Administration is wrong on security and health care

Administration is wrong on security and health care

EDITOR:

I am appalled that the current attorney general is wasting time trying to charge and convict persons of the previous administration for doing their jobs. We were not attacked in the United States after Sept. 11, 2001, and I appreciate the fact that the CIA discovered and thwarted attacks against the United States through their interrogation techniques. The CIA or no other interrogation group will now be able to get any information from terrorists because our current government has guaranteed them that they need not answer any queries. We are told that the former interrogation techniques were instrumental in the Taliban recruiting process. I submit to you that the current recommended procedures will help the Taliban much more than the serious questioning of the previous administration.

I am also troubled by the proposed health plans being sold to us by the administration. If the government forces insurance companies to accept customers with pre-existing conditions and those who cannot afford to pay for them how can they stay in business? The government forced banks to loan money to buy houses to people who could not afford them a few years ago. Look at the mess that got us into with the economy. My suggested solution to the uninsurable problem is for the government (so-called public option) to put these people on a public insurance plan and leave those of us with current insurance alone. If the insurance companies are forced to insure everybody, regardless of health, how can they stay in business against a government plan? Would you buy stock in an insurance company that cannot earn a profit? I wouldn’t.

I am also confused by the president’s presentation to some of our school students Tuesday. He encouraged them to study and work hard in school so they can be a success in their adult lives. If the students adhere to current administration policy why would they want to succeed? Socialism takes away from the successful and gives equal compensation to those who don’t try. I did some work in Sweden in the 1980s where they had this type of system, and I did not meet one person who was satisfied with it. I wish our government would consider trying to help the citizens of the United States instead of taking advantage of them all the time.

GEORGE GRIM

Boardman

Motorists: Slow down

EDITOR:

I am a resident of Youngstown, living on Shirley Road on the South Side. As with any heavily traveled road, we have a situation with speeders on our street and unfortunately summer brings more of them.

To the person driving down Shirley Road in the middle of the afternoon last Wednesday, who saw the need to go around the car in front of him and continue speeding down the street and was told by me to slow down and you felt the need to give me the finger as if I had done something wrong, I ask you, did you see my 2-year-old son playing in his driveway? Were there other children playing in the neighborhood? What about small animals? Or were you really going too fast down the road to notice?

I have been living on this street for five years and have seen my share of accidents. Three times I have seen animals get hit by cars, right in front of my home. Once the animal died from her injuries. There was only one time that someone had the presence of mind to stop and inquire about the animal.

I have called the Youngstown Police Department after each incident to ask them to install some kind of radar to deter cars, but unfortunately there is more serious crime happening and they just can’t spare the manpower. So I ask this of the “gentleman” from Wednesday and every car that travels on Shirley Road: Would you rather be a few minutes late to your next appointment and know that you brought no harm to children or just become another statistic?

MELISSA CARNAHAN

Youngstown