During the 19th Century and the earlier 20th, people worked without a net. There were lots of new immigrants. If an employee became disabled, he could be cast aside and replaced by somebody on the next boat.

One of my grandfathers became ill working in a mine. The only assistance offered was a couple of men to pack him home to my grandmother. That was probably at the initiative of his coworkers. My mother remembered the knock on the door and the men carrying him in. My grandmother nursed him back to health and he eventually found a different job. Other people were not that lucky.

Laws and regulations on occupational safety and health gradually improved conditions. There were people against every law and regulation because they would increase the cost of companies’ operations. Now we have a proposal to improve health-care benefits and I am tired of hearing the same, tired arguments.

The choices are obvious. We can provide a net and improve health care or we can follow 19th Century policies. I would hope than members of Congress would agree to the improvements. It is obvious that some are still living in the 19th Century.

Fred E. Camfield

Vicksburg

Tobacco tax falls short

Three months ago, I received an e-mail from Citizens Against Government Waste encouraging me to oppose the cigarette tax increases. I opposed them, but the Legislature embraced them. They raised taxes.

The e-mail said in part, “While cigarette tax increases have proven politically popular across the country, time and again history has shown that raising excise taxes does not produce projected revenue. Of the 57 excise tax hikes that states implemented between 2003 and 2007, only 16 met or exceeded revenue targets.”

History repeated itself in Mississippi. Last week the Mississippi Tax Commission released the July tax collections. Revenue from the tobacco tax missed the mark by 17.99 percent. That translates into nearly $2.5 million less than expected.

I hope the CAGW’s other prediction doesn’t also come true. It said, “When the expected tobacco tax revenue fails to materialize, the politicians in Jackson will end up increasing yet more of your taxes to make up the shortfall!”

Dear politicians in Jackson: Please cut spending instead of raising taxes. Your tax schemes never work out as planned.

Larry Winter

Brandon

Give AmeriCorps a lift

I have enjoyed seeing the new AmeriCorps volunteers in Vicksburg. I cannot help but notice, however, that none seem to have cars or bicycles. In a town without public transportation, this limits not only quality of life and access to the community, but also the economic impact of their stay here.

It is in Vicksburg’s social and economic interest to add the Ameri-Corps campus to the existing NRoute service schedule. One bus, offering limited service on nights and weekends between key stops (campus, downtown, Walmart, and mall/post office area) would suffice.

As a citizen of Vicksburg who realizes the value of the good work they’ll do for our area, I know it is the right thing to offer of public transportation to these guest volunteers.

Such a request matches NRoute’s mission to provide public transportation to the local community. And the extra passenger traffic would be a benefit to the system, whose usage statistics are often wanting.

Let’s petition the city to alter bus service and add the AmeriCorps campus to the route maps.

Mary Beth Lasseter

Vicksburg

Stick with ‘The W’

University presidents cannot change the name of a university. That responsibility, according to the state Constitution, is still reserved for the Mississippi Legislature in spite of a proclamation by MUW’s president that she will announce the new name of Mississippi University of Women on Monday.

I am an alumna who believes that the name is not the problem and a simple fix is available. The model already exists for us with the University of Mississippi, Kentucky Fried Chicken, American Telephone and Telegraph and International Business Machines, among others. Simply keep the university’s “full name” of Mississippi University for Women and market it as The W, which is the name most people call it anyway.

The W —Educating women since 1884, men since 1982.  That just about covers it.

Linda Ross Aldy

Madison

MUW ‘brand’ is intact

Limbert’s Folly continues as the president, Dr. Claudia Limbert, prepares to announce her name for Mississippi University for Women. She is misguided into thinking “she” has the power to change the name of a Mississippi institution of higher learning. Only the Legislature can change the name of an institution and it will not be in session until next year.

She is also under the impression that enrollment will magically increase by spending thousands of taxpayers dollars to change the name. I do not understand why she cannot see that her recruiting practices and not the name need to be changed.

The W has historically recruited nationally and through its faithful alumnae base. There are plenty of students who are looking for a small liberal arts school with the quality and reputation of The W.  It really is a folly to throw away over 100 years of quality education reputation.

Beverly Jones

Starkville

Hazard on Halls Ferry

In the past month I have e-mailed the mayor’s office several times and I still haven’t received an answer.

I live on Parkway Drive off of Halls Ferry. I have asked that someone come and take a look at how dangerous it is trying to get out onto Halls Ferry from Parkway Drive. You have to pull out into the lane of traffic just to see around the corner in order to turn left going back toward town. All that would have to be done is remove about 3 feet of the hill, which will not hurt anyone’s property whatsoever.

My wife has already been hit at this intersection and is still, after two years, having trouble from the wreck. My mother will not come to my house because it scares her so bad pulling out onto Halls Ferry.

My concern is why I can’t get anyone to at least answer my e-mail or just give me a call so that I can explain what I’m talking about or come out and take a look for themselves.

What is it going to take? Someone getting killed for them to address this matter. I really and truly hope that that’s not the case.

Scotty Cothran

Vicksburg

Shelter deserves support

For 30-plus years, the Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society has served Warren County. It is an all-animal shelter and adoption agency. It helps protect the public 24/7. The society takes in more than 2,000 animals a year and houses up to 200 at a time. It is mostly privately funded through memberships, donations and memorials, which are always welcome.

Animal care costs and operating expenses are always a concern and continue to increase. Additional memberships are important to the long-term vitality of the society and, at $25 a year for adults and $10 a year for students and seniors, are not expensive. Business memberships are also encouraged.

If just 1 percent of the county population would join, it would mean 500 new members. The society is vital to Warren County and we can do more to help.

William Earthman

Vicksburg

Lawyers are the problem

President Obama is facing everything except reality in his pitch for universal health care. When he speaks of all the savings that could be made if “unnecessary” tests were not ordered by physicians, he is ignoring the simple reality of the high costs created in the litigious society we have today.

First, doctors pay huge malpractice insurance premiums. Why? Because we’ve got lawyers ready to sue them at the drop of a hat. Why? Because most states do not have sufficient limitations or caps on medical malpractice suits.

Secondly, doctors’ fear of these suits causes them to call for what would seem to be unnecessary tests for their patients. Why? Because if anything should go wrong with a patient, the first thing the lawyers will contend is that they didn’t do adequate testing.

The answer, my friend, is not blowing in the wind. It’s simple. Serious tort reform legislation would do more to bring down the cost of medical treatment than any other single action.

Why won’t it happen? Obama is a lawyer, and trial lawyers love it the way it is. And Congress is full of lawyers.

William W. Watson

St Joseph