To paraphrase an old Democratic Party campaign tag line: “Are you better off today than you were two years ago?”
Inflation is 8.5%. The interest rates are climbing. My Social Security cost of living increase was consumed by the increase in Medicare.
My government retirement increase was about half of the inflation rate. My retirement savings plan had a negative 3.27% annual growth before factoring in inflation.
The electric rate suddenly, increased by 47% and I am expecting my rent to double this year.
To answer the above question I’d say “no.”
What I want for our congressional delegation is not a right-wing Fascist Trump-ite. Nor do I want a Marxist-Leninist Progressive. I want politicians that know the difference between a responsible democratic government with advanced social programs and socialism. The two are incompatible. For socialists, the often used example is Sweden. Sweden is a democracy, under a constitutional monarchy, with advanced social services, but its economy is driven by the market. The only two examples of socialist countries are North Korea and Cuba and where both demand and production are determined.
We need politicians who understand at least the basics of economics and are more centered politically, something we currently do not have. We also do not have politicians, from both sides, that have given us honest assessments.
What we have gotten is obfuscations, like the Inflation Reduction Act that does not reduce inflation, to short-term handouts such as setting aside the federal gas tax for a few months. This is pandering to the mob without real solutions for long-term growth.
I do not know who I am going to vote for, but what I do want to be able to say two years from now is, “I am better off.”
David W Szelowski
Lebanon
Hats off to Liz Saucelli and the Valley News for a thoughtful look at Listen, now in its 50th year (“A lasting legacy for Listen: 50 years in, nonprofit has grown to help countless people get a leg up,” Aug. 21).
Serving on Listen’s Board of Directors showed me what is truly exceptional about the Upper Valley.
It’s not the scenery, the world-class institutions, or the beauty of the changing seasons.
It’s the reality that Listen experiences every day: this is a community that refuses to let neighbors down.
When the Board decided to close our thrift stores during the height of the COVID pandemic, we wondered if we could survive. But in ways large and small, our Upper Valley neighbors sustained us. They simply refused to let us down.
We should be proud of Listen and all it does, but we should also be grateful to live in a community that is driven by caring and generosity.
Laurel Stavis
Lebanon
Thank you, Valley News, for your feature article on Sunday, “A lasting legacy for Listen: 50 years in, nonprofit has grown to help countless people get a leg up,” highlighting its and Barb Pecor’s amazing history. Who, in our many UV towns, has not benefitted from what Listen does? Starting with their amazing store on the Miracle Mile, stocked with clothing and household goods donated by UV neighbors.
But please note, Valley News and all, that their acronym, LISTEN, really does mean something: “Lebanon In Service To Each Neighbor.”
Its all-caps spelling should be used, as anyone who visits their website (www.listencs.org) will notice.
It’s an important part of Listen’s legacy that its success has come from tremendous volunteer efforts to support all Upper Valley neighbors. What a great model for “community services”!
Michael Whitman
Lyme
In the Forum for Sunday, August 21, Bruce St. Peter begins his letter (“How will the Inflation Reduction Act work?”) with a question: “Why would anyone, who pays their taxes, want to pay more taxes so the government can hire someone to make sure they are paying their taxes?”
This is easy to answer.
The aim is not to make law-abiding taxpayers miserable, but to make sure that the many people out there who cheat on their taxes are found out, so that they pay their fair share.
As it stands, the IRS has been systematically underfunded over more than a decade, leaving them with antiquated technology and grossly understaffed. The money allocated is largely for technology modernization and hiring adequate staff; it’s about $7 billion a year for 10 years, a tiny fraction of Federal spending, and this move should generate far more revenue than its cost.
Some on the right have falsely implied that it would be used to create an army of tens of thousands of armed IRS agents, but the true number is much smaller — about 1,000 — and the cost is a minuscule fraction of the increase.
The real question to the law-abiding taxpayer should be “Do you want to let others weasel out of the obligations that you honor?” I’d think most would say “No!”
No one enjoys paying taxes, but they are the price we pay for having a functioning government — indeed, they are the price of civilization. They need to be applied fairly and equitably.
John Thorstensen
Norwich
I read the article in the Sunday Valley News about Listen with great interest and a bit of dismay. (“A lasting legacy for Listen: 50 years in, nonprofit has grown to help countless people get a leg up,” Aug. 21)
It appears that the article uses Listen for its high profile as a foil for affordable housing and misses the primary focus of Listen for the last at least thirty-five years.
The Mission of Listen for the past 35 years has been as the primary crisis basic service provider in the Upper Valley — The basic service focus includes: rental and mortgage assistance with cash grants so people do not lose their housing; Fuel and electric assistance so people stay warm in winter (over 30 years the fuel assistance program was grown from $10,000 to $150,000 per year; affordable clothing to stay clothed (while this offers people the ability to be clothed for less than ten percent of retail cost, it’s also the primary source of income and support for other programs at Listen; Free evening meals serving up to 150 people per night; free one week summer camp for children with as many as 350 participants; counseling and referral service for distressed and senior clients.
The mission has not been affordable housing — Listen for 35 years has left that to others.
The article mentions several people but fails to credit Marilyn Bourne who served as executive director for thirty years guiding Listen from the doorsteps of insolvency to a few millions of positive net worth That provided the basis for the Miracle Mile Thrift store.
By the way it was Marilyn’s vision which created the dining and thrift store facility at the WRJ to West Lebanon bridge.
Of course, one must never forget the generous donors in the Upper Valley, but again this historically was due to Marilyn’s vision of service delivery and her personal relationships.
The mission was to provide basic services in crisis situations and for 30 odd years Marilyn Bourne was the primary visionary and driving force.
Let’s give focus and credit where it is due.
Paul Tierney
Norwich
Reduce, reuse, recycle is a mantra I have lived by all my life and as chair of Sustainable Hanover’s Recycling Committee I have worked for many years to see that happen. In a few weeks I will retire as chair, with my final task being the long running community yard sale. After a two year hiatus, we are holding the 11th annual sale where I expect to see thousands of perfectly usable items find new homes.
Whether they are downsizing, or simply clearing out attics, closets, basements or barns, close to a hundred Upper Valley residents have rented a spot to sell their treasures.
On Saturday, September 3, from 10-2 the 11th Town of Hanover/Dartmouth College Community Yard Sale will take place on the college’s Dewey Parking Lot. (37 Dewey Field Rd, Hanover, NH)
Join us for a fun time, visiting with friends and neighbors while you browse for bargains.
Susan Edwards
Hanover