To the Editor:

This letter is in response to “Congress must support programs to assist needy” (Feb. 25).

Rev. Peterson’s heart is certainly in the right place, but in my opinion the notion that the federal government can create a job is ridiculous.

President Obama’s recent stimulus package is a perfect example. While the country is up to its eyeballs in debt, the stimulus “created or saved” 4 to 5 million jobs at a cost to taxpayers of almost $1 trillion.

Does anyone know where to get one of these jobs?

Rev. Peterson states “while some believe we are unable to afford job creation, I believe that we can afford not to.”

Really?

Sorry, but that way of thinking does not cut it with a $14 trillion deficit.

Rev. Peterson also states the deficit is due to economic downturn, and as the economy recovers, the deficit will be addressed. Sorry again.

Right now, if the government did away with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and most discretionary spending, we would still be at a deficit of around $400 billion. All the while, banks are failing every day since 2009, and the government keeps printing money to the point that we risk losing our gold standard status.

You want a safety net Rev. Peterson? Tell President Obama to cancel the moratorium on offshore oil exploration. Reduce taxes on individuals, corporations and especially small business.

I truly believe that government is almost always the problem, and in spite of good intentions, all government programs and spending take us down a road we never wanted to go down.

James J. Greger Jr.
Franklin