Opinion
 

Letters to the Editor

Give me a break

To the editor:

Wednesdayis staff editorial "Fate of the Union," Opinion) pointed out what uninformed talking heads can really do to lead their readers astray.

Just one case in point: you asked, "How many UH students benefited from his previous tax-cut plan?"

The answer from your Internal Revenue Service: All of them should have. According to tax laws in place since 2000, full-time students (those taking six or more hours in a regular semester, or three or more hours during summer sessions) are FICA tax-exempt. Simply put for the simpletons that statement confused, you didn't pay any taxes, or shouldn't have.

If you did, is that President Bush's fault? Nope, it's yours for not even asking about this tax exemption from your employer, or for signing on with an employer who didn't advise his employees correctly in the first place. You might look into getting a smarter person to fill out your tax form for you this year.

Complaining you didn't get the $300 check the rest of us working stiffs did? That's like taking a handful of coupons to your local grocery store and expecting to get the rebate, when you haven't bought the yogurt and the toilet paper. My $300 was about 15 percent of one pay period. Not much, but it paid for some much-needed car repair. For someone making minimum wage, that same $300 was about one-third of a month's salary. I paid way more taxes than they did, but we got the same rebate.

So how much did the rebate help the economy? Well, it put $300 in the pocket of my mechanic, who in turn paid his bill and employees, and put food on his children's table. See how that works?

If you did get the rebate, that $300 will buy you a couple of textbooks at the UH Bookstore.

As a UH staff member, I'm looking forward to any tax break. I still make less $32,000, and take home less than $25,000 -- much less than U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee's husband, Vice President for Student Affairs Elwyn Lee, makes (together, the two of them will net well more than $300,000 this year).

So I won't get the tax break that they will; it's only for the "rich" Americans, like your liberal professors and congress members. Oh, and all those left-coast liberal actors and musicians who are trying to convince you that Saddam Hussein is more trustworthy than Bush.

Give me a break.

Andrea Lee
Biology department

Good job

To the editor:

I've been a faculty member at UH since 1987 and a fairly regular reader of The Daily Cougar during that time. I want to congratulate the Cougar staff on the quality of the publication. The improvements over past years have been noticeable to me.

Tuesdayis edition provides some good examples to illustrate my point. The biographical-based tribute to Justin Dart Jr. by Heather Nicholson "Every manis hero," News) was an article any daily newspaper should be proud to publish.

The staff editorial, "Join the fight for UH," Opinion) was an important message delivered in a convincing manner and in time so students can respond.

Finally, the guest column by Gordon Anderson, "Give Smith a break" (Opinion) is a good example of a message that provides pertinent facts and focuses on the factors that are of most consequence, considering the priorities and the charge given to Smith upon his arrival at the UH.

So in closing, my kudos to the Cougar staff for a job well done.

William McCormick
professor of pharmacy administration
 

Letters to the editor are welcome from all members of the UH community and should focus on issues, not personalities. Letters must be typed and must include the author's name, telephone number and affiliation with the University. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters are subject to editing for clarity, language and space. Letters may be delivered in person to Room 151, Communication; e-mailed to dclettrs@mail.uh.edu ; or faxed to (713) 743-5384.Send comments to dccampus@mail.uh.edu