Tax Fairness

[From 5/24/08, in response to a column mocking government attempts at “fairness.”]

To the editor:

Paul Szydlowski (“’Fairness’ shouldn’t replace common sense”) is kidding, right?

In his bid to prove that tax fairness harms the U.S. economy, he can do no better than citing a tax cut in the early 1990s that “backfired” by putting yacht-makers out of business.

Come on. During the “unfair” 1990s (under Democrat Bill Clinton), the U.S. economy had one of its most successful periods in modern history. Under Clinton’s presidency, the economy expanded by 50% in real terms. By the time he left office, America’s GNP equaled one quarter of the entire world economic output.

In addition, the unemployment rate dropped by half (to 4%, a 40-year-low) while the economy created some 15 million jobs. And the stock market grew even faster - by more than three times - creating thousands of millionaires among middle-class stockholders.

Clinton also left office with a huge and growing federal budget surplus.

And Szydlowski prefers the last eight years under GOP rule? Why? Because they’ve been more fair?

Anti-smoking Laws and Libertarians, Part 2

[From 5/23/08, in response to a letter opposing anti-smoking laws on libertarian grounds.]

To the editor:

I suppose John E. Simpson, Jr. (“Bars, restaurants are private places”) becomes angry when the Health Department inspects a restaurateur’s kitchen. That’s private property, after all. He probably thinks maximum occupancy laws and fire codes are onerous too. If customers want to patronize a fire trap, that should be their free choice. And he must really get enraged when the government forces businesses to serve people of all races. Why, a business should be able to do whatever it wants! Private property ownership! The paramount virtue!

Anti-smoking Laws and Libertarians

[From 5/18/08, in response to a column opposing anti-smoking laws on libertarian grounds.]

To the editor:

Eric Stein (“Smoking Debate Ignores the Rights of Private Property Owners,” May 18) opposes anti-smoking laws on the grounds that the government has no right to tell business owners what they may do on their own private property. Hmmm . . . where have I heard this argument before? Oh yes . . . it’s the same argument southern business owners made to deny service to black customers before civil rights laws forced them to do so.

Why should we expect the free market to solve this problem, as Stein suggests? It didn’t prior to passage of the Civil Rights Act.

I don’t especially like legislation such as the ban on smoking or other anti-discrimination laws. They are invasive, burdensome to enforce, and a fertile breeding ground for meddlesome busybodies. We have them for one simple reason: when we didn’t, American society arbitrarily denied equal treatment to entire classes of people.

To be consistent, Mr. Stein should oppose laws requiring businesses to serve people of all races. How ‘bout it, Mr. Stein? Want to repeal those laws, too?

Gas Prices/Personal Responsibility

[From 5/15/08, in response to a slew of letters bemoaning high gas prices]

To the editor:

Isn’t it interesting. The same people who fret about “the nanny state” and lecture others about personal responsibility are the very ones complaining the loudest about high gas prices and the mortgage crisis.

These folks consider any sort of spending on anything for the common good to be soft-headed and stupid. But now that their trophy houses and gas-guzzlers have become costly and inconvenient for them, they’re the first ones demanding government assistance.

Hey Mr. SUV, nobody put a gun to your head and forced you to buy that 10 MPG tank you roll to work each day. Nobody forced you to buy that McMansion 40 miles from the office, either. If you’re giving all your money to Big Oil, you’re simply reaping the consequences of your own actions . . . right? Right?

Consider this a little lesson in personal responsibility.

Obama Is Not Anti-semitic

[From 5/14/08, about John Boehner's attempts to paint Barack Obama as anti-Semitic]

To the editor:

On Tuesday, Rep. John Boehner took some words of Barack Obama—given in an interview to The Atlantic magazine— out of context to imply that he is an anti-Semite. “It is truly disappointing” said Boehner, “that Senator Obama called Israel a ‘constant wound,’ ‘constant sore,’ and that it ‘infect[s] all of our foreign policy.’”

The context of Obama’s remarks clearly indicate that his metaphor referred to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not Israel itself. Boehner knows this.

It is unfortunate that many Americans will use Boehner’s comments to claim that Obama is anti-Semitic.

What’s wrong, GOP? Can’t you defeat Obama this November without lying about him?

Autism Is Treatable

[From 5/2/08, a letter from my wife Terri in response to an Enquirer article about autism]

To the editor:

John Johnston wrote a nice, multi-faceted piece for Autism Awareness Month: "A Voice for Autism: Radio Personality Jenn Jordan Has Some Personal Reasons for Taking Up This Cause."

I was especially pleased to see it noted that autism can be treated, as there are still parents who don't know this. I was even happier to see RDI mentioned, as I know firsthand how effective that therapy can be.

What I didn't see was any mention of biomedical treatments, which are extremely useful to a vast majority of these children, with dietary intervention being especially crucial. Just this past April 1, the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) made the announcement that they would start working with DAN (Defeat Autism Now) practitioners, who have long been using biomedical treatments for autism.

Some young children, especially, are completely recovered using diet, supplements, and other aspects of the DAN protocol.

More information is available at www.generationrescue.com or by consulting with a DAN practitioner.