Council should reject mayor’s homeless cuts Re: “Gray’s tax hike budget should be DOA,” Local Editorial, May 13
Given the projected $330 million budget gap, I anticipated Mayor Gray’s proposed fiscal 2012 budget would cut, among other things, programs that low- and no-income District residents rely upon. However, learning that his proposed budget is likely to eliminate homeless shelter services except during hypothermia season was a complete shock.
If approved by the D.C. Council, this would be disastrous for homeless people and fiscally unwise. Denying people — including families with children and people who suffer from mental illness — access to shelter except on the coldest winter nights would deny them the most basic of human needs. It would also cost taxpayers more since more expensive services — such as police and emergency rooms — would consequently be overused.
Gabriel Pinski
Washington
Wendell Willkie also railed against uncontrolled spending
Re: “Schumer warns Boehner on debt ceiling,” May 9
Does anyone out there remember Wendell L. Willkie, who ran for the presidency against Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933? He was a very intelligent candidate with many knowledgeable contacts.
In 1940, I stood in the crowd at the Missouri State Capitol building while Willkie stood on the steps making a speech. He stated that Roosevelt inherited a national debt of $16 billion when he took office in 1933, and now he had increased it to $50 billion through uncontrolled spending.
Then came the kicker. Willkie said that unless the voters stopped FDR’s spending when it reached $60 billion, it was all over! Our country would be bankrupt.
If Willkie were here today, what do you suppose he would say about the Senate approving legislation to increase the debt ceiling to 14.3 trillion?
Wendel Allen
Alexandria
Good riddance to the Donald
Re: “Should we take Donald Trump seriously?” April 8
After weeks of leading the media on, nonpresidential candidate Donald Trump announced that he won’t be seeking the Republican nomination for president.
“This decision does not come easily or without regret, especially when my potential candidacy continues to be validated by ranking at the top of Republican contenders in polls across the country,” Trump said in a written statement. “I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election.”
This statement reeks of pure disingenuousness. Just a week before, Trump told a business audience in New Hampshire that America was in “serious, serious trouble.”
So in a matter of a week, Trump maintained that he could win the presidency and save America from President Obama’s oppressive high taxation, and then opted to turn his back on his country to follow his “great passion” — business — which was at risk of going down the tubes with a poor Obama-led economy.
Eugene R. Dunn
Medford, N.Y.
