Letters to the editor for April 27

Let’s get our priorities straight

In order to get the Republican-dominated Senate to approve the “New START” Treaty, Obama committed the U.S. to replacing all of the U.S.’s nuclear weapons (the bombs, the bombers, missiles, submarines, etc.) with expensive new ones. The cost is likely to be about $1.7 trillion during the foreseeable future.

In December 2017, Congress passed the Trump/Republican tax scam that is estimated to increase the U.S. deficit by a total of $3 trillion to $7 trillion in its first decade.

In 1941, the U.S. jumped into World War II and abruptly stopped huge parts of the civilian economy and started massive deficit spending for weapons and troops.

When these budget-busting extravagances passed Congress, very few Republicans or Democrats – and very few mainstream media people – asked, “How are we going to pay for that?”

But when progressives urge a “Green New Deal” or “Medicare for All,” many people in both political parties and throughout the media reject these truly necessary programs by asking “How are we going to pay for that?”

Why is cost a factor only when a progressive plan is proposed?

Something is very fishy. Our bi-partisan Congress is fishy. Our mainstream news media are fishy.

Ordinary Americans need to inform themselves, get more savvy, ask strategically smart questions, and refuse to accept baloney for answers.

Tiny houses, not dog houses

I read Board of Contributor’s member David Ross’ comments on a homeless person he had met with interest as he had a story worth telling. However he was way off base in referring to tiny houses as “dog houses.”

There are two programs for tiny houses sponsored by the city. One program is on city-owned property called Plum Street Village, which provides tiny houses plus shower and kitchen facilities in combination with 24/7 case management that is designed to transition residents into permanent housing and help them get employment. There is also a self-governance aspect to Plum Street Village.

The second is a city pilot partnership with faith communities to provide tiny houses on their properties which is just getting off the ground and will have houses available in September. This program also is supported by case management services that will be financed by the city along with hygiene services.

Both of these are transition housing programs designed to move homeless people out of tents and into a lockable shelter with the services they need to move into a better life while still experiencing community. I hope Mr Ross has more constructive ideas to propose to get our community moving in the right direction rather than criticizing programs that represent city initiatives with the right kind of wrap-around support that he advocates.

This story was originally published April 25, 2019 at 5:14 PM.