In response to "Debt panel agrees on one thing - to surrender" (Nov. 22):
Vote those who signed Grover Norquist's pledge out of office
Surprise, surprise - the supercommittee failed. It failed because too many in Congress have taken an oath to never raise taxes under any circumstances.
Those who've taken such a foolish vow should have the guts to resign. They're not serving the country, only themselves and the anti-tax lobbyist who got them to sign. All who signed should be voted out of office.
There is a serious lack of leadership in Congress and the American people are going to have to use the power of the ballot to punish those dumb enough to sign such a pledge.
Dalton Medford
Granite Falls
To ease deficit only 2 sacred cows can remain standing
The debt/spending problem is easy to fix. Just:
1. Stop borrowing money.
2. Repeal the Bush tax cuts - both middle class and wealthy - and restore the previous individual payroll tax deductions.
3. Use 90 percent of the new projected revenues for government spending and 10 percent for debt reduction.
Why can't we do that? Two words: "Sacred cows." Whether it's spending on defense, education, social welfare, Medicare, Social Security, or whatever, everyone in the U.S. has a sacred cow they don't want to see cut in any way. That's the problem.
Until debt reduction and balanced budgets become the top two sacred cows, nothing will change.
Ronald McCraw
Salisbury
In response to "Congress starts blame game; N.C. lawmakers react" (Nov. 22):
Don't cut education; Pentagon should be focus of budget cuts
I am sickened that N.C. lawmakers are jumping to blame President Obama and Republican leaders for the supercommittee's failure. They're contributing to the same culture that led to the committee's failure.
As we face automatic spending cuts, senators Kay Hagan and Richard Burr and Rep. Mel Watt are certainly hearing from lobbyists and corporate interests who want to protect their pieces of the budget pie. I'm concerned about how the cuts will impact my local community - especially the fate of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
I hope my elected officials will support cutting the Pentagon budget. Congress must make real cuts in Pentagon spending to help bring the budget back under control.
Patrick Lozada
Davidson
In response to "Belmont Abbey sues feds over birth control rule" (Nov. 18) and related articles:
No need for lawsuit if members supported church doctrine
It seems certain religious organizations, the Catholic Church among them, are objecting to a requirement that their health insurance plans cover certain contraceptive methods and devices. Isn't their real problem with the members of their church who want to buy, and use, the contraceptive methods and devices? If their members actually supported the official position of these churches they would not have a problem, would they?
Garry Ballenger
Charlotte
Want manufacturing to thrive? Stop overlooking those over 50
The article "Key strategies aim to get manufacturing thriving" (Nov. 20) did not tell the full story of why there is a so-called shortage of skilled, qualified manufacturing workers available. I'm in my mid-50s with 27 years of manufacturing experience. I applied for such a job, passed the company's tests and was interviewed for an assembly position. I never heard back. A friend, also in his mid-50s, had the same experience, only to find the company had hired his 30-year-old neighbor.
There is a wealth of knowledge and skills available in the over-50 age range, with workers available for immediate hire. Unfortunately, it seems a lot of companies won't hire if you're over 50, no matter your skills.
Rocky Pendarvis
Concord
In response to "Maybe there's a higher power behind all this science" (Nov. 22 Forum):
When it comes to explaining Big Bang, science is all we have
Though Don Markofski's Forum letter was well-written, he came to a different conclusion than I do. It's at least as reasonable to conclude there is some infinite "multiverse" as a cause of our universe, as there is to assume an intelligent creator god. Historically, filling the knowledge gap with a god has failed humanity. Stating or implying that there is a god adds no knowledge to the issue.
Tom Rafferty
Charlotte
Sick to death of all the talk about Cam Newton's towel
To those "fans" who obsess over Cam Newton wearing a towel over his head, I have three words: Get over it! Has anyone ever considered that he's trying to keep his head dry? Or, that he doesn't want to catch a cold? Or, that he uses the towel to wipe the sweat off his face?
You are grown ups, yet you act like children! He wears the towel over his head after a great play or a bad play. For goodness sakes, get off the kid's back!
Carol Shubkin
Charlotte
