Latest news with #JonahGoldberg
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: Blame tax cuts, not entitlements, for GOP megabill's expansion of the deficit
To the editor: Virtually every commentary about the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' that passed the House notes the significant expansion of the deficit it creates. Few of them, however, acknowledge the fact that it's the tax cut part of the bill that is largely responsible for it. Columnist Jonah Goldberg is the latest in a long line of commentators to blame entitlements (i.e. Social Security and Medicare) as the main drivers of the deficit and to make no mention at all of the tax cuts ('Baby boom, baby bust and the 'Big Beautiful Bill,'' May 27). The last time there was a balanced budget in the U.S. was when Bill Clinton was president. That budget was the result of the tax increases he got through Congress during his first year. Funny how no one seems to remember that, instead crediting Newt Gingrich and Republicans for it. Deficits are the result of the difference between revenue and expenditures. Increasing revenue would reduce or eliminate the deficit but few people are willing to acknowledge that. Rick McClure, Fontana This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: Blame tax cuts, not entitlements, for GOP megabill's expansion of the deficit
To the editor: Virtually every commentary about the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' that passed the House notes the significant expansion of the deficit it creates. Few of them, however, acknowledge the fact that it's the tax cut part of the bill that is largely responsible for it. Columnist Jonah Goldberg is the latest in a long line of commentators to blame entitlements (i.e. Social Security and Medicare) as the main drivers of the deficit and to make no mention at all of the tax cuts ('Baby boom, baby bust and the 'Big Beautiful Bill,'' May 27). The last time there was a balanced budget in the U.S. was when Bill Clinton was president. That budget was the result of the tax increases he got through Congress during his first year. Funny how no one seems to remember that, instead crediting Newt Gingrich and Republicans for it. Deficits are the result of the difference between revenue and expenditures. Increasing revenue would reduce or eliminate the deficit but few people are willing to acknowledge that. Rick McClure, Fontana
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: Readers sound off on coverage of Biden's health and where the focus should be
To the editor: Columnist Jonah Goldberg discusses President Biden's health without any licensed medical expertise. He only has a political viewpoint to promote ('History alone should have made more reporters skeptical about Biden's health,' May 20). Conversely, that same day The Times published a very good explanation of Biden's illness and treatment options, which quotes reputable medical experts ('6 doctors on Biden's cancer diagnosis, how it may have arisen and his treatment options,' May 20). One of those is Dr. Sunil Patel, a urologic oncologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. After a thorough explanation of Biden's condition, he says, 'I don't think anyone can blame anyone in terms of was this caught too late or anything like that. This happens not too infrequently.' The rest of the article supports that analysis. Peggy Jo Abraham, Santa Monica .. To the editor: Yes, we should be paying closer attention to the health of our aging representatives. Clearly, Biden's health was failing, as his performance in the debate showed. But, more to the point, we need strictly enforced term limits for all people who are elected to office. The founding fathers never meant for elective office to be a lifetime occupation. You were supposed to "serve your country" and then return to private life, whatever that might be. Now, senators and representatives seemingly do whatever they have to in order to remain in office. To implement and maintain term limits would require the people affected by the legislation to actually vote for something that could take away their lofted positions. Regrettably, this would be unlikely to ever happen. Aging has no reliable timetable. I speak from experience about that. But all people in charge of serving the citizens of our country should be concerned with the future of our nation, not the future of their livelihood. Term limits would be a major step in the right direction. Peter Marquard, Northridge .. To the editor: Having read a series of articles in the Los Angeles Times and elsewhere on the deliberate underplaying or actual hiding of presidents' illnesses, including such presidents as Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, I've heard much less about Ronald Reagan's mental decline in his last years ('It's not just Biden. There's a history of presidential health cover-ups,' May 21). The Teflon seems to still be working. The reflections on presidential health conditions seem to me to be primarily focused on Democratic presidents. Possibly just a coincidence? It seems a lot of the coverage is too little, too late and somewhat a financial boon to Jake Tapper's book. A pity that our current president has historically been less transparent about his own health. George Corey, Pasadena This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
22-05-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: Readers sound off on coverage of Biden's health and where the focus should be
To the editor: Columnist Jonah Goldberg discusses President Biden's health without any licensed medical expertise. He only has a political viewpoint to promote ('History alone should have made more reporters skeptical about Biden's health,' May 20). Conversely, that same day The Times published a very good explanation of Biden's illness and treatment options, which quotes reputable medical experts ('6 doctors on Biden's cancer diagnosis, how it may have arisen and his treatment options,' May 20). One of those is Dr. Sunil Patel, a urologic oncologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. After a thorough explanation of Biden's condition, he says, 'I don't think anyone can blame anyone in terms of was this caught too late or anything like that. This happens not too infrequently.' The rest of the article supports that analysis. Peggy Jo Abraham, Santa Monica .. To the editor: Yes, we should be paying closer attention to the health of our aging representatives. Clearly, Biden's health was failing, as his performance in the debate showed. But, more to the point, we need strictly enforced term limits for all people who are elected to office. The founding fathers never meant for elective office to be a lifetime occupation. You were supposed to 'serve your country' and then return to private life, whatever that might be. Now, senators and representatives seemingly do whatever they have to in order to remain in office. To implement and maintain term limits would require the people affected by the legislation to actually vote for something that could take away their lofted positions. Regrettably, this would be unlikely to ever happen. Aging has no reliable timetable. I speak from experience about that. But all people in charge of serving the citizens of our country should be concerned with the future of our nation, not the future of their livelihood. Term limits would be a major step in the right direction. Peter Marquard, Northridge .. To the editor: Having read a series of articles in the Los Angeles Times and elsewhere on the deliberate underplaying or actual hiding of presidents' illnesses, including such presidents as Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, I've heard much less about Ronald Reagan's mental decline in his last years ('It's not just Biden. There's a history of presidential health cover-ups,' May 21). The Teflon seems to still be working. The reflections on presidential health conditions seem to me to be primarily focused on Democratic presidents. Possibly just a coincidence? It seems a lot of the coverage is too little, too late and somewhat a financial boon to Jake Tapper's book. A pity that our current president has historically been less transparent about his own health. George Corey, Pasadena
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: Congress, it's time to 'right the ship before democracy capsizes'
To the editor: I agree with columnist Jonah Goldberg ('The inescapable answer to America's problems? Fix Congress,' May 13). The only rightful remedy for the debacle that President Trump has created must come from members of Congress. Level-headed Democrats and Republicans have the power to right the ship before democracy capsizes. But many Republicans won't do it out of fear for their political lives. So, the only other fix is in the hands of we the people at the ballot box. Make them pay for their cowardice. Barbara Jackson, Cerritos .. To the editor: Goldberg's points about a dysfunctional Congress are quite valid. But fixing that problem requires eliminating gerrymandering of congressional districts. Let the voters choose their representatives instead of the representatives choosing their voters. Then we can address the issue of money in politics by eliminating unlimited campaign contributions and calling that free speech. When we have a truly representative Congress, then we might have one that works as designed. Richard Schmittdiel, Glendale This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
