Austin American-Statesman letters to the editor, Aug. 20, 2023

Grumet's important stories resonate

and make a difference in readers' lives

The American-Statesman has a treasure in your writer, Bridget Grumet.  She is a big reason why I renew my subscription to your newspaper, even though the paper keeps getting smaller and the price keeps getting bigger. Her articles are so well written that they read like fascinating short stories.

I wrote to her in response to an article she wrote months ago, and to my surprise and delight, she wrote a thoughtful and kind response to me. She said that the topic she wrote about "was especially difficult to hear but important to tell." What an excellent criterion for publication!

Her most recent series about abusive dating relationships in high school resonated with me because I was a career high school teacher, and I know how important it is to educate teenagers about how to prevent being abused. Maybe other teenagers can avoid the fate of Jennifer Crecente because of this story. The newspaper can amuse us and inform us, but at its best, it can make a difference in our lives.

Cindy Brown, Austin

Does advocacy for anyone but Trump

or Biden disguise an ulterior motive?

Re: Aug. 13 commentary, "The nation cannot afford a rematch of Trump vs. Biden"

In reference to the American-Statesman article by former Republican Governor Larry Hogan, I encourage readers to consider the improbability of Mr. Hogan’s suggestions and consider the consequences of voting for a third political party in a presidential election. No third party is going to win the 2024 presidential election and any presidential and vice-presidential ticket which is split with Republican and Democratic candidates is not going to win the election.

The consequence of voting for a third party in this election is that you are losing the opportunity to vote for a potential winning candidate or to prevent an unsuitable candidate from winning.

As Hogan is a Republican and the only political party he criticizes by name is the Democratic party, I am skeptical, and wonder if he may have other motives. One may suspect that his motive may be another GOP effort to peel away Democratic voting to overcome the thin Electoral College advantage the Democrats had in 2020. This happened to the Republican party in the 1992 presidential election when a third-party candidate, Ross Perot, took Republican voters from President H.W. Bush and resulted in the election of Bill Clinton. Is Hogan trying to be the Ross Perot to the Democratic party in the 2024 presidential election?

Jimmie Hampton, Cedar Park

A new tax on guns and ammunition

could help pay for security mandates

The newspapers and evening news are filled with stories about school districts around the state struggling with various budgetary issues including paying for the onsite security mandated by the governor and Texas Legislature without adequate funding by the state.

I would suggest that the governor add to the call of his upcoming education special session a special sales tax on the sale of guns and ammunition in Texas. The revenue from those taxes could be dedicated to the reimbursement of school districts for costs in complying with the new school security mandates.

Warren Harrison, Austin

Congress should back bill to stave off

cuts to Medicare home health program

Everyone knows what it's like to help a loved one transition from the hospital back home. The Medicare home health program helps make that step easier by delivering clinically advanced care in the home. Without home health, our aging family members stay in the hospital longer or use nursing home services.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed another round of deep cuts to the Medicare home health program, despite its immense value. These new cuts, on top of those already in place, will reach $20 billion in the next 10 years.

Fortunately, Congress is taking action with legislation to stop these cuts. I hope our state’s congressional lawmakers will support the Preserving Access to Home Health Act (S. 2137/H.R. 5159), which will help seniors have the ability to use home health when they need it by preventing these devastating cuts from going into effect.

Lisa Soza, Del Valle

Trump can't be wrong so he projects

his own weaknesses onto his enemies

The way Trump slams his enemies takes me back to my childhood.  A common schoolground retort was "I'm rubber, you're glue; whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you!"  It's a practice psychologists call projection – projecting your own flaws on to your enemies. 

Trump's narcissism doesn't allow him to be wrong. He's not the one with psychological problems.  Jack Smith is the "deranged lunatic."  Any detractor is a "Trump hater" under the influence of the "Deep State."

I believe Trump's greatest fear is that someone will penetrate his self-love and find a shallow and self-serving individual beneath the facade.

Carl Lloyd, San Antonio

For Trump, anarchy is just a means

to exploit what divides Americans

Re: Aug. 13 letter to the editor, “In railing against government, Trump is working toward an anarchist vision.”

I submit that Mr. Trump has been exploiting, rather than working toward, several visions that divide Americans. That includes anarchism, libertarianism, white Christian nationalism, etc.

Anarchy is just a means, not an end.  The aim is to control government, not destroy it.  I once heard a great teacher make a solid historical case that authoritarian regimes arise because ultimately, people choose dictatorship over chaos.  And that, folks, is why the lure of “disruption” is so dangerous to democracy.

Alan W. Ford, Bastrop

Abbott's approach is wrong; throwing

money at private schools is wrong

I grew up poor in a single-parent household in a then-lower-middle-class neighborhood in West Austin. Six years at Mathews Elementary, three at O. Henry and three at Austin High made it possible for me to win a four-year scholarship at UT-Austin. That led to a forty-year professional career and the comfortable retirement I enjoy now.

Thus, I am extremely concerned about our Republican governor's determination to force the Texas Legislature to pass legislation to help his wealthy supporters send their children to private schools. I am sure a few lower-class families will benefit too, but basically, this is a typical help-the-rich strategy. The overall effect would be to hurt public schools, which receive state funding on a per-pupil basis. Rural schools would be particularly hurt because private schools tend to be in urban and suburban areas.

Texas public schools do have problems that need to be addressed, such as salaries too low to attract enough teachers and support staff. But throwing state money at private schools is not the answer.

Jim Davis, Austin

How to submit a letter to the editor

Send letters of no more than 150 words by noon Thursday by using our online form at https://bit.ly/3Crmkcf or send an email to letters@statesman.com.

We welcome your letters on all topics. Include your name and city of residence; we do not publish anonymous letters.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman letters to the editor, Aug. 20, 2023