READERS WRITE [Corrected 02/04/05] Home Edition

• Published in: The Atlanta journal-constitution (2001)
• Main Author: JEFF JONES, NARENDER G. REDDY, KNOX DEMMOND, BETTY CLERMONT, SADIE FIELDS, DON MCADAM
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta, Ga Atlanta Journal Constitution, LLC 04.02.2005
• ISSN: 1539-7459

Americans enjoy a vast array of retirement savings options --- IRAs, 401(k)s, SEPs, Keoghs and more. Automatic periodic contributions in affordable amounts may be set up through payrolls, banks, thrifts, credit unions and others. We already have ample opportunities for private or personal retirement savings accounts. We don't need to exacerbate Social Security's funding challenges by creating yet another retirement savings option. In response to Mike King's column ("Frank talk on illegal immigrants," @issue, Feb. 3): Illegal Mexicans and Central Americans pay sales tax on everything they buy, and the businesses they patronize pay taxes. Most illegals purchase black market Social Security numbers, so FICA is withheld from their paychecks. But because the names and numbers don't match, they can never collect from the system and those FICA withholdings are placed in an Earnings Suspense File currently valued at $420 billion. Cynthia Tucker's comments regarding state Sen. Renee Unterman and her divorce from her husband, Marc, were terribly unkind and way over the line ("Can't trust women to think clearly on issue? That's crazy," @issue, Feb. 2). The senator's personal circumstances are irrelevant to the issue or the debate regarding abortion. Ad hominem attacks and sarcasm are unnecessary tools for good writers. To resort to those types of tactics reveals a distinct weakness in the writer's ability to make points based on fact.