Writer's misuse of quote was deceiving
Richard Bova (Letters, March 9) suggested that a writer re-read Article 1, Sec. 8 of the U.S. Constitution (Clause 1). I would suggest Mr. Bova read the whole clause, not just the first part of it. He leaves out "but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States."
Evidently Mr. Bova, in his attempt to attribute all the modern-day government spending programs of the Founding Fathers by using the phrase, "general welfare of the United States," fails to note that taxes â"â" duties, impost taxes and excise taxes â"â" were indirect in 1787 when Article I:8:1 was written. Direct taxes were only to be collected in case of war or other national emergencies, and if collected, they would be apportioned among the states according to their population.
Mr. Bova should have also noted that the phrase was "the general welfare of the United States," not "the specific welfare for the individual interest groups." Mr. Bova should also recognize that personal income taxes were not established until Amendment XVI was ratified in 1913, when it would have been rather difficult for the Founding Fathers to object. #…
Dennis Willis
Fallbrook
Letter writer is not alone
For Robert Green of Fallbrook (Letters, March 16): Hang in there, you are not alone.
We Republicans basically believe in four things. The first is constitutional government. We have a Constitution, so let#,s abide by it. Second, we respect all life. Third, we want small government. A government that governs least governs best. And fourth, we believe in personal responsibility. Stand up, America. Take personal responsibility.
Democrats seem not to believe in any of the foregoing. Read Charles Bagwell#'s letter in the (March 16) issue of the NCT: Mr. Bagwell is not clueless. The Democratic Party has certainly put together a clueless, incompetent bunch of tax cheats and other criminals.
Democrats and Republicans should be painfully aware that whatever the government gives, it took from someone else. A government that gives everything can also take everything.
Taking from the rich is not the answer. I have worked since I was 10 years old and a poor man never offered me a job. The rich invest in job-creating industries; they also provide money for banks to loan, thus creating jobs and investment. ….
If the government takes their money, I guarantee you it will go to corruption …
Chuck Banks
Oceanside
Corporate self-governance is oxymoronic
Rewarding outrageous risk-taking, win or lose, demands the nationalization of bailed-out financial companies. The people at American International Group who are most responsible for the severity of the financial crisis should be in jail. Instead, they've rewarded with $150 million in bonuses. Unbelievable!
In his March 17 column in the North County Times ("Smacking the messenger"), Richard Cohen argued that AIG executives were unaware that "a [London] division … was fooling around in stuff that virtually cratered the whole company." Is it plausible that officials of the world's 18th-largest insurance company, which was recognized for its underwriting skills, didn't fully understand the risk of insuring toxic mortgage derivatives? What other than a corporate culture valuing obscenely huge profits prevented AIG from being cautious?
An apt remedy is for the government to take control of the 80 percent stake taxpayers already own in AIG and dump the executives and brokers who dreamed up and touted the toxic Credit Default Swaps. The FDIC does this with failed banks. AIG is a "failed" financial institution. In its unwillingness to abandon its culture of greed over what's right, this corporation has proven it is unworthy to continue.
Zoltan Lucas
Oceanside
'Depression' is only a word
Bank bailouts and millions of dollars given for executive bonuses, pork stimulus packages to beef up the economy, property taxes going up while my property value goes down, 60 percent of my IRA gone, no job, no prospect for a job, health care costs on the rise while millions of illegals get free health care, free education and lunches for their children, stocks plunging, price of gas and food skyrocketing, increased taxes on consumables, infrastructure crumbling, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continuing.
I don't know if the country is in a depression, but I sure am!
Michael Clark
Oceanside
Conservatives more generous with time, money
Douglas Dunn (Letters, March 7) confuses intrusion with conservation.
Republicans tend to want government to conserve the traditional American standards for marriage and the sanctity of the unborn, and to preserve the traditional recognition of the Judeo-Christian heritage as the historical foundation of American public life.
People such as Dunn who wish government to abandon these traditional standards and practices are more likely to be Democrats. Moreover, it is Democrats who generally desire to expand the role of government in our economic lives, and in dealing with health care and social ills.
Democrats tend to do so because they are more likely to believe that bad behavior comes from bad circumstances. Republicans generally disagree. They tend to believe that bad behavior comes more from bad personal choices. So Republicans generally advocate a smaller role for government in our economic lives and greater reliance on private enterprise, charities and volunteerism.
We should not be surprised, therefore, that studies show that political and social conservatives, regardless of economic status, are significantly more generous in donating personal time and money to help people. In contrast, liberals like Dunn tend to expect taxes and government programs/intervention to take care of our problems.
Howard Killion
Oceanside
More promotion would save arts center
It is indeed sad to read that the California Center for the Arts is in financial trouble ("Council agrees to cover $1.7M arts center debt," March 5). We are so fortunate to have high-quality entertainment offered in our area.
I believe that attendance would increase if there were better promotion. Many times an outstanding event is barely noted in local publications. Coming attractions should merit an attractive ad.
Alice Kelley
Escondido
Ramp needed on Oceanside trail
When are we going to get a ramp connecting the San Luis Rey river "bike" trail near the new harbor bridge (Pacific Street)? The path now goes under the railroad bridge and stops. People are carrying their bikes and strollers up a dirt hill. Please help.
Ken Rollins
Oceanside
Whose side are you on?
The reporter from Telemundo thinks Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Arizona prison is inhumane and is trying to stop his work against undocumented people.
I believe that he is doing what more should be doing. Inhumane? Racist? Look at where our country is at now because so much has been given out. All illegal babies, welfare, food stamps, WIC, you name it, all paid for by taxes, and millions have gone to Mexico from illegals who work here. At least Sheriff Arpaio feeds them twice a day and they have clothes and beds.
