Joe DeAngelo writes that Trump and corporate raiders like Carl Icahn are perfect together.
To the Editor:
Observing the ridiculous antics of presidential candidate Donald Trump reminds me of two very popular cliches. The first one is, "Those who ignore history are bound to repeat it."
Watching Trump directing the ejection of protestors at his rallies or shutting down anyone who disagrees with him reminds me of Adolf Hitler's method of having his goons physically eject his objectors. This is very much like what the German people experienced in the run-up to World War II.
Trump denounces everything going on in the United States and promises the citizens that he will make America great again. His ridiculous promises include bringing to a Trump administration the "brightest financial minds."
Trump cites, for example, Carl Icahn, a billionaire corporate raider of epic proportions. This man became incredibly wealthy by feeding on the carcasses of weak and floundering corporations. (Among other interests, Icahn controls the Tropicana Hotel-Casino in Atlantic City, and recently acquired Pep Boys.)
Trump and Icahn are perfect examples of men who can manipulate the rules and laws of our great country for their own benefit. Their credo is "Greed is good."
The only thing Trump is going to make "great" is himself. There has never been a man who is as adept at self-promotion.
My second cliche: "Be careful about what you wish for -- because you may get something worse."
Joe DeAngelo
Gibbstown
Rowan president's house shortchanges students
To the Editor:
Regarding the article "See the swanky new home Rowan bought for its president" earlier this month:
It is appalling that Rowan University feels the need to spend $925,000 on a house for its president. Where is this money coming from? The Rowan University Foundation, which paid for the purchase, is supposed to support students. A house is not what it should be paying for.
I am an alumna of Glassboro State College, as Rowan used to be known, and attended back when tuition was affordable. That certainly is not the case now. Too many students are coming out with huge student-loan debt.
What is more important, the students' needs or a near-million-dollar house for the president?
Mabel Lago
Pittsgrove Township
Glassboro State College
Class of 1977
Inspira hospital would be too close to Kennedy
To the Editor:
I am writing as a concerned South Jersey resident and as executive director of the Kennedy Health Care Center in regard to Rowan University's proposed land sale to the Inspira Health Network.
I firmly believe that the construction of an additional acute-care hospital by Inspira on Harrison Township property, within six miles of Kennedy's established and community-entrenched Washington Township hospital, would lead to redundancy of care. This would also negatively affect the livelihood of many of my close neighbors employed by the Kennedy Health System.
I also believe that such a deal would have a negative impact on Kennedy's relationship with the Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine, which is the medical school's primary teaching hospital.
As a Rowan University alumnus, I feel the sale of valuable university-owned land would inhibit Rowan's growth plans for academic and athletic facilities, due to a lack of other available land.
In closing, I urge the Rowan University Board of Trustees to vote down the proposal to sell its 100-acre parcel to Inspira.
Gary Pizzichillo
Executive Director
Kennedy Health Care Center
Editor's note: Kennedy Health Care Center is a sub-acute, long-term care facility located on Kennedy's Washington Township hospital campus.
N.J. plan will promote retirement savings
To the Editor:
I'm very glad to see that the Secure Choice Savings Act recently passed the Legislature and was signed by Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday. Unfortunately, not enough people save for their retirement, and government programs like Social Security alone can no longer support people through a comfortable retirement.
This program, which makes it easier for small employers to offer retirement plans, would not need to cost businesses anything. The law gives employees the tools to begin saving for their retirement easily. It would allow workers to have savings automatically deducted from their regular paychecks, and I believe the automatic deduction matters significantly.
The fact that Senate President Stephen Sweeney co-sponsored this legislation shows that he understands that many working people in New Jersey do not have easy access to a retirement savings plan, and he's taken action to correct the problem. Secure Choice has worked in other states and it will work in our state.
Elizabeth Rogale-Pavlik
Washington Township
Note: The bill originally called for a retirement plan to be administered by the state treasury department. Christie conditionally vetoed this version. Lawmakers this month concurred with his changes that instead set up a Small Business Retirement Marketplace, a non-governmental retirement plan exchange.
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