Letters to the Editor

Food stamp plan lacks compassion

Food stamps, first and foremost, help feed our nation's children ("Pa. plans asset test for food stamps," Tuesday). Among participating households with children, nearly 50 percent include working adults. This program, sponsored by the U.S. Agriculture Department, provides a cushion to those working at low wages. For the elderly on fixed incomes, food stamp benefits, now made available via a debit card, translate into shopping with dignity. They can have cash in their pockets for medications and keep the furnace fueled.

Requiring families to tap into their meager savings is punitive and lacking in compassion. Food stamps, funded by Washington, put food on our neighbors' tables, keep children and the elderly from being malnourished, and stimulate local economies by sustaining jobs in the retail-food sector.

Sydelle Zove, Conshohocken, sydelle.zove@gmail.com

People struggling to feed families

I was appalled by the proposed new Department of Public Welfare rules that will make the amount of food stamps people can receive contingent on having assets of $2,000 or less for those under the age of 60. Having a car or a home is exempted, but it's hard to maintain these assets if you're unemployed. How shortsighted and cruel this proposed rule is, especially when we are struggling to come out of a recession and many people are still unemployed and struggling to feed their families. The rate of fraud in the food stamp program is one half of one percent and 30 percent of eligible people have not even applied for this assistance.

Gov. Corbett takes away what people need and tries to give them what they don't need or want. Two examples: A voter photo ID law that will cost millions to implement and an insistence that companies making millions from drilling should not be taxed. At the same time, school funding is dramatically reduced and now availability to food aid is on the chopping block.

Cynthia Jones, Warminster

Hurting all Pennsylvanians

I thought the Republican Party prided itself on business savvy and fiscal acumen. I understand that Gov. Corbett and his administration have no interest in helping low-income seniors and the unemployed via food stamps. However, to impose an asset test, thereby increasing welfare administrative costs and decreasing federal funds, makes no economic sense. Corbett's disregard for the poor not only hurts them, but also the state budget, which is bad for all Pennsylvanians.

Sara Sierschula, Philadelphia

Attacks on GOP candidates

The Inquirer has gone into full campaign mode, printing multiple letters that criticize Republican candidates.

On Wednesday, a letter writer excoriates Rick Santorum for being pro-life ("Santorum's disregard for women"). Another has the former senator as pope of America, waving his miter and throwing nonbelievers to the lions once he is sworn in ("Running for pastor-in-chief"). A third writer in the same edition thinks that Mitt Romney, a businessman, would want to run the country like Bain Capital, and that should disqualify him for president ("Don't need businessman president"). There is no mention that Romney turned the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics into a rousing success when he took over that corrupt bureaucracy. Also not mentioned was the tiny fact that, as governor of Massachusetts, he turned around a state that was bleeding red ink and made it a viable, competitive commonwealth again.

The writers appear to believe that we need to run the country like ACORN, and that a professional protester is the most qualified person to do it. In fact, President Obama is the least qualified person to ever hold the office. After three years without any economic success to brag about, the only thing letter writers have to offer is fear.

Fran Steffler, Philadelphia, fsteffler@aol.com

Doing gas right

Hal Harvey's commentary "Natural gas: Let's do it right" (Friday) showed both the importance of using natural gas and the possible damage from extracting gas in Marcellus Shale areas. His Rule Three is key: "Strong standards for wells, with effective monitoring and enforcement." This reflects the stand of the Pennsylvania League of Women Voters as well. Let me also add Rule Six, my rule, to his list: Tax the drillers for funds to repair the roads and offset ecological damage that is being done by accident.

Kate deRiel, president, League of Women Voters of Haverford Township, Havertown