Look at some of our people in tents, with no jobs, no homes and who don't know where their next meal is coming from. Balance this and see whose side you are on.
They should have been stopped years ago. Don't let these activists get to you. The Feds should get involved and do their work.
Julie Godinez
Escondido
Leadership at its finest
It must be a wonderful thing to be able to bring home the goodies while still voting "no" on the omnibus $410 billion spending plan that was just passed by the Congress and signed into law by the president. How could we ask for anything more?
This way of doing business is win-win for all, or at least it seems so. Our representatives get to come home and tell us all the reasons they voted against the bill while having no fear that their own earmarks are being forfeited.
It would seem to me that if they vote "no" on legislation that contains earmarks, they should have enough self-respect to remove all of their own personal earmarks from the bill before the vote.
The current practice is political hypocrisy crafted to a fine art. No wonder the same people are re-elected again and again, regardless of the party to which they belong.
Hershell Price
Del Mar
Sports 'heroes' are overpaid
At this time of adversity, people should get their priorities straight. Are our priorities straight when our basketball, football and baseball bigwigs keep signing mega-million-dollar contracts? How much do they donate to worthy causes, and what are those worthy causes? They could single-handedly keep the soup kitchens, homeless shelters and distribution centers flourishing. We pay our sports "heroes" far more than we do our teachers, firefighters, caregivers and other hard-working people.
What the heck is wrong with us? Treat people with respect. Shape up, everyone. Also, no one can be that effective when they sit on several boards and collect millions from each. Pay the little people a decent wage and the big shots a little less. They can live without that extra couple of million, but we can't recover as a nation without the ordinary people, who can only improve with more purchasing power.
Phoenix MacKenzie
San Marcos
Shocked by the calling of drought alert
I was shocked and saddened to read that the Vallecitos Water District is calling a drought alert when there has been a water leak in the 500 block of South Pacific Street in San Marcos since August ("Vallecitos Water District declares Stage 1 drought," March 12). I was told the problem fell within the jurisdiction of the Vallecitos Water District. However, if it is the responsibility of the city of San Marcos, shame on both of them.
That part of the street has been soaked for more than seven months. Not only have we lost thousands of gallons of water, but the street is in complete disarray. I cross into the oncoming traffic lane, when possible, to avoid getting my car wet and the potholes.
So whoever the responsible party is, get busy or let us water our bushes. I feel very sure that if a private citizen wasted that much water, there would have been someone knocking at the door. I'll do my part, as I have been doing, if the Vallecitos Water District and/or the city of San Marcos does theirs.
Penny Swaney
San Marcos
How can you tell who's legal?
Re: Frank Medici's letter of March 18 ("School cuts are fantastic"): Mr. Medici, in his letter, expresses delight in the ongoing school cuts as every day he drives by schools and "all (he sees) is what looks like children of illegal Mexicans."
Mr. Medici, your letter makes no more sense than if I offered you a trip to Florence based on your last name. How can you tell the difference between legal Mexicans and illegal Mexicans? I am not happy with the school cuts, but I am not about to blame them on a specific ethnic group like you have.
Bill Jacoby
San Marcos
The real cause of AIG bonus abuses
Congress and the president are all expressing righteous indignation at AIG's paying multimillion-dollar bonuses to their executives using government bailout money. But the government already had the same experience with brokerage firms and banks that did the same with the Paulson bailout money in 2008. Further, Treasury Secretary Geithner knew that AIG had planned to pay the huge bonuses when he recommended payment of bailout money to AIG.
So we are supposed to be fooled by the Congress and the president ranting about the audacity of AIG? Duh! Why doesn't the government place controls on how taxpayer dollars may be used before giving away our dollars? Wasn't that one of Obama's campaign promises? To hold recipients of bailout dollars accountable? Guess that is kinda hard to do when AIG was a huge contributor to Obama's campaign funds.
Wake up, America. How long will you allow the politicians to fool you with such blatantly transparent shenanigans? Our anger should be directed at the government for allowing and participating in such abuse of taxpayer dollars.
Crawford Meeks
Valley Center
Cannon Road to become Legoland Drive?
The North County Times reports that the Carlsbad City Council is considering a name-change proposal from Cannon Road to Legoland Drive to "better publicize" the park, and that Councilman Packard felt the park "could benefit" ("Council gives Legoland permission to add hotel," March 11).
Since Cannon Road extends from Coast Highway through El Camino Real, with plans to go farther, where would the "chunk" of Legoland Drive be positioned? Would Cannon start, then stop, then start again? Or would the entire road become Legoland Drive?
Needs publicizing? It is doing well enough with building plans for a 250-room, three-story hotel (enter stage one drought watch).
Hard to find? Online directions: Take Interstate 5 south to Cannon Road east, turn right at Legoland Drive and follow signs to Legoland.
Legoland is a feature of Carlsbad. Carlsbad is not a feature of Legoland.
Our family maintains an annual membership. I'm relieved that my neighborhood doesn't look like Anaheim, with Disneyland Drive and Disney Way. Carlsbad should continue being best-known for our fine beach community, not for our amusement park(s).
Historical Cannon Park and Cannon Road have been here a long time. I'd sure like to keep it that way.
Nina Eaton
Carlsbad
Should be able to build home, knowing risks
Re: "County denies project, citing second road requirement," March 14: Speaking as the daughter of my 73-year-old father, Hadley Johnson, I must say that there should be something more we could do.
If I want to build a house on the property, I should be able to do so with the awareness that fire danger is a risk. I should have the right to make my own decision to buy subdivided property knowing that I am at a fire danger risk and live where I want to live, while fully aware and responsible of the fire risks that come with living in a secluded country setting.
Christina Johnson
San Diego
