Recovery Month a time to salute, help victories vs. addiction
August 21, 2012 3:52PM
Updated: September 23, 2012 6:10AM
Recovery Month a time to salute, help victories vs. addiction
This September is National Recovery Month, and I would like to congratulate the individuals in our community who once suffered from substance use disorders and have reclaimed their lives through treatment and the recovery process.
Substance abuse is a chronic disease that will progress if left untreated. Each year, substance abuse causes more deaths, illnesses and disabilities than any other preventable health condition. Without treatment, an individual risks losing everything — his job, home, family and his life.
As Renz Center celebrates 51 years of community service this year, I encourage everyone who thinks they may have a substance abuse problem to take steps toward sobriety. Renz Center is offering a free confidential step-by-step substance abuse assessment Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Two American Way in Elgin. No appointment necessary.
By investing in yourself, a family member or friend, you will also be investing in the best interests of our community.
Jerry Skogmo, executive director
Renz Addiction Counseling Center
Elgin
Despite GOP criticism, Osama bin Laden is dead, and GM is alive
Every election, we are treated to another Republican attempt to privatize Social Security and destroy traditional Medicare via a $6,400 voucher that won’t cover cost and will cover less going forward.
Where would retires be if George Bush and Paul Ryan had succeeded in 2005 by giving their retirement funds to Wall Street? By 2008, retirees would have lost most all of their retirement funds. And if we allow the Republicans to install the voucher system that will cover less each year and force seniors to negotiate coverage directly with insurance companies, Medicare will fail.
The other proposal that Republicans push every election is to reduce taxes on the so-called job creator. Mitt Romney wants to cut taxes on the wealthy by giving them another $300,000 in addition to the two previous Bush tax breaks for the millionaires and billionaire that have already cost the U.S. Treasury about $5 billion in revenue.
The latest criticism of the president is that he is soft on terrorism and military issues. Maybe Romney and Ryan should try to contact Osama bin Laden or any of the 13 leaders in al-Qaida to see what they think. But, alas, they are all dead thanks to decisive action by the president.
And General Motors is once again the biggest auto manufacturing company in the world because the president bailed it out instead following Romney’s recommendation to let it go bankrupt.
No matter how hard the Republicans try to deny the facts, they can’t change reality: Osama bin Laden is DEAD and General Motors is ALIVE.
Also in the Paul Ryan budget is a massive cut food program for the poor and gutting Medicaid. Why not close tax loopholes for big oil, gas and coal companies, and divert the money to save these programs?
Perhaps someday Romney will release his federal income tax returns like all the other politicians.
Then we will be able to see how much he’s been gaming the system by using bank accounts in the Caymans, Bermuda and Switzerland.
It’s all about the rich GOP fat cats taxing the middle class more so they can pay less.
Tom Minnerick
Elgin
