OUR VIEWS
Unhelpful intervention
The Senate Finance Committee has done a wise thing by backing off from a tax cut for exporters that could hurt exports, but is following up with an unwise bill that cuts taxes for manufacturers without cuts for most other businesses.The export-tax cut would have amounted to a subsidy and might have resulted in European sanctions that could have damaged trade more than the cut would have helped. Now the committee, by a lopsided, bipartisan vote, is aiming to boost employment through major tax assistance to the country's manufacturing sector.
The move is an intervention that could have adverse economic consequences over time. The chief reason that manufacturing is shedding jobs is higher productivity per worker, the consequence, largely, of high-tech innovations. The tax cuts might lead to a small increase in manufacturing in the short-term, but will put other business sectors at a relative disadvantage while creating tax-collector confusion, and it is those other sectors where the greatest employment opportunities will reside.
A voice of wisdom on the issue is David Henderson, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution.
"The history of economic growth is the history of people making more with less and shifting into new jobs that were unheard of in the previous generation," he has written. "Because Henry Ford produced millions of cars on assembly lines, workers producing buggies lost their jobs. And, 10 years later, most of them were probably glad they did."
There is another issue with this tax cut, namely that it comes on top of lots of other tax cuts at a time when federal spending has been increasing at a record-setting pace.
There should be no more revenue cuts without equivalent expenditure
cuts. In fact, equivalence is not enough if this country is to avoid an
eventual national debt that will send interest rates sky high and slow
economic growth to a crawl.
Firing Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh said something about race on an ESPN show and it wasn't long before three Democratic presidential candidates, among others, were demanding that he be fired by the sports network. They got their way. Technically, Limbaugh resigned, but ESPN's president quickly accepted and called the resignation "appropriate."So what were the words uttered by the radio talk-show host during his short-lived position as a commentator on an ESPN show about upcoming professional football games? The discussion had turned to the Philadelphia Eagles and its quarterback, Donovan McNabb, and Limbaugh said:
"I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we have had here is a little social concern in the NFL. I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. They are interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there's a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of his team that he really didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."
The comment breaks down into two parts.
The first is that McNabb, who is black, has not been the ingredient that caused the Eagles to win in previous seasons. There is nothing racist in expressing such a view. People on and off television are forever commenting about the abilities of professional athletes of all racial and ethnic groups, and mostly we assume there's no prejudice implied in negative judgments unless accompanied by a slur.
It is the second part of the comment that got Limbaugh in trouble — and was apparently considered by some to be comparable to a slur.
Essentially, he said that high praise for McNabb has been motivated by a wish for blacks to do well as quarterbacks. Limbaugh cannot know as much, for you can never do more than guess about motives. And it's unfair to the impressive McNabb to debate in that fashion. Limbaugh should have stuck to things you can observe on the field, such as pass completions. Bringing race into the discussion on a sports show served no good end and led to suspicion about Limbaugh's motives. But we cannot be sure of his motives, either, and nothing in these words was an unarguable demonstration of bigotry. He did not say — repeat, not say — that black quarterbacks are incapable of superior play.
Limbaugh comes to this controversy with lots of baggage. He has been
guilty of objectionable conduct on his radio show. But his comment on ESPN
was not the sort of thing that should lead presidential candidates to seek
his dismissal, at least not in a land that supposedly prides itself on
free and open discussion.
LOOK BACK
From Birmingham Post-Herald files:
Respected banker E.G. Norton admits embezzling more than $50,000 from
Attalla's Merchants and Farmers Bank.
Former U.S. Rep. Jim Martin changes U.S. Senate races as Republicans
launch major effort to win at least one of two seats on this year's
ballot.
YOUR VIEWS
Asbestos victims need FAIR Act's help
Finally, some folks in our nation's capital have gotten serious about helping veterans and workers in Alabama and across America who suffer from asbestos-related illnesses get the compensation they deserve.For decades workers got sick and died from asbestos exposure before the risks of this deadly material were understood. Veterans paid a particularly heavy price, because the Navy once used asbestos on most of its ships, and other branches of the armed services used it in barracks and boiler rooms.
What's almost worse is that the current system for compensating asbestos victims just adds cruel insult to their injuries.
The courts are overwhelmed with asbestos cases filed on behalf of people who aren't even sick, while victims who are seriously ill must wait years for court dates. Even those sick victims who finally do see an award settlement end up having to pay most of it to lawyers and the courts, to cover fees. And sometimes when compensation does come, it comes too late.
