Letters

The national debt is $31.5 trillion and counting. If it were divided among all income taxpayers, each person would be on the hook for nearly $250,000.

On Jan. 6 you produced an excellent editorial on how “local newspapers are needed to combat misinformation.” Then, in the same edition, you turn around and print a 597-word tirade from the queen of RGV biased and divisive misinformation.

Back in late 2022 I called my county commissioner’s office in Mission to address various budgetary concerns. After asking for the commissioner I was transferred to his chief of staff, a very courteous woman who listened to me and said she was taking notes. My concerns were as follows:

After more than 2,000 years there is still no place at the inn — no place at the border. No place to unburden. No place to lay down the weight of misfortune or the yoke of repression. No place to rest the afflicted body and spirit that follows the light of the stars to a place beyond the troubled waters of wretchedness and hopelessness.

I would like to address and pose some questions to illegal immigration activists and apologists who continue to use this forum to attack and vilify Gov. Greg Abbott for his efforts to secure the border and/or anyone who is critical of massive/unrestricted immigration.

Roughly 100 million Americans live in areas without enough primary care doctors. Nationwide, we’re short about 17,000 of them right now. By 2034, that number could jump to 48,000, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. To meet our country’s growing demand for care, we need to increase the supply of clinicians who can provide it. But that doesn’t mean just training more doctors. In fact, nurse practitioners and physician assistants could be delivering much more primary care but are prevented from doing so by government rules. We need to strip away this red tape. Nurse practitioners are highly trained. They typically hold master’s degrees and sometimes doctorates, as well as specialist training. They’re qualified to diagnose and treat patients, including prescribing medication.

Some explanation seems to be in order. Billionaires and millionaires are most likely most interested in the bottom line rather than the helping hand — except as it helps the former. By definition, volunteers are not paid. Most spend not just time and energy, but also their own resources wherever and however they help out.

I wanted to visit the state comptroller’s McAllen office to file my sales tax reports. I left my house in my vehicle and out of caution, I called by phone. It took a long time for someone to answer.

There are a number of well educated, exceptional good writers who submit letters to the editor. Recent editions have featured two of them: Rene Castillo from San Antonio and Ben Castillo from Harlingen. Sometimes we fail to let them know that they are read and enjoyed.

A 6-year-old shot his teacher in a Virginia classroom. The teacher is still in the hospital, recovering from gunshot wounds. Thanks to her heroic leadership, the rest of her students are safe, or at least as safe as you can be after witnessing a shooting in your own class. The steady drip, drip, drip of information about this incident has turned it from an aberration into a scandal.