovitch's political cartoon alongside an opposing view, of lesser substance, has brought the paper to a new despicable low. A long history of courage in the face of popular stupidity is finally at an end. What next? Eliminate Doonesbury ?
Luckovitch is in a category by himself and always portrays the asininity of his subjects, whether liberal or conservative. The slate of right wing political cartoonists carried of late in the AJC appear to be puppets of the anti- Obama crowd whose hate speech has splintered our nation. Shame on the new editorial staff of the AJC for this lily livered right wing action.
Tom
Letters sent to AJC earlier in 2012
Letters to the AJC sent in 2012
______________________________________________
Letter to AJC 2-17-12
The GOP should change its moniker to the HYP,a party of spin and hypocrisy. Their words and actions have been in direct opposition to one another over the last two decades, and it's getting worse. Take contraception for example. A blue ribbon congressional panel made up entirely of GOP males is pontificating on the rights of women. In the mean time 98% of catholic women already take contraceptive precautions, whilst their conservative male spiritual leaders strut and fret and interfere in people's right to live their lives as they see fit.
But that's not all, as the TV ad so often says. Look closely at the four front runners in the battle for the republican nomination for president; A serial adulterer who claims ownership of family values; a flip flopper who espoused liberal programs before he denigrated them; a libertarian who would bring us back to the 18th century; and an "average Joe" who earned close to a million dollars each of the last seven years. These are the people who are the cream of the republicans?
And, if you order now you can also receive more of the same. A collapsed economy as under Bush II. A return to "free for all" financial hi-jinks. A funnel for wealth to the super rich. Bankrupt Social Security and Medicare systems. Free wheeling special interests deciding policy. Failing education. Gutted science. Religious rules thrust upon us. The environment raped and discarded. And more wars fought by the underclass, whilst the privileged stay at home and watch on TV.
Sounds scary doesn't it. But as sure as the sun rises over Stone Mountain, Georgians will hold their noses, turn off their brains, and vote again for the hype that has nearly ruined our State and our Nation.
Tom
______________________________________________
letter to AJC 2-8-12
It shows how far down we have fallen in Georgia when once we held our noses and actually considered Karen Handel a reasonable alternative to Nathan Deal for governor. We should have known when we saw her try to deny the poor,the old, and the forgotten a right to vote. We should have known when she stood alongside her erstwhile companion Sarah Palin and decried the right of a woman to chose her own destiny. But we were taken in, and now we see the fruits of our self deception.
Karen has shown us that she puts party ideology above the very essence of her womanhood. Not only is she guilty of conspiring to dismantle Planned Parenthood but now she is using the age old tactic of bending and distorting the truth to distract from her own despicable actions. Let's hope Karen Handel disappears into the background and fades with the others of her ilk. Unfortunately given the tenor of the times, it's likely she will become a star among the mass of far right activists who seek to destroy rather than build.
Tom
________________________________________________
Letter to ajc 2-3-12
With the big game day approaching, the republicans should take note of the mechanism that keeps the NFL afloat and millions glued to their TV sets around the world. In the words of the commissioner, the NFL operates in a blend of free enterprise and socialism. A sharing of wealth between the teams ensures that no one team becomes the most powerful for all time to dominate the sport for ever. This approach guarantees fan support for individual teams and the ongoing health of the entire enterprise.
Funny isn't it? Seems like the country could really benefit from such a system and then we wouldn't have the 1 percent billionaires and millionaires making condescending statements about the poor. I think the NFL model shows that, like most things, an equilibrium is best, and that balancing wealth production with gain by everyone involved is a workable and productive system.
Tom
________________________________________________
Letter to AJC 1-26-12
It's sad to see anti-Obama bias creeping into the Truth-o-Meter reports. I know you have to play to your audience but, the most recent report on the State of the Union speech rated 2 points half true when the facts as reported in the column actually show that the statements are true.
