My parents taught me Economics 101 when I was just knee high to a grasshopper. Rule No. 1 was both specific and rigid: “You cannot borrow or spend your way out of debt!” They added: “Trim expenses, cut back, do without.”
Why is Rule No. 1 so difficult to comprehend? Why can’t our whiz-kids in Congress come to grips with this simple premise? Congress is spending us into oblivion! Future taxation, high taxation, impossible-to-survive taxation is coming our way — taxation until extermination. You, your children, your grandchildren and who knows how many more generations will have to pay the present $13-trillion bill with an addition every day. Somebody has to pay! That somebody affects everybody.
Congress is passing legislation extending unemployment payments. That, in itself, is OK. However, they could have reduced the government’s budget by a percentage point to cover this additional cost or found some way to trim or eliminate some meaningless program(s) but they couldn’t do it. Just added it to our already overwhelming debt — shame on them and a pox as well.
Will they ever learn? Not likely! Congressional service has become a game of self-service. The solution: Throw the rascals out! Start over with a group not steeped in political muck and let’s add term limits to boot. Perhaps the USA can survive. The proverbial ox is in the ditch. The time to pull the beast out is now. Vote for a fresh start. Couldn’t do worse.
ERNIE WENDELL
Durham
Safeguard animals
I am truly baffled as to why SB 460 — the Puppy Mill Bill — has not been passed in North Carolina. C’mon, is there a state representative that would actually stand up and condone how dogs are treated and made to suffer in “puppy mills?” Who WOULD say this is OK? Talk about “ill gotten gains” for mill owners.
Let’s get dog lovers from all over the state going on this issue. Call your representatives and let’s get this passed. A famous person once said that a society is judged by how it treats its animals. We have some more work to do, don’t we?
As a member, I was saddened to find out that the Farm Bureau was not helping to safeguard domestic pets by supporting this bill. I can’t fathom why the Farm Bureau is not standing up to put safeguards in place that may put an end to animals suffering needlessly.
The other special interest group not supporting this “humane” bill is the NRA. What does the right to bear arms (and my husband is a member) have to do with dogs suffering cruel treatment? It should be the other way around — the NRA defending the rights of the helpless animals.
So let’s make a difference on this issue and take steps to ensure dogs and puppies are treated “humanely.” Let’s work to apply the golden rule to all creatures and treat them kindly.
DEBBIE WARGO
Marshall