In July, though, senators from both political parties joined to support legislation that will create a national trust fund to provide quick, efficient and reliable compensation for asbestos victims. The Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act, or the FAIR Act, will set up a trust fund worth more than $100 billion that will be financed by companies and their insurers.
Under the act victims will no longer have to suffer the endless wait for their case to be heard, or share their settlements with high-priced lawyers. Victims with very serious illnesses like mesothelioma, and others who've suffered extreme hardship, will receive priority. And, unlike under the current system, the act will allow victims who get sicker to seek additional compensation. The bill also has a backup funding mechanism, which will kick in if more money is needed to cover all victims'cases.
Finally, what a lot of folks don't know is that in spite of the known risks of asbestos, it is still used in a lot of products today. The act would close that loophole once and for all by banning the manufacture of virtually all these products, with only a handful of exceptions.
The bottom line is that the FAIR Act, which has support from both parties, looks like the best chance we've got to resolve the asbestos tragedy once and for all time. Sick veterans and workers will only suffer more if this bill is not approved.
I hope Sens. Shelby and Sessions will remember Alabama's veterans and workers and vote for the FAIR Act.
James L. Manley, past state commander
Alabama Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Athens 35613
State burden?
While reading about the recent cuts to the upcoming years budget for the state of Alabama, I had some thoughts that I would like for the people of Alabama to ponder.I know that the races in Talladega bring in millions to state businesses; however, in a time of budget crisis, should the state of Alabama and the county of Talladega be burdened with crowd and traffic control on private property? Does the Speedway reimburse the state and/or county for its expense of patrolling private property?
It was stated in the news article that State Troopers would have to limit their patrols due to budget cutbacks, and I feel sure setting up a field post at the Speedway drains heavily on a budget.
A wise man once told me, when you are an elected official that you must abide by the will of the people. It is great to campaign enthusiastically for your man or "idea" but if defeated you must remember that you represent the majority (the winning vote). It is time for Gov. Bob Riley to stop whining about losing the tax amendment vote and get busy doing the job the people are paying him to do!
Jamie Thompson
Ohatchee 36271-7666
Embarrassment
President Bush's recent visit to the United Nations where he begged for troops and money was an embarrassment to the United States. A succinct story would have been "Chicken-hawk lays egg and eats crow at U.N."Joe Boyett
Montgomery 36111
Schemed
It appears that Bill (Impeached) and Hillary may have schemed to maneuver a notorious military "bungler," Gen Wesley Clark, into a presidential election bid only for him to "somehow" bungle the race at an opportune moment, leaving Hillary as the last one standing. If you remember, Bill (Impeached), an unknown at the time, won the presidency by happening to become the last one standing.Armond "Si" Simmons
Pell City 35128
Time line of public hatred is obvious
An Alabama news story reported, "Eighty-two percent of those (Alabama residents) responding to the poll said they do not support same-sex marriages." This is a no-brainer. This tells me that 82 percent of Alabamians don't hold these truths to be self-evident, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.One only has to look at the time line of public hatred in Alabama to see what the self-righteous Christians have hated.
1819 Constitution: The General Assembly shall have no power to pass laws for the emancipation of slaves.
1861 Constitution: No slave in this State shall be emancipated by any act done to take effect in this State, or any other country.
1901 Constitution: Article 177 denies women the vote. Article 256 mandates racial segregation. The United States gave women the right to vote in 1920. Alabama approved the Nineteenth amendment on Sept. 8, 1953 (after having rejected it on Sept. 22, 1919).
The segregation laws still are part of the Alabama Constitution, but the federal courts have ruled them unconstitutional. Alabama has a long history of racial and religious bigotry. As soon as one group gets its civil rights, Alabama finds another group to hate. Now it is the gay community. Who is next?
Rev. Hank Shiver
Talladega 35161-0115
2 constitutions
The Preamble to the Constitution of the Confederate States:"We, the people of the Confederate States, each State acting in its sovereign and independent character, in order to form a permanent federal government, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity — invoking the favor and guidance of AlmightyGod — do ordain and establish this Constitution for theConfederate States of America."
This is the constitution of the slave holders who wanted no part of religious or racial freedom. To the Southerner, God ordained slavery for the white Christian.
The Preamble to the Alabama State Constitution 1901:
"We, the people of the State of Alabama, in order to establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution and form of government for the State of Alabama."
The State of Alabama restated the Confederate Constitution for its preamble. Judge Roy Moore is getting his divine inspiration from the slave holders of the Confederacy.
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution:
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The United States needed no God to be great. Is it possible that the people of Alabama might take a hint?
Sara Howard
Cedar Bluff 35959
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