Without a bailout General Motors would have gone bankrupt and up to a million jobs would have been lost. Obama never actually stated that it was solely the bail out that put GM back on top, but without it they wouldn't be where they are today. I think that is absolutely true. Rating Obama's statement half true simply shows the bias.
Secondly, the rating on job creation is also flawed. There is no doubt that over the past 22 months 3 million jobs have been created by private business. That's what he said, and that is perfectly true. Sorry if it doesn't meet your agenda, but if you want to have credibility in this reporting, have the guts to assess and report things correctly.
Tom
_______________________________________________
Letter to AJC 1-20-2012
Newt Gingrich believes that the best form of defense is attack. Anything to deflect blame elsewhere seems to be his modus operandi. His pomposity knows no bounds and his surge in popularity is an ominous harbinger for the future of America. Where are the mores of yesteryear? If indeed Newt wins the candidacy, it would appear that we are headed for polygamy and graft as the new norm. The respectable republicans have all been intimidated by the mobocracy of the tea party who would return our country to an"every man for himself"cauldron of recklessness. The days of Reagan are certainly over.
Tom
______________________________________________
Letter to AJC 2-17-12
The GOP should change its moniker to the HYP,a party of spin and hypocrisy. Their words and actions have been in direct opposition to one another over the last two decades, and it's getting worse. Take contraception for example. A blue ribbon congressional panel made up entirely of GOP males is pontificating on the rights of women. In the mean time 98% of catholic women already take contraceptive precautions, whilst their conservative male spiritual leaders strut and fret and interfere in people's right to live their lives as they see fit.
But that's not all, as the TV ad so often says. Look closely at the four front runners in the battle for the republican nomination for president; A serial adulterer who claims ownership of family values; a flip flopper who espoused liberal programs before he denigrated them; a libertarian who would bring us back to the 18th century; and an "average Joe" who earned close to a million dollars each of the last seven years. These are the people who are the cream of the republicans?
And, if you order now you can also receive more of the same. A collapsed economy as under Bush II. A return to "free for all" financial hi-jinks. A funnel for wealth to the super rich. Bankrupt Social Security and Medicare systems. Free wheeling special interests deciding policy. Failing education. Gutted science. Religious rules thrust upon us. The environment raped and discarded. And more wars fought by the underclass, whilst the privileged stay at home and watch on TV.
Sounds scary doesn't it. But as sure as the sun rises over Stone Mountain, Georgians will hold their noses, turn off their brains, and vote again for the hype that has nearly ruined our State and our Nation.
Tom
______________________________________________
letter to AJC 2-8-12
It shows how far down we have fallen in Georgia when once we held our noses and actually considered Karen Handel a reasonable alternative to Nathan Deal for governor. We should have known when we saw her try to deny the poor,the old, and the forgotten a right to vote. We should have known when she stood alongside her erstwhile companion Sarah Palin and decried the right of a woman to chose her own destiny. But we were taken in, and now we see the fruits of our self deception.
Karen has shown us that she puts party ideology above the very essence of her womanhood. Not only is she guilty of conspiring to dismantle Planned Parenthood but now she is using the age old tactic of bending and distorting the truth to distract from her own despicable actions. Let's hope Karen Handel disappears into the background and fades with the others of her ilk. Unfortunately given the tenor of the times, it's likely she will become a star among the mass of far right activists who seek to destroy rather than build.
Tom
________________________________________________
Letter to ajc 2-3-12
With the big game day approaching, the republicans should take note of the mechanism that keeps the NFL afloat and millions glued to their TV sets around the world. In the words of the commissioner, the NFL operates in a blend of free enterprise and socialism. A sharing of wealth between the teams ensures that no one team becomes the most powerful for all time to dominate the sport for ever. This approach guarantees fan support for individual teams and the ongoing health of the entire enterprise.
