A manufactured crisis

Dear Editor:

Several weeks ago on Jan. 30, 18 citizens of Carbon County staged a protest to call attention to proposed cuts to Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. Once again, Republicans in Congress are using a manufactured crisis - this time it is the "sequester cuts" - to force President Obama to cut Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. Our own Senator Toomey is a leader of this effort. He announced that because Pres. Obama doesn't want to cut "entitlements", Republicans must force the cuts with a fiscal cliff-type crisis.

Why are Republicans unwilling to cut subsidies to oil companies but perfectly willing to cut Medicaid and force Grandma out of the nursing home? Why are they unwilling to cut loopholes for millionaires but willing to cut Social Security? Why are they unwilling to eliminate tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas but very willing to cut Medicare? As their candidate for President so eloquently put it - people who depend on Medicare, Social Security or Medicaid are part of the 47 percent. These people are not their constituency.

Now is the time to stand up for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Call Senator Toomey and tell him, "hands off!"

Linda Christman

Lehighton