Repower Michigan
We need to move off old, polluting energy sources and to a future with clean, renewable energy, such as wind, solar and geothermal. Unlike dirty fossil fuels, wind, solar and geothermal sources do not have a timeline. They will never run out.
We need courageous leaders to stand up to combat climate change, which can result in jobs for our country, clean air to breathe, preserve our fresh water sources and end our dependency on foreign oil. The answers are here, the technology is here, the solutions are here. It's time to get real.
Let's repower Michigan, let's repower America.
Kevin Numerick
Traverse City
Time to pay up
In a recent letter to the editor, an 87-year-old writes "... we need to think twice before we do away with the socialist programs." It's her observation that -- "Social Security works, Medicare works and Medicaid works." In fact government should cover dental and medical!
This "works" for someone 87, but what about the generations that follow?
Fact -- Social Security is currently underfunded by $11 trillion and Medicare's underfunded by $66 trillion. Meaning that those under the age of 55, and generations to follow, will either have their "socialist" benefits cut by about one-third or taxes will be increased by 50 percent to 80 percent to keep the system afloat. And forget about retiring before age 75!
In about nine years, when Social Security tax revenues fall short of obligations and the Social Security administration goes to the Treasury to collect on their $1.9 trillion IOU, money the government "borrowed" from the SS trust fund, what do you think will happen?
Should the writer not make it to age 96, no problem; but for the rest of us it will be time to pay up for government's fiscal irresponsibility.
Gordie La Pointe
Williamsburg
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