— Neither Mitt Romney nor Paul Ryan will reveal how they would pay for the Ryan budget. In other words, they would give the gold mine to the rich and the shaft to the rest of us. They would end the earned-income credit and child-tax credit, both of which benefit the working poor.

The interest on a mortgage won’t be tax-deductible. The school-lunch program that feeds poor children would end. The Republican agenda would cut billions of dollars from the food stamp program that keeps poor people from starvation.

They would defund Planned Parenthood that screens poor women without health insurance for breast cancer and other cancers that affect women. They would repeal the Affordable Care Act, which benefits millions of people.

At the Republican National Convention, Republicans made it official that they want to end federal funding for Amtrak, which would result in the loss of 20,000 jobs.

The Republican agenda is to destroy Medicare and Medicaid as we know it, and privatize Social Security.

In regard to foreign policy, the only foreign experience Romney has is outsourcing decent-paying jobs to sweat shops overseas and hiding his millions of dollars in overseas accounts to avoid paying taxes.

Romney never served in the military, nor did his idol, Dick Cheney, who received five draft deferments. Romney received three.

If a person uses his political influence or money to avoid serving in the military, he isn’t qualified to be commander in chief.

God bless President Obama.

Ralph A. Swank

Johnstown



Mitt lacks compassion for middle class worker

Mitt Romney doesn’t have the compassion for American workers that is needed to be president of our great nation.

Researching Romney’s business history reveals his position on impoverishing  workers. He was a co-founder of Bain Capital, a private equity firm that bled companies dry. They bought and invested in companies, then slashed costs by laying off workers, shipping jobs overseas and halting investments and modernizations.

He’s running for president on a platform as a job creator. It’s too bad the jobs he created were not here at home.

America needs a vibrant middle class for its economy to work – one driven by employees making and buying products of the good old U.S.A.

Romney has stated that many Americans don’t want to work. I disagree. Given a level playing field, Americans will outwork and out-produce anybody in the world.

I encourage everyone to vote and vote for your job.

If Romney wins, American workers lose.

Jack Sabo

Upper Yoder Township



Debate time up? Turn off microphones

Mikes could be shut off after the allotted times expire during the presidential debates.

The debates are turning into a joke and the participants are acting like children, so let’s treat them like children.

Also, I think that if a president or any other politician writes a book relative to his or her experiences in office, the profits should go to bringing down the national debt, not to a charity that is a tax-deduction for that person.

Donating to charity does not do it.

David Gall

Richland Township



Quit calling children ‘baby goats’

A young horse is called a pony; a young cow, a calf; a young sheep, a lamb; a young dog, a puppy; and a young cat, a kitten.

There is a name for every young animal. A young human is called a child.

Why do we call them kids? Kids are young goats. Of all animals, goats are the stupidest.

Why don’t we refer to young human beings as children? When did it start otherwise?

I am sure Satan is laughing. Children can talk and have souls. Animals do not.

Listen to Christian programs. It is sad that religious leaders quite often refer to children as kids.

Helen L. Gall

Richland Township



Planned Parenthood is abortion-friendly

I have news for Leonard Pitts regarding his column of Oct. 16, 90 percent of Planned Parenthood’s business IS that of abortion. It is the largest abortion “supplier” in the nation.

Eleanor Hornick

Johnstown



Admit it, president is still a gentleman

You might disagree with some of President Obama’s policies, as I do. But you must admit that he is a first-class gentleman.

Frank Filia

Johnstown

 

Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat print edition.

Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat e-edition.