Eliminate the income cap for Social Security
Re: “Social Security: Americans’ top asset isn’t a home or stocks,” Sept. 14 business story
The article deals with the future insolvency of Social Security, predicting it could happen as soon as 2033. I have read several articles dealing with this issue. They deal with different scenarios, such as, raising the interest that is currently charged, or reducing the amount recipients receive, etc.
One possible solution, that never seems to be brought up, is the income cap. Currently, everyone pays into the fund up to an annual income of $176,100, so anyone making that amount or less, pays based on 100% of their income. Anyone making over that amount pays no additional tax.
If the maximum payout were kept the same, and everyone payed into the fund based on 100% of their income, the fund would most likely remain solvent. The assumption here is that people making over $176,000 per year can just as easily afford to pay their fair share.
— Steve Nash, Centennial
Needless COVID vaccine scare points to need for civics
Re: “FDA reviews reports of COVID vaccine deaths,” Sept. 14 news story
The headline regarding COVID deaths for people under age 18 is alarming for no good reason. A quick browsing of the paper might lead one to rethink the safety of the vaccine. The facts in the article (1,800 deaths from COVID infection and 80 deaths from vaccine) indicates that a child would be 22x more likely to die of the illness than from the vaccine.
We need a return to sanity and to peer-reviewed science. We need RFK out of government. We need health research that works to solve real problems, not to rehash old, mistaken theories.
We need a citizenry schooled in civics and critical thinking, starting at an early age, and continuing through high school. And just as we are required to renew our driver’s licenses, we should renew our knowledge on these subjects every 5 years. AARP has a safe driving class for seniors, which gives you a discount on auto insurance, when completed. We could have civics training, developed by respected centrist experts, that gives you a rebate on taxes when completed.
— Nancy Litwack-Strong, Lakewood
Celebrate two amazing Coloradans
Re: “Rifle resident receives Carnegie Medal for Heroism,” and “Mom’s book on daughter with Down syndrome turning 20,” Sept. 14 news stories
Thank you for the inspiring stories of Alec Larson and his rescue of a woman and her child. He is also a hero due to his speaking out to protect children from drug overdose which his daughter died from.
The mom who wrote the book about her daughter, Eliza Woloson, and her daughter Isabelle was beautiful, she is also a hero that raised an amazing young woman with a degree, adult independence and two jobs! Wow! Amazing!
— Dee Walworth, Brighton
Ready for long lines at polling places?
It is not clear what President Trump means by eliminating mail-in ballots. I can only surmise that this requires in-person voting at polling locations. I trust everyone is ready to stand in a long line come Election Day or during early voting.
Full elections incorporate a multipage ballot with not only all the candidates and positions for one to select but multitudes of special propositions, new laws and extra items to vote on.
In the last major election, I took 20 minutes to fill out my ballot, and that was after I fully researched statements in the “Bluebook” and newspaper and television editorials.
Imagine the time it will take a lot of people to fill out their ballot while in that tiny privacy booth.
For many, it might be the first time they try to understand the wording on all the upcoming options that we will likely have the privilege to vote on. Plus, add the extra time at polling stations to check our ID card.
How about this: Send me my ballot in the mail. I can fill it out at home then drive to a polling location and drop it off after showing my ID. Or will this also be classified as voter fraud? One thing is for sure, at least in my case, I will need no time to figure out which candidates to vote for, this time: NO REPUBLICANS. Easy, no time wasted.
— Richard Reiff, Pueblo
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