As president pitches plan, remember lessons of history
Here we are. Our president inherited an economy that was bad, but now itís worse. In spite of his best efforts, he has been unable to turn things around. Rather than simply admit that his policies arenít working, he blames the previous leadership (the Republicans). ěWeíve inherited the worst economy everî is the standard answer. Each time a new strategy is tried, with the president promising that itíll work, it fails. Now weíre told that the problems are much worse than first thought, and itíll take years to recover.
The president has made the government bigger. New agencies and bureaus regulate small and large businesses alike, and also the banks. He wants to nationalize health care. Yet nothing helps. So the president says we must raise taxes on wealthyAmericans. Heís urging Congress to pass this bill immediately. The truth is, he knows that raising taxes wonít help (itíll probably hurt), but it sounds good to average Americans, and he faces re-election next year.
Sound familiar? Really? Hereís more: The year is 1935. The president is Franklin D. Roosevelt. The proposed tax bill is ěThe Reform Act of 1935.î
FDR got his way. Nicknamed the ěsoak the richî tax, it passed in August 1935. But it didnít help the economy or create jobs. In fact, another crash occurred, causing the ědepression within a depressionî (like the double-dip recession that economists warn us about today). Raising taxes was (and is) a mistake during a depressed market.
Now President Obama wants Congress to pass his ětax the richî bill immediately. FDRís policies kept this country in a depression for 12 years, and President Obama is repeating these policies. History repeats itself, of course, so shouldnít we try and repeat the successes instead of the failures? If you agree, then you understand the tea party.
ó Steve Pender
Rockwell
Stick to Holy Scriptures
A front page headline Saturday read, ěLutheran, AME Zion leaders gather.î
I read the article three times, and I never saw the words, ěGod the Father,î ěJesus Christî or ěthe Holy Spirit.î I did read ELCA Bishop Hansonís quote, ěWe live in such a time where there is such a polarization of our culture; this night is not about polarization, itís about reconciliation.î Well, I must tell the world that I am polarized about the Holy Scriptures and donít plan to reconcile Godís word to todayís culture.
While he talks about reconciliation, the ELCA leaders have caused so many families and congregations to split. Is this his reconciliation? The new ELCA hymnal deleted the words ěHeî and ěHimî so many times when referring to our Father God. I am so thankful that I can still call upon him as God, my Heavenly Father, and to his Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit as one.
I then turned to the Faith Page of the Salisbury Post and read about the High Rock Community Church doing mission work in South Africa. Their primary goal was to ělet the people know they serve the Lord Jesus and would do whatever was necessary to make sure as many people as possible came to know Christ as their personal Savior.î Hallelujah!
I am now a member of the Lutheran Church that left the ELCA to become a member of the new NALC (North American Lutheran Church). It is Christ centered, mission driven, traditionally grounded and doesnít interpret the Bible to conform to the culture of today.
Incidentally, if you go the NALC website, you will see that our new missions director for NALC is the Rev. Dr. Gemechis Buba, an African American. He resigned as director of African National Ministries for the ELCA national offices in Chicago when they affirmed same-sex sexual relationships, voted to allow pastors to be in those relationships and ordain them as ministers. I feel blessed to have the Rev. Dr. Buba as our new NALC missions director. Maybe the AME Zion leaders should contact him.
ó C.B. McLaughlin
Mooresville
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Thanks to a guardian angel
Many thanks to the gentleman who saw me fall in the parking lot of the Kangaroo Store in China Grove and offered his help.
While needing air in a tire on my car the morning of July 30, I fell as I got out of my car. I tried to get up, but being elderly, I couldnít get any further than my knees.
A gentleman leaving the parking lot saw me fall and came back to the store to help me. I feel God sent him back to come to my aid. Had he not, I donít believe I would have gotten help. I was devastated about the fall, which was the fourth time since Aug. 3, 2010.
This man did many things to help me. He escorted me to my car, and he put air in the tire and brought me a large bottle of water. He gave my change back to me. He was so nice to help me, and it was very kind of him. To me, he was a guardian angel.
God sends angels to us when we are in distress, and he was that angel. Thank you, David Carlton, for your help. God bless you.
ó Teresa A. Edwards
Spencer
Thou shalt not steal
To the person who stole my purse on Sept. 7: May God have mercy on your soul. God will forgive you if you stop stealing and ask forgiveness. God sees everything that we do, day or night.
How can you sleep or look people in the eye?
I pray for all who steal and do people wrong.
May God have mercy on your soul.
Please turn in my purse.
ó L.F. Lewis
Salisbury