The Daily Star needs to report on debt
Do you ever wonder if our newspapers are covering all the news? Could it possibly be that their political agenda hovers over every front page?
Last month, The Daily Star published two front-page stories on President Barack Obama's evolving position on same-sex marriage, and that was fine.
However, the most critical problem facing our nation is the looming financial crisis. Our national debt is approaching $16 trillion!
Interest on that debt is $900 billion a year. Would it not be better for that $900 billion to be used to help the needy in this country, rather than paying so much interest to China?
By the way, the U.S. has borrowed more money from the Chinese for the past three months in a row. Has The Daily Star printed a front-page article on this? Could the newspaper even stay in business if it ran a deficit year after year?
For 40 years, I paid into Social Security. Early on, those payments were called contributions toward retirement.
President Obama used a "bait and switch" when he emphasized that Social Security payments were a payroll tax. He claimed he was cutting taxes by pushing through a payroll tax holiday. Payroll contributions to Social Security have been discontinued for a year while the Social Security program goes further into debt.
I am disheartened when the president "baits" us with a phony tax cut and "switches" by not refunding the Social Security Trust. Did The Daily Star even mention how fiscally irresponsible that was?
The numbers continue to be mind-boggling. Deficits well over a trillion dollars a year for four straight years. Government waste of our tax dollars is unabated. Is it asking too much for our newspapers to keep the people informed about this crisis?
Stan Hall
Cooperstown
Gas drilling is the enemy, not us
Gerard Bourgeois of Morris is correct when he writes, "pro-drillers aren't evil." Painting one side or the other as villainous further divides our community.
During times of economic misfortune, we should be doing all that we can to help our neighbors. Instead, we have turned on one another, making enemies out of those we should rely on.
In my opinion, our local dairy farmers have provided the strongest argument in support of gas drilling. In New York, however, drilling is not a solution, but rather a bandage on a much larger problem: farm subsidies. The price support system put into place has been largely unsuccessful and yet we continue to rely on it. Our focus should not be on temporary forms of income, but rather bolstering those that have been in place for decades.
We need to address the current state of government subsidies, or adapt our practices so that they are again profitable.
The market is changing, and so should we.
Another prominent pro-drilling argument is that our area is bleeding people, especially youth.
As one of many proud young people of upstate New York, I have every intention of remaining right here.
I can say with confidence that the presence of drilling will not encourage young people like myself to remain, but will drive many long-standing residents away.
Ean R. Mitchell
Otego
