Here are this week’s letters to the editor of the Oshkosh Northwestern. See our letters policy below for details about how to share your views.
Tariff money could boost Social Security, reduce national debt
As an independent, I often disagree with President Trump’s ideas. That said, tariffs collected on foreign imports provide a steady and significant stream of revenue, and I believe those funds should be applied to two urgent priorities: restoring Social Security and reducing the national debt.
Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe once remarked, “I can’t believe we got away with it for so long,” in reference to tariffs. His words highlight just how overdue it is for the United States to put this revenue to good use.
For decades, Congress has taken money from the Social Security trust fund to pay for unsustainable/unfunded programs it couldn’t otherwise afford. This practice has weakened a system that millions of Americans contributed to with the promise of stability in retirement. Directing tariff revenue back into Social Security would begin to repair that breach of trust and safeguard the benefits that hardworking citizens earned.
At the same time, our national debt has reached dangerous levels, burdening future generations and eroding confidence in our economy. Even modest, consistent payments toward the debt would reduce interest costs and demonstrate fiscal responsibility.
Every dollar from tariffs represents a chance to correct past mistakes, restore fairness and secure America’s financial foundation. By dedicating this revenue to Social Security and debt reduction, Congress would show leadership and responsibility to the people it serves.
Peter D. Stueber
Oshkosh
Congress must reintroduce ACA tax credit
If you receive health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, your costs are about to skyrocket because of federal instability.
For the marketplace to work, you need a mix of healthy individuals paying in to offset customers who require more expensive care. A tax credit incentivizing the healthy individuals to participate in the marketplace is set to expire. If it does, the healthy people are going to leave the marketplace in droves, upsetting that balance and raising costs for everyone.
Non-profit health insurers are necessary to hold the for-profits accountable on the marketplace, but multiple non-profits, including Common Ground Health Care Cooperative and Chorus Community Health Plans, have already announced they will not be offering plans in 2026 in at least 11 Wisconsin counties because of the uncertainty surrounding the tax credit. The combined pressure of the influx of new customers from Common Ground and Chorus and the loss of this tax credit is going to force even more non-profits to withdraw, leaving for-profits with a monopoly. The quality and affordability of health care across the board is going to plummet as a result.
To alleviate the situation and bring costs back down, Congress must renew the ACA tax credit. I encourage you to contact your federal representatives and tell them to save the ACA tax credits. Balance the boat so we can move forward together.
Kristin Dassler-Alfheim
State Senator, District 18
ATVs on city streets puts profit over safety
Council members who propose allowing ATVs on Oshkosh city streets seem to be more concerned about bringing more profit to their businesses than community safety. Probably not a good idea to encourage driving from bar to bar!
Riding for recreation is best done on trails just for that purpose, not on city streets, or pedestrian or bicycle trails.
I, for one, will not be patronizing businesses whose owners are elected officials who put their position above the safety of their constituents.
Sharon Provinzano
Oshkosh
Our letters policy
Letters to the editor are published in the order in which they are received and letter-writers are limited to having one letter published per month. Letters can be emailed to oshkoshnews@thenorthwestern.com and Editor Brandon Reid at breid@gannett.com. Letters must meet specific guidelines, including being no more than 250 words and be from local authors or on topics of local interest. All submissions must include the name of the person who wrote the letter, their city of residence and a contact phone number. Letters are edited as needed for style, grammar, length, fairness, accuracy and libel.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Tariffs, ACA tax credit and ATVs topics in latest Oshkosh letters to the editor
Reporting by Oshkosh Northwestern / Oshkosh Northwestern
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