海角大神

Readers write: Bernie Sanders, tax reform, cursive writing

Letters to the editor for the May 9, 2016 weekly magazine.

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a news conference in Washington.

Cliff Owen/AP

May 7, 2016

Sanders鈥檚 criticism

I have been a Monitor reader for many years and enjoy its overall excellent news coverage, but I was disappointed in the April 8 online article 鈥By stepping back from Clinton attacks, Sanders makes a statement鈥 (CSMonitor.com). True, he stepped back, but he should never have stepped that far in the first place. That also makes a statement, although a less flattering one.

Elizabeth Hinnant

Trump promised to bring jobs to the Rust Belt. The Sun Belt may get them instead.

Sanford, N.C.

Tax reform needed 鈥 but how?

Regarding the April 11 cover story, 鈥1040 reasons your taxes are so complicated鈥: The huge body of US tax law certainly needs to be completely reevaluated and simplified, but let鈥檚 not pretend that there is anything obvious about the directions this should take. My guess is that for a large number of Americans, 鈥渢ax reform鈥 is more centered on fairness and sensible balance. There needs to be a reasonable sharing of the burden of supporting a healthy, educated, stable society. We are currently quite far out of balance. The article brings up the old clich茅 鈥渃ut tax rates but broaden the base鈥 鈥 doing this while striving for a sensible balance is no small feat.

So let鈥檚 pursue tax reform with bipartisan vigor, but let鈥檚 not pretend that we are obviously slaying a well-defined dragon.

Dr. Allan Hauer

What鈥檚 behind Trump鈥檚 assault on Harvard and crown-jewel US universities?

Corrales, N.M.

Writing is an art

For many years, Robert Klose has charmed us with his stories, including ones about raising his two boys and their adventures along the way. His March 7 essay, 鈥In praise of cursive writing,鈥 was no exception. Having taught younger children for 40 years, legible writing, whether printing or cursive, to me is a form of art. Thank you so much for all the informative articles in your magazine, and I look forward to Robert鈥檚 next essay.

Elizabeth Walling

Keyport, N.J.