Will the new year start off with agreement in Congress on anything, or will there be more partisan gridlock?
Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe have actually voted this year to invoke cloture on several important bills, to stop debate and move forward on a vote, only to realize that these were wasted efforts against the Republican minority in the Senate which has threatened to filibuster everything.
Consequently, many important pieces of legislation have died in the Senate.
We in this country are rapidly approaching a point of no return in many critical areas: health care, education, equality of opportunity and job creation.
For example, the most recent Program for International Student Assessment report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicated that the U.S. ranks 23rd or 24th behind other major countries.
As Arne Duncan, secretary of education, stated, “…we’re being out-educated” in all subjects.
In terms of social justice, the U.S. ranks near the bottom of a list of states in the OECD, namely because of poor equal access to education, health care, and employment.
We also do a poor job at poverty prevention, especially among children and the elderly.
Last, with regard to climate change, very little was accomplished in Durban at the most recent meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Will our two senators be able to step outside the narrow confines of Republican thinking to at least begin addressing these important issues?
Or will we experience a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions from which we may not be able to recover?
Bevan Davies, Kennebunk
‘Moderate’ Collins votes with ‘radical’ Republicans
Good old “moderate” Sen. Collins did it again by voting with her radical Republican members to deny the American public the consumer protection that is sorely lacking.
Who does she think she is serving? Wall Street?
When will our Maine voters realize that Ms. Collins is no longer serving our needs?
Yes, she votes for nickel and dime “bi-partisan” causes, but come on, when it comes to the really important issues she is no better than the rest of the Republicans who only want to defeat Obama and not serve the best interests of the county.
Oh, how I wish she was running for re-election this year.
Steven Freedman, Cape Elizabeth
Vote on war were wrong so an apology is in order
A long war comes to a quiet end as reported on the front page of the Press Herald.
The Iraq war that began eight years and nine months ago cost nearly 4,500 American lives, more than 30,000 wounded troops, and $800 billion from the U.S. Treasury.
To this day, Sen. Olympia Snow and Sen. Susan Collins have never apologized for their vote on the war in Iraq, or to the families of dead and wounded Americans.
Clearly an example of their lack of moral courage, leadership, ethical integrity, and responsibility as elected senators from this state.
Their votes were wrong.
Edward Harwood, Arundel
Not all people in difficult situations are parasites
First, Mr. Fogg makes the basic irrational mistake of characterizing all those who find themselves in difficult circumstances as parasites.
While the reality may be that there are some who might fit that description, there are myriad conditions which have brought about the problems faced by many people.
To suggest that they all are malingerers is not accurate and is mean-spirited.
To further suggest that we as a society should bear no responsibility to assist those in need is to have no understanding of the moral obligations of citizenship.
Mr. Fogg asks “Show me where it says I have to pay for your future as well as my own.”
I would suggest that he might look to his Bible.
He might find some references there.
Richard McLoon, Portland
In response to Mr. Fogg’s opinion that “they” (Department of Health and Human Services recipients) did not make good choices earlier in their lives to plan for their future often is not true.
It is the result of many things including inferior education as well as poor pre-natal care without the proper nutrition due to health care and education cuts.
A person’s location often affects the quality of their school.
Many grew up in the same under-educated background which in the long term means fewer education options and job choices.
Many jobs do not pay for insurance or retirement funds.
That is why it is extremely important to fund pre-school education, to fund school breakfast and lunches when necessary as well as health and other needed programs that enable people to get equal opportunities for skills and advancement.
Because of unscrupulous people, new generations will fall into the cycle of poverty if we, the ones who have enough, do not share via taxes that pay for necessary programs.
Everyone I have ever met in the U.S.A. has had benefits from taxes: schools, parks, hospitals, safer cars and roads, new drugs, cleaner air, etc. so many daily “things” we take for granted.
You sound like one of the blessed.
I am grateful that I have the privilege to share.
What is enough does not have to mean buying any “toy” one wants.
For me it means making choices on what is important to me and my family’s life, and what will help others to also have choices.
I believe there are few who take advantage of the system.
The large majority are honest people in tough circumstances.
May the new year bring financial stability and good health to all.
Marji Greenhut, Brunswick
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