EDITOR:

This is an open letter to the President and members of Congress:

The subjects of this letter are several, but one common thread in them is, of course, money, which has almost become the "God" in America.

First, I don't support giving those persons who are no receiving Social Security monthly payments a $250 one time payment because they won't receive a COLA for the year 2010. That sum won't make or break us.

I support 100 percent Kenneth Feinberg's salary and or bonus reductions for any and all executives of companies who received taxpayers' money to bail out their employers as a result of the "Greedy" decisions of those executives. Otherwise, we are the most stupid people in the world to continue to support Executives' who stretch the law, apply unwise accounting practices and flaunt sound ethic rules of behavior. To just name a few: Bank of America, A.I.G. Citigroup, GMC, and GMAC plus at least another dozen. I had read that GMC wanted to produce their fuel efficient motor vehicle in China. How is that for thumbing their nose at Americans?

Now, on the "Home Buyer Credit for the first time buyer." I've read that the "greedy" home builders, along with the Real Estate Industry, want to extend beyond Nov. 30, this program coupled with an increase in the sum of the credit to upwards of $15,000 as well as eliminating the qualification that the program applies only to the first time home buyer. I am 100 percent against such modifications to this program.

The Detroit Free Press dated Oct. 25, Section F carried a most interesting article about a Peter and Neil Welch of Grosse Pointe Farms who purchased a 3,400 SF, four bedroom and three bathrooms for $200,000 less than what the previous owner had paid in 2005. Their cost was $145,000. Their statement in the newspaper was "We wouldn't have been able to do it without it." They were referring to the $8,000 tax credit. Well 20 percent down payment (or more) should be the minimum in today's financial crisis, which have meant $29,000. Using the $8,000 credit, it meant they had only $21,000 toward a down payment, Do they have the money to furnish, heat, light, maintain and pay the property taxes on such a large home? It'll be interesting in a few years to review this particular purchase and determine if they aren't in the same financial crisis that home owners are in presently from having purchased promised upon "wishes" rather than "practicality!"

The Republicans want as few laws as possible under the "Laissez faire" style of a Republic, in a Democracy, which has merit. But, when one reviews all of the illegal and dishonest activities that this nation has encountered in the past few years, with the likes of Bernard Madoff, to just name one, this nation needs Federal Laws to protect the masses who aren't CPAs or economists, etc. Maybe Congress should have more CPAs and economists and fewer lifetime politicians. Yes, the heath care system is in crisis.

Robert Gifford

Rapid River