Maybe like in Korea
So we ran out of money. The war is over. Congress owes around $3 trillion. The U.S. treasury is no eternal fountain. More military base closures may be eminent if Congress does not have the will to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy. Our ability to protect our country by meeting the enemy in his country depends on whether or not we have the money to do so.
Of course, we could eliminate welfare, infrastructure and covid response and still be over $1 trillion in debt. Where else can Congress find the money without sacrificing domestic spending?
But now, if we could raise the money, we could re-invade Afghanistan, build a huge base near Turkmenistan, split Afghanistan in half, and then use the base to colonize Afghanistan over the next 70 years or so, like we did in Korea, where we still maintain the forever cease-fire. Our largest overseas base there serves as a practical U.S. colony on the Chinese peninsula. Maybe we can officially end that war on the 77th anniversary of our 1945 invasion of Korea, then move the base in South Korea to Afghanistan and have the Taliban build our Hyundais and Kias.
Seventy years is not such a long time to colonize a country 7,500 miles away. However, if we cannot raise the money, we may want to shut down some more bases and give up some territories.
GENE MASON
Jacksonville
Build infrastructure
The slogan chosen to subdue the population, apparently in order to install socialism in our country, is "Build Back Better." Yes, and they also believe they can change the weather. Sorry to be cynical about it, but the proposal is by people who it seems have never built anything or even run a lemonade stand as a kid. Yes, Bernie Sanders and AOC read about it in a book. These two as well as the president have ideas about the economy and the environment that are old and frequently obsolete.
Have any of the elaborate climate proposals been submitted for an economic and thermodynamic analysis? The old phrase, "journey of 10,000 miles begins with the first step," is always applicable. There are a lot of first steps--conservation, nuclear power, natural gas as a transition--that can be taken. Our climate envoy John Kerry has just been to China to lower the temperature of the globe. I wonder if he spoke with them about not flying squadrons of jets over Taiwan. If the globe is too hot, should we really be allowing space tourism?
With smoke and mirrors and alarm bells, a vast superstructure, in a bill that few have actually read, is proposed. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi always talks about the children and how this is good and necessary. What she does not mention is the debt load that will be saddled on the lives of children she purports to help. Last March President Biden tweeted about the millions of Americans whose water is delivered through lead pipes. A remedy would be a massive construction project. Everyone would be for it. Let's do that. It's called hard infrastructure.
CHARLES VERMONT
Bentonville
What 'pro-life' means
Kudos to Gwen Ford Faulkenberry on her well-articulated essay on the all-encompassing definition of pro-life firmly rooted in the Sermon on the Mount.
LINDA MORROW
Farmington
Stop showing needles
I agree with Bill Lewis' letter that concerned seeing injections. I grew up with a needle phobia. Really, I was such a needle weenie as a child, I'd go berserk in the doctor's office, and my mom and the nurses would have to hold me down for injections. I know I pitched such a fit, it would not have surprised me to hear a nurse utter, "Just let him die!" Sheesh.
Dr. Etter was my pediatrician as I was growing up in Memphis. (Side note: He was present when Patton slapped the soldier in World War II.) He did not like to give kids shots and avoided it when possible, but in my young mind, his younger partner Dr. Olsen seemed to always give shots. If I saw Etter was out and Olsen was in, Mom could barely get me out of the car.
So now I'm of an age that needles are a part of life, although I still do not like them (who does?) and never will. My wife and I did get the vaccine as soon as we were eligible. However, I truly hate to watch those needles (hundreds by now on TV) being thrust into arms. No, it does not desensitize me, and it makes me wonder how many others are absolutely terrified to get the vaccines simply because they too have an aversion to needles. My wife comments on it every time and just looks away.
It is hardly likely that Bill, my wife, and I are the only ones. So what's the point of showing those injections every time the television is turned on? I can't imagine seeing that makes anyone want to get one. TV folks, be an Etter, not an Olsen. Knock it off!
TIM GREEN
North Little Rock
About right to choose
Abortion is not a constitutional right. It is not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. It is called a right to choose; some choice when the murder of a human being is the result. The real choice comes before the point of coitus. No coitus, no problem.
There are many alternatives, but the death cult only celebrates one. They believe in a woman's right to choose, but their choice kills a female half the time. If that is not misogyny, it is hard to think anything is.
JOSEPH GRAHAM BARSOCCHI
Sherwood