Balance individual’s rights, responsibilities

To-the-editor:

Look forward each week to getting the weekly issue of the Steele County Times. I want to ask some questions about comments made in the June 1^st issue.

First, there was a column heading entitled “They are Sick” talking about Marxists in the streets and confusing President Biden with somebody named “Bonparte Napoleon,” did he mean Napoleon Bonaparte? He also said something about cognitive decline. I wonder if the writer ever asked himself if our former President had not wasted so much time in responding to the Covid Pandemic maybe our economy would be better and some of the lives of now over a million people may have been saved. Also does the writer ever consider that our former President may have emboldened Russian Leader Putin to invade Ukraine which has disrupted oil shipments and greatly increased fuel prices and created supply chain issues?

Another writer talked about the “very radical and liberal left platform” pertaining to abortion. Does he also think the Democratic Platform supporting affordable housing, a strong system of public education, adoption of a single payer health care system, the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively, campaign finance reform, protection of our environment, support of free elections, balancing the Federal Budget and reducing the National Debt, funding Social Security and supporting our Veterans as radical?

Several local legislators gave their opinions about the legislative session that just ended. Why does it seem nothing much seems to get done until the last two weeks then each side blames the other? If you want to get money back to people that really need the money why don’t you pass legislation that gives Social Security tax refunds to Senior Citizens whose taxable incomes are below a determined limit? How many times have we heard, “the family is the basis of society?” Why don’t legislators pass extended maternity leave, paid family leave and public education equity legislation, wouldn’t that type of legislation help build stronger family bonds leading to a healthier society and stronger economy?

I am sure it is obvious I support a progressive agenda which recognizes our interdependence and need to support one another. There is value and need of individualism and I believe there needs to be a balance between the rights of the individual and the individual’s responsibilities to other people, presently I think our society is out of balance. What do you think?

Philip Heim

Medford