Letters: Federal spending and job creation

We are having a difficult time getting the job market going ["Uncle Sam's toughest task," Editorial, Aug. 14]. One way would be to have the government gradually raise the cap on income subject to Social Security withholding -- but on employees only. This would keep small businesses from avoiding hiring due to additional costs to the employer.

And instead of subsidies for oil companies and commercial farms, why not give aid to businesses that bring back already- outsourced jobs, as well as those who create new jobs? Let the employers be rewarded, while helping working Americans buy goods to help the economy.

Jane Mastromonica, Coram

Our politicians are not working for the people. We don't hear about any creation of jobs, which would provide the health insurance Americans need and the tax revenue our country needs.

We are spending billions on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. If we brought our men and women back home, we could put that money into the infrastructure that this country needs.

Brian Farkas, Ronkonkoma

Our nation's great Social Security system is living on borrowed time.

On Dec. 17, President Barack Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. This law gave working Americans a payroll tax holiday in 2011 by reducing the amount of Social Security tax withheld from their paychecks from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent.

Well, enjoy the holiday while you can because this is the epitome of shortsightedness.

In an attempt to steer clear of an unavoidable double-dip recession, the president has decisively hammered the final nail into the coffin of Social Security. By signing this law, he significantly cuts the funding of our Social Security program at the very time when retiring Americans need it the most.

Bret Savit, Ronkonkoma

The puff piece on Rep. Steve Israel (D-Dix Hills) is disheartening ["Move to win the House," News, Aug. 15]. Newsday allows him to slam the tea party and say "they have gone too far."

Although I am not a tea party member and have concerns with some aspect of the movement, Israel fails to recognize the party's contribution to staving off the United States of America turning into Greece.

The Democratic Senate hasn't approved a budget in nearly three years. Nancy Pelosi, then speaker of the House, refused to let the Democratic caucus put forth a budget in advance of the 2010 election. President Barack Obama, as late as February, presented a budget that included no spending cuts while increasing the debt ceiling by $2.4 trillion -- with no tough choices from his debt commission and no entitlement reform.

What changed the conversation? The tea party did! Ultimately it saved the country from financial ruin, whether you like the party or not.

Frank Anderson, Roslyn Heights

Absolutely necessary to eliminate the federal debt is a national sales tax of half of 1 percent on all purchases under $50,000, and an additional half of 1 percent on big-ticket items over $50,000, effective until the budget is balanced.

Tax is a dirty word, but added revenue is the only answer -- it's certainly better than slashing essential services and putting more people out of work.

Edward J. Kohout, Smithtown