Higher taxes should remain on the table Re: “Gray should take tax increase of the table,” Local Editorial, Jan. 4 The Examiner clearly backs the Republican point of view that tax increases are never appropriate. That is very short-sighted. Nothing should be off the table as Mayor Gray and the District Council rightsize D.C.’s budget. We are saddled with huge federal deficits because a Republican president refused to ask the country for a tax increase to fight two wars that have now cost us more than a trillion dollars. He put the cost of those wars on our children while not asking for any sacrifice from anyone other than the brave men and women fighting these wars and their families.
In the District of Columbia, like other states, we will suffer economically from a host of federal cutbacks — including the freezing of federal wages. I, for one, am willing to pay a slight increase in my local taxes if they are a part of a comprehensive package to cut spending.
Peter D. Rosenstein
Washington
Alternative explanation for biblical prophecies
Re: “Too many coincidences for the Bible to be mere fable,” Dec. 29 David Limbaugh is convinced that the fact that the story told in the Gospels so well matches the prophesies of the Old Testament proves the truth of Christianity.
Limbaugh fails to consider the alternative explanation: that the story as told in those Gospels was written with prior prophecies in mind. The earliest Gospel according to Mark was written six decades after Jesus’ birth by an author already convinced of his messianic status and no doubt familiar with all “574 Old Testament verses containing messianic prophesies.” We ought not be surprised, then, that Mark tells his tale in such a way as to fulfill those prophesies.
Thus, in order for Limbaugh’s argument to work, he needs to assume that the story of Jesus as presented by Mark, Matthew, Luke and John is truth instead of legend. In other words, Limbaugh must assume the very conclusion he is arguing for.
Aaron Ross Powell
Alexandria
Muslim outreach takes precedence over human rights
Which is worse, building 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem or the murder of 21 Christians and the wounding of more than 100 by Muslims in a church in Egypt?
The Obama administration busted a gut over the building of homes in Israel, but I haven’t heard similar outrage by President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or any other administration official over the Egyptian slaughter.
For this administration, “outreach to the Muslim world” easily outdistances human rights concerns and results in vastly disproportionate criticism of Israel.
Nathan Dodell
Rockville
