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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 26, 2009

They're In Denial

Gov. Bobby Jindal and U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis and Ginny Brown-Waite just don't seem to get it. The current recession, soon to be the new Great Depression, was caused by Republican policies, and all they can do is carp about attempts to fix their incredible mistakes. Do they seriously believe that tax breaks for the rich, which helped bring on the current problems, will actually do any good?

Ninety percent of George W. Bush's tax cuts went to the top one-percent of income earners, and those people used that money to flip real estate and create junk bonds and other worthless securities. Do they actually believe, despite proof to the contrary, that any private business can perform any job better than any government body?

I am sick to death of this Republican denial of the facts and attempts to continue to adhere to a failed economic policy. These people are part of our great national problem and should get out of the way of people who are trying to fix their mistakes.

IAN MACFARLANE

St. Petersburg

'Octomom' Economics

It never ceases to amaze me. We bought a house we could afford and paid it off within five years by living frugally. We bought a prepaid college fund when our only child was born and paid it off by the time he was 5. We drive cars without payments and rarely use credit cards. We actually have savings. We exercise and try to eat healthy.

This is just the kind of behavior that Barack Obama and his followers enjoy undermining. Every day he comes out with a new idea for universal health care, universal college funding, mortgage bailouts, etc. It seemingly never ends.

In fact, it seems like the "Octomom" is the perfect poster child for what Obama and the liberals in Washington value: merely doing what feels good, indulging every fantasy and spending money you don't earn.

PAT PEARLMAN

Largo

The Ponzi Nation

Transparency, openness and bipartisanship are just some of the things we were all promised by President Obama. Yet what have we been given? Tax cheats, deals done behind closed doors and a rush to get a "porkulus" package through Congress when few had the chance to read it.

We are told by the Congressional Budget Office that this first of many bailouts will not work, except to burden our children, grandchildren and future generations with our refusal to deal with reality. You can never spend your way out of a recession.

If so, then, on behalf of all Americans we would like to take a loan out to spend ourselves into even further debt. Isn't that like giving more drugs to a drug addict? More alcohol to an alcoholic? If we tried to do this Ponzi scheme we would be in jail.

JACK PALZER

Ruskin

Republican Mantras

The two Republican mantras have always been smaller government and lowering the national debt. However, under the previous eight years of Republican control, both the debt and size of government went up by gargantuan proportions. Now, after putting us in this current credit crisis, they repeat their mantra that we are spending too much money.

The truth is they have proven they do not mind excess spending as long as it is spent on things they like, such as tax cuts for the rich, the Iraq war with no-bid contracts, tax cuts to big oil and a bridge to nowhere, to name just a few. Hypocrisy, thy name be Republican.

GERALD A. CERVENY

Tampa

Walk In Their Shoes

I work with seniors every day, and I see things our congressional leaders will never see: People getting a divorce after 52 years because they can collect an extra $210 per month from Social Security. People splitting medications in half and taking one half on Monday and the second on Thursday because they don't have the money to pay for their medications.

Why? Because they are living on Social Security and maybe a small pension that has not been increased since the individual started receiving it.

If congressional leaders had to rely on Social Security and Medicare, maybe they would look at things differently. Could they survive like this?

RANDY GARRETT

Lutz

No-Mail Mondays

According to you editorial Tuesday ("Saving Snail Mail Still Makes Sense"), consideration is being given to cutting one day of mail delivery (Tuesdays). Has anyone considered the possibility of cutting Monday or figured how much the savings would be if that day were cut?

There are already many Mondays during the year when there is no mail delivery. How many times have you walked to the mailbox or gone to the post office on Monday only to remember it's a "holiday"?

Common sense would seem to dictate that Monday would be the most beneficial day to cut, both for the Postal Service and consumer. I'd like to see the figures.

ANNABELLE HILLS

Brooksville

Saturday Is Better

Regarding "Saving Snail Mail Still Makes Sense:"

Nondelivery of mail on Tuesdays would give them three days off at times since they also get every Monday holiday. As it is now, it takes until Tuesday for them to start delivery of any substantial mail since no one is working on Sunday to get the mail ready to deliver.

I'd rather they stop Saturday delivery and get the union to stop all the holidays.

BARBARA CHAPIN

Lakeland

JOIN DISCUSSION

The Tribune welcomes letters and e-mails from readers. The text should be original and no longer than 150 words. By making a submission, you agree the Tribune may edit the letter for length and clarity, and publish it in any medium.

Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Mail to: P.O. Box 191, Tampa, FL 33601-0191. Or e-mail without attachments: tribletters@tampatrib.com.

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