Changing Social Security is a bad idea Re: “Entitlements, not tax cuts, widen the income gap,” Nov. 27
I normally like Mr. Barone’s commentary, but his recommendation that we change Social Security would lead us down a bad path. It would become a welfare program, not Social Security.
Forcing affluent people to pay into a program when they will not receive any benefits fits the classical definition of a welfare scheme. Mr. Barone seems to miss this point.
Newt Gingrich has the wiser solution: to transform Social Security into a program similar to the one Chile enacted. Gingrich also said he would let people opt in to Social Security if they are dumb enough to do that.
I wonder if Mr. Barone would be in that category?
Richard Allen
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Muslims have no right to interfere
Re: “Fearing unrest, Israel delays work at holy site,” Nov. 28
Rebuilding a bridge for transit to the Wailing Wall or the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is a petty issue. I fault Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to stand up for the heritage of the Jewish people and not going ahead and replacing a rickety bridge.
Palestinian Arabs and the Muslim world should not have the right to interfere with the most sacred place to Judaism when their connection to the city is not even documented in the Koran.
This is symptomatic of our Western world, where even the slightest Muslim grievance is not only listened to, but met. Meanwhile, the former Christian world in the Middle East is systematically destroyed by those same Muslim nations.
Nelson Marans
Silver Spring
Socialist OWS is a Marxist movement
With each passing day, it becomes more obvious that the narcissistic Occupy Wall Street gatherings being promoted by the liberal mainstream media are being used to deflect attention from a failed presidency and its bankrupt economic policies.
Karl Marx and his modern-day acolytes might portray OWS as an “authentic” by-product of the capitalist system. But college students included among the protesters are now appreciating the fact that majoring in French literature or trendy social causes masquerading as legitimate majors doesn’t guarantee them a job, especially in this floundering Obama economy.
The coming 2012 elections will feature a partisan media continuing to peddle Marx’ socialist vision wrapped in uniquely American blends of class envy plus white guilt.
Let’s hope they fail.
Ron Goodden
Atlanta, Ga.
