Taxing graduate students will lead to a decline
Fix tax plan or face U.S. brain drain
The writer is a professor emeritus at Queens University.
A provision in one of the current tax proposals will tax the tuition remission that many graduate students receive as income.
This comes at a time when the number of U.S. students entering graduate school is declining. This decline could lead to a further down-slide of U.S. primacy in the sciences and other creative fields.
If graduate students will be taxed under this provision, why not all students who receive financial assistance, such as athletes?
Kent Rhodes, Charlotte
Tax plan strives for growth; that’s good
To those who think trickle-down economics benefits only the rich, I encourage you to compare the poverty rates for the past eight years to those when Ronald Reagan was president. You will see that poverty rates were lower in the ’80s.
When there is a downturn in the economy businesses reduce their workforce. People who live paycheck-to-paycheck suffer the most, thus increasing the poverty rate.
So rather than worry about the rich getting richer, government should strive for economic growth.
George Faile, Fort Mill, S.C.
It’s the nation’s debt that I worry about
I am in Congressman Robert Pittenger’s district and remain disappointed with the tax proposals that will add to the deficit.
While I did not like the Keynesian approach President Obama took, at least it was understood that the domestic and global economy was failing and we had structural problems.
Tax decreases are fine, but not in an economic period of low unemployment and high debt, as they will only add to inflation and grow the nation’s debt.
I hope Rep. Pittenger will only vote for a tax reform that is revenue neutral. Then, we can avoid passing this debt to future generations.
Richard Neidich, Charlotte
Tiresome? Yes, President Trump is
In response to “No matter the issue, Trump gets blasted” (Dec. 8 Forum):
Tiresome for you, Forum writer Michael Matthews, really? I tell you what is tiresome, having to read or hear what boneheaded move Trump has made by his constant tweeting or actions, such as supporting accused pedophile Roy Moore, escalating the possibility of nuclear war with North Korea, insulting our closest allies with fake news, and now recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, escalating violence there. That is just what we need in this world.
Tiresome? You bet it is to see Trump make America a joke 24 hours a day.
I’m exhausted.
Andrea Jones, Charlotte
Trump lit a fuse in the Middle East
Since the Jerusalem Embassy Act passed in 1995, each president has used the waiver authority to postpone implementation, emphasizing peace over unilateral demands.
Trump’s feckless decision to move the embassy ignores post 9-11 reality, incites violence, and endangers American service members across the globe. And for what?
Trump traded away the most prized negotiating chip and got nothing beyond the continued flow of campaign dollars into his own pockets.
Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated a week after the Act passed. I doubt it will take that long this time for the region to erupt.
Terry Losardo, Charlotte
Editorial trivialized Brian Ross’ mistake
In response to Our View “After staggering error, ABC gets it right” (Dec. 5 Editorial):
Brian Ross of ABC News did not make a “colossal mistake” in his incorrect reporting that President Trump instructed Michael Flynn to contact the Russians during the campaign. This was no mistake, it was sloppiness in reporting.
It is my understanding that true journalists double-source their stories so they don’t get duped by a source. Obviously, Ross did not do this and his credibility has taken a hit. I like Ross as a reporter; he just short-circuited the system to get his story out. Now he and ABC have to live with this embarrassment.
David G. Van Hellemont, Charlotte
Admiring Cam’s generosity from afar
As a loyal Philadelphia Eagles fan for over 50 years, I had to write and say how impressed I am with Cam Newton hosting a Thanksgiving meal for 800 underprivileged children. This man should be held up as an example for all. Thank you, Cam. You are an inspiration!
Dave Hartley, Berwick, Penn.
This story was originally published December 10, 2017 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Taxing graduate students will lead to a decline."