Where is our compassion?

Recent letters seem to imply that the country’s fiscal woes could all be solved if everyone takes pride in being self-reliant and goes out and gets a job. There may be a small percentage of people who prefer to receive welfare or unemployment benefits, but my feeling is that the vast majority of people on government programs would rather be working and are victims of circumstances beyond their control.

Do we have no compassion for those who become disabled, or for the handicapped or elderly whose incomes do not keep up with inflation? Or those who have lost most of their life’s savings in the financial meltdown? These programs are there because of need and the need has become greater since our financial fiasco. I personally know of people who were laid off four years ago and have struggled to find even odd jobs ever since.

As far as moaning about higher taxes, you forget that the taxes would have been higher by now anyway if they had been left as they were. And lowering the payroll tax that funds Social Security seems counterproductive to me. The people fearing higher taxes appear to be those who can afford them most.

Marian Frobe

Spokane