Underground airport Metro stop will tempt terrorists Re: “Dulles Metro stop to be underground,” April 7
Because of the increasing boldness of terrorists in the United States, we are becoming more vulnerable to attacks. An underground Metro stop at Dulles International Airport will be tempting to terrorists. The Pentagon is already compromised by having an underground Metro station. Regardless of safety precautions in force, a determined terrorist in the future can and will find a way to place a bomb on the Metro or becoming a suicide bomber.
This is not a good idea, regardless of any cost considerations. Why don’t we learn from past mistakes?
Dave Henry
Gaithersburg
Ryan’s budget plan is better than the alternative
Re: “Big health costs shift to elderly in Republican plan,” April 6
It is blatantly misleading to assert that the 2012 Republican budget would place a financial burden on seniors. A more apt headline would be: “‘Republican plan cheats young people less.” But that would still miss the point.
The Medicare status quo
is not a viable baseline, even on the grounds that older generations are entrenched in the current system. Supporting an unsustainable program in the face of the enormous deficit tsunami that will crush the American economy is foolhardy.
Today’s youth are already saddled with burgeoning debt and will foot the bill for trillions of dollars because of the irresponsible and immoral spending of their elders. Ryan’s plan provides an alternative that is more responsible, realistic, and gives end users more choice – while keeping seniors covered. None of those factors are negative or unimportant.
Ryan’s plan isn’t perfect, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.
Chip Bishop
Arlington
Ryan’s budget will help re-elect Obama
Re: “What’s wrong with Paul Ryan’s budget?” April 6
Leapfrog is a fine game, but only if the players complete the leap. Paul Ryan’s budget plan does not. Here are its failings:
* It’s too complex. Nobody understands it, including Ryan.
* It relies on the same worship of deregulation and market buccaneering that gave us the housing market collapse and the jobs depression.
* It refuses to restore the tax brackets of the prosperous Clinton era, when we had budget surpluses, strong growth, and low unemployment.
* It does not promise decent health care to seniors, only whatever care they can afford to purchase with government assistance – which can be curtailed or means tested at any time.
* It ignores the Canadian system, which has cut the prices of prescription drugs in half versus here.
* It relies on the states, which are so corruptly governed that almost all of them are trending toward bankruptcy.
In short, Ryan’s plan is a great gift to the Obama socialists, assuring their overwhelming return to power in 2012. Whatever happened to moderation?
Richard C. Kreutzberg
Chevy Chase
