My generation can restore its legacy and save the country in November | Opinion
I am a member of the Baby Boomer generation (1946-1964), a.k.a. the Luckiest Generation, because of all our advantages. We avoided the Great Depression and World War II, and we benefited from expanded educational opportunities and a booming economy. Advances in medicine and public health increased our lifespans and improved our quality of life. Our good incomes allowed us to buy homes, whose rising value increased our wealth. We did good! But what about our legacy?
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It is hard to escape the accusation that our legacy is the most divisive, destructive, deceptive, disruptive and dangerous administration in American history. We might better be called The Take All You Can, Leave As Little As Possible Generation.
We can act to change our shameful legacy. We can support Democratic candidates in the midterm elections to gain control of Congress and block the President’s agenda. Our actions may inspire other generations to join us. Do not underestimate your influence as a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent — use it. This may be our last chance to repair our legacy and, more importantly, save our country.
Bonnie Tyler, Raleigh
What measures does an unethical president take when he fears that his party will lose a midterm election? First he asks state legislators to redraw congressional district maps into an even more extreme pattern, which sets off a cascade of off-cycle (non-census year) redistricting.
Then he attempts to buy votes by offering $5000 to every adult if his party retains control of Congress, at an estimated increase of $1.3 trillion to the federal deficit.
These actions should be an alarming affront to every American.
Arnie Grieves, Huntersville
A heartfelt plea to the power elite, local and national: please do something constructive to deliver us from those ubiquitous political ads! They are sophomoric, insipid, have dubious validity, and are geared towards a middle-school mentality or lower.
Such a waste of money is ludicrous and could be put to better use in many different pursuits. Aside from this fiscal irresponsibility, the office seekers fail to give the average voter some credit for basic intelligence. Please find another way to introduce office seekers to the public. It would benefit everyone involved.
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Charles Newton, Charlotte
Do you oppose this ill-considered war in Iran? Eighteen Service members have died, hundreds have been injured, US troops have endured unacceptably lengthy tours of duty, US stocks of weapons have been degraded to dangerously low levels — and to what end?
Iran doesn’t have a nuclear weapon, which our own Intelligence Services said before the war they were not close to. No regime change. The Strait of Hormuz, heretofore, an open international waterway, has been closed and Iran now wants to extract tolls from ships passing through, and the worldwide economy and ordinary Americans are hurting.
There seems to be no end in sight. Trump now calls this “small potatoes.” Tell that to the families of the 18 dead service members and hundreds of injured brave young Americans.
John T Nicholas, Hayesville
A recent article in the Observer noted the decline in the inclusion of climate change in the platforms of Democrats running for office, described as “climate hushing.” The article pointed out that two-thirds of respondents polled were in favor of solar and wind energy, both Democrats and Republicans, no matter how the goal was framed — “addressing climate change,” “developing new energy resources,” or “reducing pollution and protecting clean air.”
Indeed, all of these are great reasons to keep addressing climate change as urgently as possible. It can be a win-win situation. Sustainable energy addresses global warming, thereby reducing natural disasters, which reaps huge economic and health dividends. Like the ever-increasing budget deficit, climate change can be ignored only to the detriment of our country and all its citizens.
William C. Bock, Charlotte
While I am thankful that our state has an actual budget, I am less than thrilled to discover that while the majority in the legislature saw fit to eliminate taxes on wealthy corporations, they have decided to charge those of us who live in eastern North Carolina to go to work, to go home, to go to school or to go to a doctor. I am so thankful that big corporations will not have to pay taxes, but I will have to pay to ride a ferry and go to the dentist. Seems only fair to me.
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Kathleen Gaskill, Ocracoke
