To the editor:

While we all recognize that fiscal problems within our nation seem as ever constant companion, solutions are few and fresh problems seem forever on the rise.

It strikes me as strange that some of the ideas which I view as fairly simple are never given any thought, let alone being implemented. For instance, state lotteries seem to have become quite successful as revenue production vehicles. Our citizenry most certainly has welcomed them with open arms. Why not a national lottery dedicated to the one purpose of reducing our national debt?

We all know of the constantly talked of dollar waste in our various welfare programs, yet the very simple idea of doing away with all direct “cash payments” to recipients is completely overlooked as a potential solution.

If society’s responsibility is to feed, house, clothe and medicate our less fortunate citizenry, it would mean these responsibilities could be much better implemented with direct payments to landlords, doctors, hospitals, food and clothing distribution centers, etc., all without the necessity of “cash in hand.”

Take the “cash payment” out of the system and I’d venture to say within a year we’d see drastic reductions in its ranks and the dollars for our truly needy doing a much better job.

The idea that government priority of concern must or should be given to the non-producer over the producer in any society is wrong. if there are to be tax loopholes in our system, they should benefit the farmer, the manufacturer, the production worker, the engineer and the artist – the makers of civilization – not the freeloaders.

If violent crime is truly the problem we’ve all been led to believe, why then do our legislators refuse to implement the death penalty? Not only is it a possible deterrent to such crime, but most certainly one vehicle which would rid the lawful society of the very expensive costs of such incarcerations.

If we truly have a need for new prisons, and constructive rehabilitation of our prison populations is truly a goal, why not allow such populations to do the building of these new prisons? The labor is available, and the useful trades that could be learned by the inmates in the course of such construction could prove of immeasurable good on their return into society.

If a strong and vibrant American military force is truly such a necessity, why not amend our present educational system to include two years of compulsory military training for our young to alleviate the cost of our presently very expensive all volunteer armed forces. And, of course, the privates should always outnumber the generals. As I’ve heard, we presently have more generals in our peace time armed force than we had in our wartime armies. If this is so that certainly doesn’t seem right.

And the pensions? Oh my, those pensions.

Back around 1935 a system called “Social Security” was set up and established by our then elected government representatives for the future retirement of all our working people. Isn’t it strange that that system was not used when our legislatures decided the time had come for them to set up a lucrative retirement system of their own? The audacity of their action, without a strong rebuke by the electorate, has always amazed me.

Evidently what was good for the goose just wasn’t good enough for the gander.

All in all, what I’m saying is “solutions are available.” All we, as a society, have to do is look at ourselves in the mirror, recognize the right from the wrong, and then do what’s right instead of the wrong.

Joseph Curran

Cape Coral