An unbalanced budget

Re “Tax loophole saved at expense of poor,” column, Feb. 18

Although we are all going to lose comforts that we take for granted during this recession, our Republican state legislators seem to have lost their consciences. While the poor absorb the greatest losses as public education and Medi-Cal are punished with dramatic cuts, the Republicans managed to protect those purchasing yachts from paying taxes on their pleasure cruisers.

The lack of common sense and decency defies comprehension. In this second coming of the robber barons, we need another Teddy Roosevelt: a politician possessing scruples who happened to be a Republican. If he could see the GOP now, I wonder if he would be stunned or merely disgusted, like the rest of us.

Michael Gerard

San Luis Obispo

Re “Budget cuts get governor’s OK,” Feb. 17

Local governments are strapped for cash. California is billions in debt. The federal government is broke and borrowing from future generations. There just isn’t enough money to run government on any level. It all seems so hopeless. Isn’t there anything we can do?

Two solutions could help. The first is unpopular and rarely spoken by politicians: Raise taxes. If we want good schools, a decent infrastructure, healthcare, libraries, law enforcement, youth programs and other services that make for a livable, thriving society, we have to pay for them. Paying more taxes for the common good may require some sacrifice, but the challenges of the 21st century are greater than ever and will not be solved on the cheap.

The second solution: Fold up our unnecessary, unproductive and illegal occupation of Iraq, which has drained the treasury for almost five years, and use the savings to invest in our own country.

Think of what the hundreds of billions of dollars we’ve squandered over there could do to help solve the serious and worsening problems right here.

Arlen Grossman

Monterey