Editor, Times-Union: I have seen a number of articles noting how much we are dependent on government “entitlements”. It is becoming a real concern to me. You wonder how much longer those who pay taxes can afford to maintain those people who don’t. A recent quote of syndicated columnist David Harsanyi from the Denver Post on April 22 was highlighted in this weekend’s Wall Street Journal and it really caught my attention: “The Tax Policy Center, a Washington think tank, estimated this week that 45 percent of U.S. households paid not a single dollar in federal income tax for 2010. And the Fiscal Times reported this week that ‘for the first time since the Great Depression, households are receiving more income from the government than they are paying the government in taxes.’” The quote ends on this note, “This, in Obamaland, is called job creation. But does anyone believe the trajectory is healthy? No doubt, these events allow Obama to spread the wealth around to those who deserve it – but they also create a growing number of voters with little stake in stopping out-of-control growth. Consumers pay and demand results. Dependents, on the other hand, just demand. They have no reason not to.” So what can we do? Get involved. I know that sounds lame, but look at all these special interest groups and the action they get when they speak out. Attend the candidate forums and let them know where you stand. And for crying out loud, vote! We can’t complain about where the money is going if we don’t vote. Max Courtney Warsaw, via e-mail
