Community Forum: Marine Corps birthday should be celebrated

Editor:
There are many celebrations in the Valley. However, one has been overlooked. This is the Marine Corps Birthday, Nov. 10. There are many Marines and Marine families here, and this day should be recognized for them. The Marine Corps Birthday is celebrated around the world, wherever there are Marines.

I suggest that the veteran's organizations plan a celebration for Nov. 10 to honor the Marines. This year is the 233rd birthday of the Corps. It is a tradition in the Corps to celebrate. We are the Few, the Proud, the U.S. Marines!

For any special supplies, contact the Marine Corps Association, 1-866-622-1775 for their catalog.
Jim Carver,
Harlingen
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Steps listed to put our house back in order
Editor:
The good news is more than 90 percent of Main Street have jobs, not to mention the 30 million illegal aliens whom we don't count. If more than 95 percent of us are current in our mortgages, explain where the $700 billion is going ... invest it, buy it, loan it, don't just give it away.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions; that's how we got in this fine mess." 700 billion dollars is more than we have spent on the war, so we demand these 10 things to show Main Street and the world that the USA is serious about getting our house in order.

* A 7-year FREEZE on ALL government spending and hiring, except for the military; we were attacked and are at war.

* Get rid of the capital gains tax. When it was recently lowered to 15 percent, income to the government more than doubled.

* Get rid of the death tax. Again, double, triple taxes.

* Corporations don't pay taxes; they pass along the tax costs in the price of goods and services. We have one of the highest taxes on corporations in the world; 35 percent. Get rid of corporate taxes and main street will pay less for services and goods, plus will have many more jobs.

* Tax cuts made permanent. We demand stability in our tax codes. Or heck, even better, a flat tax of 17 percent for all. How many thousands of pages are in our current tax code: "kiss" keep it simple, please.

* Mandate every state to be 95 percent energy independent for their electric power in three years. If France can have over 80 percent of their electric power from clean, safe, recyclable nuclear power, we can too. Once these plants come online we can begin to produce cheap hydrogen for our transportation needs. We must not stay hostage to nations that want to hurt and kill us. Screw OPEC.

* Get rid of margin accounts for the stock and oil markets; you buy a stock or future contract; you pay for it, no more 37 times leveraged accounts. Including mutual funds and broker houses and hedge funds.

* Allow people in each state an up or down vote, on drilling in their state or offshore, and let them reap the cash flows.
percent A cap of 10 percent above prime for credit cards. The oil companies only make 8% profit.

* A department in the IRS to audit all government programs/spending, with the same penalties that main street has; everyone has to file as we do and put it on the internet. We demand open government. If Main Street can trace every penny of government spending, 40 percent of the fraud and waste may go away.

* Call and write early and often; this is our country; let Congress know that they work for us. We will hold congress accountable the next time we vote. Note, Capitol Hill e-mail servers are overloaded due to high volume. One may still express their opinions by calling their district offices. Try both.
Kenneth Creekmore,
South Padre Island
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DROP US A LINE
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Valley Morning Star
P.O. Box 511
Harlingen TX 78551

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