Funny isn't it? Seems like the country could really benefit from such a system and then we wouldn't have the 1 percent billionaires and millionaires making condescending statements about the poor. I think the NFL model shows that, like most things, an equilibrium is best, and that balancing wealth production with gain by everyone involved is a workable and productive system.
Tom
________________________________________________
Letter to AJC 1-26-12
It's sad to see anti-Obama bias creeping into the Truth-o-Meter reports. I know you have to play to your audience but, the most recent report on the State of the Union speech rated 2 points half true when the facts as reported in the column actually show that the statements are true.
Without a bailout General Motors would have gone bankrupt and up to a million jobs would have been lost. Obama never actually stated that it was solely the bail out that put GM back on top, but without it they wouldn't be where they are today. I think that is absolutely true. Rating Obama's statement half true simply shows the bias.
Secondly, the rating on job creation is also flawed. There is no doubt that over the past 22 months 3 million jobs have been created by private business. That's what he said, and that is perfectly true. Sorry if it doesn't meet your agenda, but if you want to have credibility in this reporting, have the guts to assess and report things correctly.
Tom
_______________________________________________
Letter to AJC 1-20-2012
Newt Gingrich believes that the best form of defense is attack. Anything to deflect blame elsewhere seems to be his modus operandi. His pomposity knows no bounds and his surge in popularity is an ominous harbinger for the future of America. Where are the mores of yesteryear? If indeed Newt wins the candidacy, it would appear that we are headed for polygamy and graft as the new norm. The respectable republicans have all been intimidated by the mobocracy of the tea party who would return our country to an"every man for himself"cauldron of recklessness. The days of Reagan are certainly over.
Tom
Letters to AJC sent in 2011
Letters sent to AJC in 2011
____________________________________________________
Letter to AJC 12-18-2011 (This one they actually published- edited of course)
The current gridlock in Washington is a sure sign our mode of government is no longer effective. The elected representatives seem to be focused only on their own beliefs and gains, and no longer represent the will of the people including minority opinions. It's time to revamp the system to prevent the country from collapsing under the weight of these career congressmen, senators, and judiciary.
We need to implement term limits on these statesmen so that they concentrate on the job of running the country, make decisions and take actions that are for the good of the people, instead of the special interest and lobbyists. We also need to eliminate their paranoia regarding their own reelection.
I suggest that congressmen and senators be elected for a maximum of 2 terms and that the President should be given a single term of 6 years so that the focus is on governance instead of party politics and reelection. That way we would have people elected who are more in touch with the real feelings of the country instead of the privileged culture that exists today.
We also need to take a closer look at the judiciary. Why do supreme court justices have a lifetime tenure? Surely that locks in biased thinking instead of the neutral interpretation of the law that they are supposed to provide. I think they also should be appointed for a term of perhaps 9 years with one third of them being replaced every three years.
Tom
_________________________________________________
10-27-2011
Today's political "cartoon" by Michael Ramirez is hate speech. If the AJC wishes to be balanced in its opinion, there needs to be proper editing and selection of material to ensure that offensive, hate filled messages are discarded. It's time to drop the Michael Ramirez nastiness. There is no place for this in a well intentioned media outlet.
Tom
__________________________________________________
Letter to the editor AJC 9-17-2011
A number of conservatives including Rick Perry and Charles Krauthammer have called the national social security program a Ponzi scheme. As a retired senior who paid into social security when I was working, I resent the fear mongering that these people are spreading. This appears to be aimed at younger workers to make them question the plan and drive changes that will damage their prospects for income during their retirement years.
The CBO has indicated that the plan is solvent for decades, and only needs small tweaking to ensure full payment to all retirees. One simple change is to remove the cap on income. That would make sure Social Security remained solvent for the next 75 years at least. It only seems fair that richer workers provide their full share of contribution to the plan.
