— The majority of people do not realize how big our national debt is.

One million seconds is 12 days. One billion seconds is more than 31 years. One trillion seconds is 31,688 years.

If you spent a dollar a second, it would take 31,688 years to go through a trillion dollars. Now, you can visualize how big our $16 trillion debt is.

America has promised its citizens tens of trillions more in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, welfare, etc.

Laurence Kotlikoff, professor of economics at Boston University, puts America’s total liabilities at a mind-boggling $222 trillion.

Its not all due at once, but will be as America’s 80 million baby boomers retire.

Do you “libs” still believe you can give everybody, everything?

Ed Fabo

Johnstown



To vote Republican is like rewarding a crime

I received a document at church on the teachings of the U.S. bishops. It states, “We do not tell Catholics how to vote.”

We were also warned not to believe anyone who tells us differently.

To exercise a well-formed conscience in voting, we Catholics are to consider a candidate’s integrity, philosophy and record.

In this election especially, because of the Republicans’ intentions, people who believe they are voting pro-life will actually be voting to increase the number of abortions.

Obamacare is a case in point. Studies have shown that living in poverty directly influences the number of abortions. When Congress helped more than 20 million needy citizens obtain medical insurance they could not exclude any lawful medical procedures. That would require a new law.

Some worry that this insurance would compel a Catholic hospital to pay for an employee’s abortion. This is highly unlikely because hospitals pay good wages and an employee would not be living in poverty.

When it comes to the treatment of gays, Democracy and Christianity have another characteristic in common. They advocate that everyone be treated fairly. We leave the judging to God, as intended.

I could never vote for Mitt Romney, who  terminated thousands of American jobs with total disregard for everyone.

The party of “no” has been held hostage for four years. To vote Republican would be like rewarding someone for breaking all of the windows in your house.

Regis Hynes

West End



If path doesn’t change, fiscal crisis is certain

One hundred and seventy years ago, French political thinker and writer Alex de Tocqueville stated: “A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury.”

From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result being that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by dictatorship.

Margaret Thatcher stated, “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

Our entire fiscal and monetary policy is based on the one simple axiom: What we cannot tax, we borrow, and what we cannot borrow we print.

There is an international crisis going on and where is President Obama?

On the “Late Show With David Letterman.” Letterman asked Obama what the national debt was and he said he didn’t know.

It’s $16 trillion and rising. If you watched any part of the Republican convention, you couldn’t miss it. It was in bright lights throughout the convention.

There is no question we are heading for a fiscal crisis if we continue on the current spending path. You need only to look at the foreign countries that have promised benefits that they cannot afford, and witness the riots in the streets.

Don’t think that it can’t happen here.

Richard Mezyk

Upper Yoder Township



Keep Steelers stories in sports section

What was the significance of putting the picture of Steeler Brett Keisel on the front page of the Oct. 8 issue of The Tribune-Democrat? He was sounding off about what?

Reminding his teammates about the upcoming election and the importance of our voting because of all the very serious issues facing all citizens?

Anything about pro-life or homeless or hunger issues that also touch so many of our citizens?

Bah, humbug! Keep sports on the sports page and remember this great country of ours is the United States of America and not Steelers Country.

Janet Rengh

Seward



Stores should provide restrooms, fitting rooms

Regarding area “dollar stores”: I am writing in regard to complaints that I and I’m sure a lot of other patrons have.

We go to these stores and spend our hard-earned money, but in case of an emergency while shopping, there are no bathrooms to be used.

Also, they want us to buy their clothes, but there is no place for us to try them on.

So you take the clothes home and if they don’t fit, then you have to return them.

It would be nice if someone would look into this and try to change it.

Betty Reed

Johnstown

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