LETTERS: Feeling fortunate, Republicans draw attack

Feeling fortunate

Something to think about, courtesy of the Rai Physique. Please read slowly.

If you have food in your fridge, clothing on your body, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you’re richer than 75% of the entire world.

If you have money in your wallet and can go anywhere you want, you are among the 18% of the world’s most wealthy people.

If you’re alive today and healthy, you’re more blessed than the millions of people who will not survive this week and die.

If you can actually read and understand this message, you are more fortunate than the 3 billion in the world who are blind, deaf or illiterate.

Life is not about complaining. Life is about thousands of other reasons to be grateful and happy.

Italo J. Zarate

Brownsville

Republicans draw attack

Remember Ronnie Reagan? Back in 1980 when he was running for president he kept telling us that we really don’t need government, that the less government there is the better. He kept telling us that government was the problem, not the solution to all of our problems. He conveniently overlooked the fact that all the wonderful social programs of the New Deal were started by FDR in the ’30s and ’40s. These government programs saved our country and they were instrumental in pulling us out of the last great Republican Great Depression. Then in 1965 LBJ gave us Medicare and food stamps for the needy. How many seniors today would be willing to give up these two very vital programs that benefit them?

Republicans have proven time and time again that they don’t know how to govern. The only thing on their agenda is cutting taxes on the wealthy and destroying any and all regulations.

One doesn’t have to look much further than the House Republicans of today. They have proven to be a clown show. They can’t even agree among themselves to elect a much-needed speaker, much less propose or God forbid pass any meaningful legislation for the benefit of the country.

The only legislation they have passed the past eight years was the Trump tax cut that benefitted the already wealthy. I almost forgot that at state and local levels they have passed hundreds of bills banning abortions, LGBT rights, bills for more and more powerful guns, and book bannings. They spend all of their time pointing fingers and assigning blame and making photo ops for their MAGA crowd hoping for more grift donations. They are just obstructionists pure and simple because their benefactors, the only people they really care about are the upper 2% in wealth. They are not a populist party by any means as they pretend to be no matter how much flag waving and flag kissing and flag hugging they do. They care nothing about the regular working stiff, the 40-a-week guy who works for a living.

We may have another government shutdown again very soon that can endanger the good faith and credit of our country. Republicans seem to enjoy doing this, putting our country on the brink of insolvency. Every shutdown we have had in the past 20 years was caused by this Republican Party. They thrive on chaos, fear and confusion. God help us.

Jesse Dorsett

Lakewood, Calif.

CORRECTION:

The headline for Ned Sheats’ commentary published Friday incorrectly suggested an opposition to private schools. While Sheats was responding to previous commentary about private school vouchers, his focus was on charter schools.

We regret the error.

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