The discussions of converting to private plans also concerns me, because there are pitfalls in that approach. Currently employers match the contributions made by workers into social security. There is no guarantee under privatization, that those matching contributions will continue, so working people will only have half the amount of money to build their accounts as compared to the government run social security program. This seems to me to be a pro-business position to reduce business costs and take away a pension plan that employers have been required to support during the last 70 years.
Perhaps Politifacts should be directed to do a proper unbiased analysis of this situation. I think that would be a much more helpful use of their time than all the partisan political spin that they seem to be focusing on.
Tom
___________________________________________________
To the editor AJC 9-12-2011
How sad it is to see the once mighty Atlanta Journal Constitution censor political commentary. For the last three days the AJC has intentionally blocked the publication of Doonesbury’s comics because it raises important questions about Sarah Palin, and points to the level of hypocrisy that conservatives are willing to overlook when choosing people for the most important offices of the land.
I have seen the gradual decline of the AJC over the last decade as public opinion in Georgia has swung republican. The so called balanced commentary of the AJC is clearly right wing biased. It is becoming a paper Fox. I am dismayed that the editorial staff of the AJC have fallen victim to the pecuniary demands of circulation objectives by feeding the right wing machine in Georgia with their expected ideological views.
Time to take stock of your conscience. You have become just another instrument playing into the hands of the rich and powerful, and have lost your claim to representing considered, rational thought.
Tom
______________________________________________
Letter to AJC 8-11-2011
The tea-party controlled Congress failed to listen to the reasoned argument put forward by President Obama for a balanced approach to eliminating our country's debt. He clearly pointed out the risks to our economy and the impact on the market if the republicans bowed to the fanatic right wing and refused to compromise.
As a result we have witnessed turmoil in the market and a return to fear of double dip recession. By their stubborn and ignorant position, the tea party has achieved Bin Laden's dream of bringing our great country to the brink of disaster.
When will we learn that governing requires proper unemotional planning and compromise instead of ideological obstinate attitudes that have no purpose other than to advance political ambitions.
Paraphrasing the famous words of Pogo, "We have met the enemy, and they are us".
Tom
______________________________________________
Letter to AJC 7-27-2011 (this one was published, edited of course)
If the tea party succeeds in forcing the USA into default next week with their outrageous posturing, then they will have caused more pain and suffering for this country than all the terrorists and extremists combined could ever have dreamed would occur. Our dollar value will plummet, inflation will return with a vengeance, millions will lose jobs and houses, and we will head straight into another deep recession or worse.
Congress has completely abrogated it's responsibility to the people to guide this country and ensure our well being. We are being held hostage to the poorly thought-out policies of ideologs who either don't understand or who don't care how important it is to maintain our credit status.
It's clear we have to work on reducing spending and changing our approach to taxes to make sure all citizens and businesses contribute their fair share. But let's do it rationally and with careful analysis rather than this "winner takes all " approach that our current representatives seem to have.
One lesson from this debacle is clear. Be careful who you vote for.
Tom
________________________________________________
Letter to AJC 1-31-2011
The AJC's analysis of the new Georgia tax proposal, as outlined in the Politifact column, ignores the problems this will cause for seniors. In the last decade, interest rates have fallen from 6% to less than 1% resulting in a major decline in seniors' income from CDs and savings. To impose an increase in state tax on seniors will add to that burden, and result in suffering for many.
Currently, a senior making up to $30,000 per year from retirement savings or pensions is exempt from Georgia income tax on that amount. This new plan would eliminate that exemption and raise the senior's taxes whilst at the same time imposing a new tax on groceries and services.
It means a huge reduction in disposable income for the senior, and a jump in the cost of living that will not be reflected in any social security increase. How is this fair? To seniors this is clearly a double tax increase.
Since all the supporters of this new tax plan seem to feel that this will be revenue neutral, why the rush to change? It appears that it is simply a shifting of revenue generation from the already rich and powerful to the old and the poor; people who can ill afford it, and who don't have the benefit of influential lobbyists under the gold dome.
