58°F
weather icon Mostly Clear

LETTERS: Republicans perpetuate debt ceiling lie

To the editor:

It’s time to raise the federal debt limit, and, once again, it’s time for the great Republican lie about raising the debt ceiling. The lie is that the debt ceiling is somehow related to spending. The lie is told to convince the uninformed and gullible that raising the debt ceiling limit will allow the national debt, and spending, to increase. Sen. Ted Cruz perpetuated that myth by saying that “[President Obama] just wants a blank credit card to keep growing and growing the debt.”

The truth is that the debt ceiling has nothing to do with spending, and everything to do with the amount of money that the United States can borrow in order to repay the interest on its debts. The U.S. accumulated massive debts from things such as two unfunded wars, the unfunded Medicare drug benefit program, and the Bush tax cuts, among other Bush-era initiatives (no new revenue to pay for the cost). For example, the Republicans provided no dedicated funding for Medicare Part D, and its long-term deficit was estimated at $15.5 trillion in 2009. On the other hand, the 2010 annual report of Medicare’s trustees showed that the fully funded Affordable Care Act, which was opposed by every Republican, will substantially reduce long-term spending.

As much as conservatives hate to hear it, passing big spending legislation without paying for it has contributed to the overall size of the national debt. David Stockman, President Ronald Reagan’s budget director, said: “This debt explosion has resulted not from big spending by the Democrats, but instead the Republican Party’s embrace, about three decades ago, of the insidious doctrine that deficits don’t matter if they result from tax cuts.”

In simple terms, it’s like paying down your credit card after making a purchase. If you don’t make your credit card payment, the credit agency will lower your credit rating and not extend any more credit. Spending will not increase if the debt ceiling is raised, but the U.S. will lose standing with its creditors if payments are not made to the outstanding debts. The credit rating for the U.S. has already been lowered. That is like a slap in the face to this country. Raising the debt limit allows us to pay our bills. Only Congress can authorize new spending.

Destroying our national credit by refusing to raise the debt limit not only hurts the U.S., but hurts many other nations that depend on the U.S. economy.

JIM GRAHAM

LAS VEGAS

Minimum wage

To the editor:

Mandating a minimum wage is as ridiculous as mandating a minimum work law or a maximum wage law. It is the reason our youth can’t find jobs and fast-food places are hiring middle-aged people to work. Businesses cannot afford to pay and train employees for entry-level positions. By the time a business pays the hourly wage, employment taxes, workers comp, training costs, etc., the cost of an entry-level employee can easily exceed $26 an hour.

Entry-level employees do not start producing or become profitable for six or seven months, if they last that long. Government work programs, such as Job Corps, spend as much as $78,000 per student per year to train workers, and then the businesses still have to train those students once they are hired. Why not just let the businesses train them for free? Wouldn’t it be better to get our youth off the street and being productive, maybe learning a trade?

Entry-level jobs are not designed to become careers. They are a place where young people can get a start, learn, build work habits and earn some extra money. If you are still earning minimum wage years after beginning to work, that is probably the wage you deserve. We have people who want to work and learn, and businesses that want to hire, and yet we have these lawmakers who have never had to make payroll standing in the way.

Minimum wage laws are promoted by large businesses and unions that want to eliminate small employers from entering the market. This also benefits unscrupulous politicians who like to tout raising the minimum wage to the uneducated around election time.

Putting all this aside, it is of course a direct assault on freedom, interfering with people who want to work and people who would like to start or expand a business. All this nonsense while we have a double-digit unemployment/underemployment rate. How about we create jobs first and give the unemployed an opportunity to work?

WILL NABHAN

LAS VEGAS

Immigration reform

To the editor:

The call by Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., and Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., to end the deportation of illegal immigrants in our country is no small matter (“House Democrats seek ‘cease fire’ on U.S. deportations,” Tuesday Review-Journal). The ramifications of such a change in our immigration laws would be revolutionary and in my opinion nation-wrecking.

Also, the fact that these two Nevada representatives believe that President Barack Obama has the unilateral power to change the law and end deportation for illegal immigrants leaves me breathless. I ask the Review-Journal’s editorial board to comment on this matter as soon as possible.

LARRY BROWN

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
RICH LOWRY: The absurd four-day workweek

If Sanders were being honest and weren’t a socialist, he’d say he has a great deal for Americans — they can work less and become poorer.

LETTER: Chuck Schumer has his say

Sen. Schumer and other Democrats are critical of Mr. Netanyahu and his wartime policies. It does not indicate a decrease in their support of Israel.

LETTER: Tragic Las Vegas pedestrian death could have been avoided

A short walk from the accident site was a well-lit crosswalk with long, clear, straight approaches that would have allowed any driver, even one driving at high speed, to be alert to a pedestrian.