Opinion

The economic and financial world was recently saddened by the loss of Alan Greenspan, probably the most influential voice on matters of the market in recent memory, at the age of 100.

Our national shortage of healthcare workers isn’t limited to doctors, nurses and other professionals we normally think about regarding such topics. An insufficient number of veterinary specialists might be even more severe.

Welcome to The View from North America — and happy July 4th weekend to those of you in the U.S. If you are Canadian, a belated happy Canada Day; and finally, congratulations to USA, Mexico and Canada for booking their places in the FIFA World Cup 2026 — Canada, Mexico and the United States World Cup Round of 16.

Letters to the editor published in The Monitor, Valley Morning Star and The Brownsville Herald during the week of July 6-11, 2026.

It’s rare to see overwhelming bipartisan consensus on just about anything these days, but that’s why these new poll numbers should catch the attention of Texas lawmakers. According to a new poll, 93% of Texas voters are demanding hospital price transparency.

As this nation marks its 250th anniversary, we are again in need of our “better angels.”

About 10 years ago, voters in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.

Belgium is one of the smallest and most densely populated nations in Europe. It is snugged between France, the Netherlands and Germany with the North Sea forming its northern border. Belgium’s population is educated, intelligent, refined and ostensibly neutral. But, in 1914 its children were starving to death.

Americans don’t wake up in the morning and say, “What can I do for my country and my community today?” Our patriotic activity is limited to one or two days a year. Here are some of the ways the average American is failing the country.

Letters to the editor published in The Monitor, Valley Morning Star and The Brownsville Herald during the week of June 29-July 4, 2026.