Tom
____________________________________________________
Letter to AJC 1-8-2011
Dear Sir/Madam,
The new Georgia tax proposal is simply a ruse to increase taxes on seniors and the poor, and give tax breaks to businesses and the wealthy. A senior making up to $30,000 per year from retirement savings or pensions is currently exempt from Georgia income tax. This new plan would eliminate that exemption and raise the senior's taxes whilst at the same time imposing a new tax on groceries and services. It means a huge reduction in disposable income, and a jump in the cost of living that will not be reflected in any social security increase. How is this fair?
With the rush to become a single party state, a business first attitude, and a focus only on the desires of the rich and their lobbyists, who is going to speak for and protect the old, the weak and the poor, a cultural value that our country used to pride itself on? With this Georgian attitude, Florida looks better all the time to our large and growing population of seniors.
Tom
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Letter to AJC 12-18-2011 (This one they actually published- edited of course)
The current gridlock in Washington is a sure sign our mode of government is no longer effective. The elected representatives seem to be focused only on their own beliefs and gains, and no longer represent the will of the people including minority opinions. It's time to revamp the system to prevent the country from collapsing under the weight of these career congressmen, senators, and judiciary.
We need to implement term limits on these statesmen so that they concentrate on the job of running the country, make decisions and take actions that are for the good of the people, instead of the special interest and lobbyists. We also need to eliminate their paranoia regarding their own reelection.
I suggest that congressmen and senators be elected for a maximum of 2 terms and that the President should be given a single term of 6 years so that the focus is on governance instead of party politics and reelection. That way we would have people elected who are more in touch with the real feelings of the country instead of the privileged culture that exists today.
We also need to take a closer look at the judiciary. Why do supreme court justices have a lifetime tenure? Surely that locks in biased thinking instead of the neutral interpretation of the law that they are supposed to provide. I think they also should be appointed for a term of perhaps 9 years with one third of them being replaced every three years.
Tom
_________________________________________________
10-27-2011
Today's political "cartoon" by Michael Ramirez is hate speech. If the AJC wishes to be balanced in its opinion, there needs to be proper editing and selection of material to ensure that offensive, hate filled messages are discarded. It's time to drop the Michael Ramirez nastiness. There is no place for this in a well intentioned media outlet.
Tom
__________________________________________________
Letter to the editor AJC 9-17-2011
A number of conservatives including Rick Perry and Charles Krauthammer have called the national social security program a Ponzi scheme. As a retired senior who paid into social security when I was working, I resent the fear mongering that these people are spreading. This appears to be aimed at younger workers to make them question the plan and drive changes that will damage their prospects for income during their retirement years.
The CBO has indicated that the plan is solvent for decades, and only needs small tweaking to ensure full payment to all retirees. One simple change is to remove the cap on income. That would make sure Social Security remained solvent for the next 75 years at least. It only seems fair that richer workers provide their full share of contribution to the plan.
The discussions of converting to private plans also concerns me, because there are pitfalls in that approach. Currently employers match the contributions made by workers into social security. There is no guarantee under privatization, that those matching contributions will continue, so working people will only have half the amount of money to build their accounts as compared to the government run social security program. This seems to me to be a pro-business position to reduce business costs and take away a pension plan that employers have been required to support during the last 70 years.
Perhaps Politifacts should be directed to do a proper unbiased analysis of this situation. I think that would be a much more helpful use of their time than all the partisan political spin that they seem to be focusing on.
Tom
___________________________________________________
To the editor AJC 9-12-2011
How sad it is to see the once mighty Atlanta Journal Constitution censor political commentary. For the last three days the AJC has intentionally blocked the publication of Doonesbury’s comics because it raises important questions about Sarah Palin, and points to the level of hypocrisy that conservatives are willing to overlook when choosing people for the most important offices of the land.
