Support the president

Support the president

EDITOR:

It is so disturbing to know that our Congress and a few nay-saying Americans are so against the president’s health-care agenda.

I don’t think some members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, are as concerned for the American people as they are for their future political careers.

It is time we stop being so naive and succumbing to false and negative information.

It is heartbreaking to know that some wish to see President Obama fail in whatever endeavors or recommendations he presents.

We seem to so easily forget that the Iraq war has cost trillions of dollars in taxes. No one seems to mention that anymore, yet they constantly object to higher taxes for better health care for everyone.

Certainly the rich who have dodged higher taxes for so many years don’t want that burden.

We all have to sacrifice something, whether now or later. Whether we agree with the president’s proposals or not, at least he’s trying to do something.

The past administration did nothing but put us in more debt then ever in the history of this country.

OLLA L. TATE

Youngstown

Keep the government out

EDITOR:

We don’t need a new single payer/public option health-care plan. Since Hillary tried it over 15 years ago there have been no catastrophes.

The system needs more private sector competition by allowing shopping for health insurance beyond state borders. Next, develop well tested tort reform to reduce overhead and unnecessary tests. Next, promptly deport illegal aliens to reduce the uncovered load and expense on the system. Please note I said illegals, not the respectable aliens who came in the front door and respected the laws and system of the country they want to live in and be a part of.

Do not create a public government option. With its taxpayer subsidies it would automatically be the lowest rate in town and employers would trip over each other rushing to dump their health care insurance benefit costs. This would mean that we pay twice, direct premium and the taxes for the subsidy.

DANIEL VICTOR BIENKO

Canfield

Take the fight to Washington

EDITOR:

The retirees are fighting for what they have worked for and earned over the years and now is being taken from them.

Workers have taken concessions only to get a slap in the face. I watched the Delphi workers’ rallies in downtown Warren and at the fair on TV. Stop wasting your time. There needs to be a nationwide march on Washington, D.C,. as soon as possible. Let your voices be heard. Foreign imports need to be stopped. Now that’s the real problem. Congressmen don’t feel your pain. How could they? They get a big pay check, great benefits and perks.

Martin Luther King had the right idea when he marched on Washington. The man made his point. There is an old saying, the wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the most grease.

When President Nixon was in office he had Henry Kissinger traveling to China to wheel and deal. Before the Americans knew it, almost everything we bought was from China. Then Clinton put the finishing touches to the manufacturing jobs with NAFTA sending plants to Mexico.

We import the cheapest steel from China, when we made the best steel in the world.

Our steel mills were the heartbeat of this country. Big labor was not paying attention to protect the working force.

This is our country, which our grandfathers, husbands, brothers, sons, etc. fought for.

BEV MANCINI

Hartford

What about the steelworkers?

EDITOR:

Having been a steelworker for 25 years, I’m finding very interesting the events that are occurring with Delphi and GM retirees. As I read their letters and other articles, I can’t help but wonder where was and is all the help that they get from politicians and media? My union brothers and sisters and I have been dealing with these issues for quite a while. But now that it’s the auto workers, it seems to be a different story. And believe me, we did try to get help.

I have a pension with PPGC. It’s about half what I should get and they’re trying to take that away. We are appealing.

We had successorship rights in our contract that have been violated by our union. Under the agreement we should have had recall rights to our plant if it reopened within two years, which it did, but we were denied jobs. A lawsuit against the union has been dragging on in the courts for years now.

We lost health care immediately when the plant shut down in August 2002. Cobra and Vela were offered, both very costly.

So it’s hard to offer a sympathetic ear to auto workers when it seemed that no one was there for us when we went through this. It’s not that I don’t feel that you deserve what you earned. I feel we should all get what we deserve for putting those years in. Contracts are supposed to be binding. But I don’t recall any auto worker rushing to our side when we were in need.

JACK THOMAS

Struthers

Sewer project languishes

EDITOR:

In 2003, the Canfield Township trustees secured a Community Development Block Grant to provide sanitary sewer to the LMI (lower to middle income) area of Summit Drive, under the direction of Chairman William Reese.

In 2008 we wrote to the Canfield trustees regarding the fact that they had not completed their project as it was nonfunctional and that we, the LMI residents, were unable to secure our free tap-in which was included in the original application. We contacted the county special projects administrator and qualified for the RLF tap in assistance program. But, due to the fact that this project is now over six years old and with the trustees’ continuing failure to prioritize its completion, the RLF program funds are now depleted. We will again face severe financial hardship with the future cost of the sewer hook ups.

It’s interesting to see that our township dollars will be spent on a sanitary sewer for a non-essential concession stand in the new township park.

PHILIP and LINDA MAGYAR

Canfield

X The letter was also signed by Dominic and Janice Lattanzio, Howard and Mary Santilli, Meryl McKnight, Harry Rymer and Glenn McKnight.