Speak Ups for July 14 - No one is balancing the federal budget on the backs of the poor and middle class.

7:41 PM Wednesday, July 13, 2011

No one is balancing the federal budget on the backs of the poor and middle class. The poor and middle class pay no federal income tax. If you make $50,000 a year and have two kids, you pay no federal income tax (or get everything withheld back in April). Forty-seven percent of all Americans pay no federal income tax, yet benefit from all the goodies the federal government does for you. Stop complaining and start thanking the rich for paying your fair share.

As a low-income American taxpayer, I just have to say that I’m sick and tired of having to cover the cost of tax breaks and subsidies to the rich and these giant corporations, like Exxon and General Electric.

(Columnist E.J. Dionne wrote that) John “Boehner may have to choose between his country and his job.” We know his choice already. It won’t be his country. This is why he doesn’t want to eliminate tax loopholes and upper-income tax breaks. He’s fearful of losing re-election campaign dollars.

Gas prices are high and Springfield helps by messing with the east-west traffic lights on Main, High, Columbia and North. Now we stop and start more and burn more gas.

Things in Mad River Twp. need to be cleaned up. We have a deputy who doesn’t patrol the “neighborhoods” where juveniles are out at 3 a.m. We have houses in Green Meadows and Holiday Valley that are dumps! They have yet to provide an easy way for people to walk or bike to the grocery stores. What is up with that?

Oil companies have been legally robbing me my whole life. I don’t want my measly working-class tax dollars going to subsidize them. They don’t need my charity.

Re Ohio 13th in obesity report: Who cares? The state and federal governments are more obese.

Listen up, fat people. Hunger does need to take a vacation. Obesity is growing more every day. Wake up. Your health is bad.

I served on a jury seven weeks ago. I still haven’t been paid the $30. They sent it to an address I lived at more than two years ago. Too bad they didn’t send the notice to serve jury duty to that same address. I wouldn’t have had to serve.

Give me one good reason why the average Ohioan would want to have Senate Bill 5 repealed?

The reader who commented that gas prices always go up before holidays obviously hasn’t been paying attention lately. Prior to the last few holidays before Independence Day, the prices actually went down, only to shoot back up afterward.

Consumers need to be careful getting gas in Springfield. Some stations are charging you 6 cents before you even squeeze the handle. I’m sure that 6 cents is adding up over time.

Thanks to all of my neighbors in the near north community — east of Limestone and south of McCreight — for a spirited July 4 celebration. What a joy to sit on the roof of my house and see fireworks displays all around. And thanks to the Springfield police for letting it all be.

Five and a half years ago, my 4-month-old and I were made to take our clothes off and were patted down in Texas because I may have strapped a bomb on him.

Springfield High School needs a football coach.

Re the child abduction: Why are two 7-year-old girls out running the street at 10 p.m. at night? The parents should be punished!

It looks like it’s going to be a hot day. But I started it out right with a laugh. I read Andy McGinn’s articles. Thank you, Andy.

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