I have seen the gradual decline of the AJC over the last decade as public opinion in Georgia has swung republican. The so called balanced commentary of the AJC is clearly right wing biased. It is becoming a paper Fox. I am dismayed that the editorial staff of the AJC have fallen victim to the pecuniary demands of circulation objectives by feeding the right wing machine in Georgia with their expected ideological views.
Time to take stock of your conscience. You have become just another instrument playing into the hands of the rich and powerful, and have lost your claim to representing considered, rational thought.
Tom
______________________________________________
Letter to AJC 8-11-2011
The tea-party controlled Congress failed to listen to the reasoned argument put forward by President Obama for a balanced approach to eliminating our country's debt. He clearly pointed out the risks to our economy and the impact on the market if the republicans bowed to the fanatic right wing and refused to compromise.
As a result we have witnessed turmoil in the market and a return to fear of double dip recession. By their stubborn and ignorant position, the tea party has achieved Bin Laden's dream of bringing our great country to the brink of disaster.
When will we learn that governing requires proper unemotional planning and compromise instead of ideological obstinate attitudes that have no purpose other than to advance political ambitions.
Paraphrasing the famous words of Pogo, "We have met the enemy, and they are us".
Tom
______________________________________________
Letter to AJC 7-27-2011 (this one was published, edited of course)
If the tea party succeeds in forcing the USA into default next week with their outrageous posturing, then they will have caused more pain and suffering for this country than all the terrorists and extremists combined could ever have dreamed would occur. Our dollar value will plummet, inflation will return with a vengeance, millions will lose jobs and houses, and we will head straight into another deep recession or worse.
Congress has completely abrogated it's responsibility to the people to guide this country and ensure our well being. We are being held hostage to the poorly thought-out policies of ideologs who either don't understand or who don't care how important it is to maintain our credit status.
It's clear we have to work on reducing spending and changing our approach to taxes to make sure all citizens and businesses contribute their fair share. But let's do it rationally and with careful analysis rather than this "winner takes all " approach that our current representatives seem to have.
One lesson from this debacle is clear. Be careful who you vote for.
Tom
________________________________________________
Letter to AJC 1-31-2011
The AJC's analysis of the new Georgia tax proposal, as outlined in the Politifact column, ignores the problems this will cause for seniors. In the last decade, interest rates have fallen from 6% to less than 1% resulting in a major decline in seniors' income from CDs and savings. To impose an increase in state tax on seniors will add to that burden, and result in suffering for many.
Currently, a senior making up to $30,000 per year from retirement savings or pensions is exempt from Georgia income tax on that amount. This new plan would eliminate that exemption and raise the senior's taxes whilst at the same time imposing a new tax on groceries and services.
It means a huge reduction in disposable income for the senior, and a jump in the cost of living that will not be reflected in any social security increase. How is this fair? To seniors this is clearly a double tax increase.
Since all the supporters of this new tax plan seem to feel that this will be revenue neutral, why the rush to change? It appears that it is simply a shifting of revenue generation from the already rich and powerful to the old and the poor; people who can ill afford it, and who don't have the benefit of influential lobbyists under the gold dome.
Tom
____________________________________________________
Letter to AJC 1-8-2011
Dear Sir/Madam,
The new Georgia tax proposal is simply a ruse to increase taxes on seniors and the poor, and give tax breaks to businesses and the wealthy. A senior making up to $30,000 per year from retirement savings or pensions is currently exempt from Georgia income tax. This new plan would eliminate that exemption and raise the senior's taxes whilst at the same time imposing a new tax on groceries and services. It means a huge reduction in disposable income, and a jump in the cost of living that will not be reflected in any social security increase. How is this fair?
With the rush to become a single party state, a business first attitude, and a focus only on the desires of the rich and their lobbyists, who is going to speak for and protect the old, the weak and the poor, a cultural value that our country used to pride itself on? With this Georgian attitude, Florida looks better all the time to our large and growing population of seniors.
Tom
____________________________________________________
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