Raise the retirement age? Mess with Medicare? Don’t even think about it, GOP | Opinion
Expect backlash
Regarding “GOP faces internal battle over raising age for Social Security,” (March 22):
Republicans will receive fierce push back if they even attempt to change the Social Security age to 69, cut Social Security in any way, or think about touching Medicare and Medicaid.
Jerryl Martin, Clayton
Social Security
People have paid into Social Security their whole working lives through payroll tax deductions. When they retire, they have earned the benefits from Social Security. It is time to increase the level of earnings on which people pay into Social Security. That will keep it solvent. There absolutely should be no tax cuts for billionaires or millionaires.
Shoshana Serxner-Merchant, Raleigh
Michele Morrow
Regarding “GOP’s extreme nominee for NC schools leader could win,” (Mar 19 Opinion) and related articles:
Why does Michele Morrow want to run the N.C. public school system when she has never had any of her children enrolled in N.C. public schools? She home-schools her kids, moved here nine years ago from Florida, and now wants to tell North Carolina parents what’s best for them! Really?
Jim Morris, Raleigh
It’s guns, I fear
I have never been afraid of immigrants, documented or undocumented, but I am afraid of 18-year-old white males, born in the United States, who have assault rifles. People are shot every single day in this country and I’m aware of that when I go to a mall, a movie theater, a parade, even churches are not safe. Some members of Congress say they are trying to keep U.S. citizens safe from immigrants. How about gun violence? Will the pro-life party do something to stem that bloodshed?
Janet Pecci, Raleigh
A call to action
Republican members of Congress wearing ribbons with Laken Riley’s name during the State of the Union raises the question: If one death by a migrant from South America is a call to action to close the border, shouldn’t hundreds of deaths each year by gunfire, mostly by U.S. citizens, be a call to action for meaningful gun control laws?
Jim Townsend, Apex
Abortion drug
Regarding “NC doctor: Mifepristone is safe, effective. Court shouldn’t ban it.” (March 20 Opinion):
The FDA has regulatory control over drugs in the United States. They evaluate all drugs for safety and effectiveness. They are scientists. They work with data from many studies over many years to reach their conclusions.
If we are not to continue to accept FDA findings, who is best capable of reassuring the public about medication? Congress? Would you trust your representative or a judge to understand the statistics and research? Then what of the FDA? Should we obliterate it?
Janice Woychik, Chapel Hill
Excusing Trump
Kudos to Columnist Issac Bailey for his take-no-prisoners March 15 Opinion piece: “Mace weaponized her status as a rape victim in defense of Trump.” It is inconceivable to me that any female excuses the behavior of a man who consistently assaults women, in word and deed. Why is Trump — convicted in civil court of raping a woman and accused of sexually assaulting others — given this pass?
Karen Wiebe, Raleigh
Congress
Many members in both parties in Congress partake in stock trades that have conflicts of interest. That doesn’t leave me with a feeling of confidence. Apparently most of my fellow Americans feel the same way because an overwhelming majority support a ban on congressional stock trading. Recent polling shows 86% of voters support such a law, including 88% of Democrats, 87% of Republicans.
The good news is that we have an opportunity to get this done. The Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from trading stocks. And members don’t have to abandon their fiscal well-being. They will still have options, just not unfair ones.
It’s time for our senators and representatives to support legislation banning congressional stock trading and restore our confidence in them.
Ruby Hutchinson, Wendell
