Red vs. blue
I have always been taught that as Americans, we have the freedom to live wherever we want in this country. Under the Trump presidency apparently that’s no longer the case? Democrats now must live in certain places separate and apart from Republicans? And as president of the “red people,” President Donald Trump only represents the red people? Am I getting this right?
And if you happen to live in a blue place, you are no longer entitled to certain rights, benefits and privileges of citizenship (education, clean air, water, funding for initiatives related to crime prevention and public transportation, etc.) that folks in the red places can get. But, if you’re blue, you get to have federal and National Guard troops spending time in your neighborhood. Right?
Despite the pledge that Trump took on inauguration day to be the president of all of the people, all of the time? And where do independents and non-voters live? What “color” are they?
So when Trump chooses to “punish” blue people (cutting off funding for services, etc.), if you are red and made the mistake of living in a blue place, does that mean that you have to move? And vice versa?
It’s even trickling down to the Republican candidate for governor of Virginia. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears says that former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger is for “they/ them” and not “us.” So if Earle-Sears wins, she won’t be governor of “they/them” but “us”? So who is “us”?
Billie M. Cook, Portsmouth
Shutdown
This government shutdown is a byproduct of dissension between parties. The GOP supports President Donald Trump at all costs and Democrats fight Trump at all costs.
This shutdown came about because the GOP alleviated Affordable Care Act subsidies and have not extended them but extended the tax cuts for the rich. The GOP has put forth a clean continuing resolution to a bill that was a partisan spending bill. Democrats did not agree with that bill.
Just think what will happen when Medicare funding comes up. The “big, beautiful bill” cut millions from Medicare and it is already underfunded. Then there is the sustainability of Social Security. Who is going to fight for that? Our senators say they will work with anyone to get Social Security fixed. But they don’t take the lead.
Will there be shutdowns when Congress finally realizes they haven’t taken care of their 62 million seniors? Lots of votes there.
Congress needs to get their act together. It would be nice to see our senators take the lead.
Thomas Wester, Virginia Beach
Burning fires
In 1989, Billy Joel wrote the song “We Didn’t Start The Fire.” Perhaps we all need to refresh our memories and re-read those lyrics. The fires are still burning and are raging out of control. As the song suggests, the fires started long ago and sadly will continue.
Today with international turmoil, our divisiveness, our political violence, our corruption in government, and our lack of knowing how to solve the problems, the fires grow larger and larger and become more and more dangerous.
Each generation since the song appeared claims not to have started the fire, and those claims are not unfounded. We seem to pass down our problems to the younger generations in hopes they can put out the fires. How unfair! We cannot wait for our children and grandchildren to end the fires nor inherit the messes left behind.
Now is the time for the current adult generations to pressure the powers that be, take our own initiative, and work together to leave behind the legacy of peace, safety, morality, the essential strength of the world working together.
Sharon M. Haring, Virginia Beach
