Letters to the Editor
Sunday's editorial "Health law has life" opens with the labeling of Virginia U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson as a "conservative." As a federal judge, I'm sure Hudson has never declared this to be so. Oddly, you make no such "liberal" political judgment on the two federal judges who have ruled "in direct opposition" to Hudson on the constitutionality of the health-care reform law.
Shouldn't be so quick to apply labels
Sunday's editorial "Health law has life" opens with the labeling of Virginia U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson as a "conservative." As a federal judge, I'm sure Hudson has never declared this to be so. Oddly, you make no such "liberal" political judgment on the two federal judges who have ruled "in direct opposition" to Hudson on the constitutionality of the health-care reform law.
You further find it to be fact that the Supreme Court is "right-leaning," in spite of there being four conservatives, four avowed liberals, and one moderate on it. Hudson's opinion that "Congress exceeded its authority" is not political. Where is it written that the government can make you buy something? The car-insurance analogy is a canard.
Contrary to liberals implying otherwise, conservatives want proper health care for all American citizens. But they, along with Judge Hudson, don't believe that end is justified by the means this Congress has used.
Stephen Hanover
Parker Ford
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Car insurance isn't the same as medical
I am sick of hearing the ignorant argument that mandatory health insurance is legal because car insurance is also mandated.
Let's get some things clear here. Car insurance is mandatory only for owners or operators of motor vehicles. Millions of people in this country choose not to have a car, or driver's license, and thus are legally exempt from having insurance.
Also, car-insurance laws are state, not federal, mandates. If a state, such as Massachusetts, seeks to mandate health insurance (a program that is foundering in the Bay State), that is legitimate.
David Kveragas
Newton Township
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Let Phillies pitcher lead orchestra
Does anybody know if Cliff Lee can play a musical instrument? Like, say, the violin? With our wonderful Philadelphia Orchestra currently struggling at 65 percent attendance, I have a feeling that our outstanding concertmaster David Kim would be willing to provide free lessons for the Phillies pitcher, in addition to inviting him to sit directly next to him on the podium.
Of course, a less complicated arrangement would be to just present Lee with a baton, declare him to be (despite some inexperience) a special assistant conductor, and then allow him to wave his new baton in the general vicinity of the orchestra for a few minutes preceding each concert. In this manner, Lee can bolster not just one, but two beloved Philadelphia institutions.
Jules Slatko
Holland
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Need a 'party' to fight for schools
Most of the parents I know have trouble controlling one to four children at the same time, while teachers are not only expected to control 30 or more, but also to educate them.
Teachers' "ridiculously high" pensions will soon disappear, mostly because legislators across the country failed to fund them while wasting time and money on their own personal boondoggles.
I want to start a coffee party that would fight to support education as hard as the tea-party movement fought to overthrow health-care reform for millions.
Yes, teachers should tighten their belts, like most Americans, but we must recognize the efforts and value of those on the front lines of education, whose success or failure will influence our country for decades to come.
Bradley E. Taylor
Retired teacher
Oxford
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Poor shouldn't get Boehner's tears
A Dec. 17 letter ("Why no tears for the unemployed?") makes an egregious mistake in logic. It asks where were the tears of House Speaker-designate John Boehner "when he decided to take money from the poor and give it to the rich?"
The poor don't pay much in taxes, and thus not much of their money is taken. In 2008, the top 1 percent of taxpayers paid 38 percent of the taxes and earned 20 percent of the income. The bottom 50 percent of taxpayers paid 2.7 percent of the taxes and earned 13 percent of the income. Money is flowing from the rich to the poor, not the reverse.
The earlier letter asked why Boehner is against an equitable distribution of the wealth in our country. Perhaps it's because Boehner is aware of how well that has worked in other socialist economies in modern history.
George Lock
West Grove
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Toll payers paying for DRPA mistakes
Once again, local citizens are held hostage by the Delaware River Port Authority board, which has made poor financial decisions. We're not seeing a nickel or dime increase in tolls. A dollar increase represents a 25 percent hike when unemployment is approaching double digits and many workers like myself are having a second year without a wage increase.
Spending DRPA funds on economic development projects is not only unconscionable but is simply "pork" at toll payers' expense. Tolls should be used only to maintain and improve the river infrastructure.
Your articles have brought to light the machinations of a bunch of appointed politicos who are responsible to no one but themselves. The DRPA board should be replaced with ordinary citizens who have the interests of the people in mind.
Harold N. Boyer
Folsom
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We have the money; it's spent elsewhere
If we stopped spending $119 billion per year in Afghanistan, we could extend the Bush tax cuts, extend unemployment benefits, and still have $15 billion left over. Charity begins at home!
Fred Walker
Philadelphia