Letters to the Editor: Bring innovation and manufacturing back to America
Support bill to invest in growing
semiconductor manufacturing
Samsung has announced a $17 billion semiconductor factory here in Central Texas, with Texas Instruments planning to invest $30 billion in the state. However, these announcements are likely in response to the proposed Bipartisan Innovation Act, a bill now being negotiated in Congress.
The Bipartisan Innovation Act will invest $52 billion in growing our nation’s semiconductor manufacturing capabilities through its CHIPS for America Act. Additionally, it will support the growth of STEM industries through funding for pre-K, high school, and undergrad/graduate education for our next generation. Proposed workforce training programs will make more employment opportunities available to our rural and marginalized communities.
We need to bring innovation and manufacturing back to America. Tell Congress you support the Bipartisan Innovation Act.
Quinton Rosser, Austin
It's our country and we resolve our
differences with free, fair elections
The far right seem to believe that this is their country. This is not their country. It never has been. This is our country. This country is great because everyone can be heard. The majority make decisions about the country’s direction.
Currently, one group of people in this country is worried that they are losing political control. Rather than trying to convince the majority of the country that their ideas are best, they have decided to keep “other” people from voting, keeping people's votes from being counted and making people who don’t look like them the enemy.
Once again, I remind you that this is not their country. This is our country, and we resolve our differences with free and fair elections, not with violence. And when you cast your ballot in those elections, think about if you really want to enable the violent extremists.
Eric Estlund, Austin
The Republican agenda, it seems,
is to block Dems from progress
On May 15, the American-Statesman published a letter to the editor in which the writer blamed the Democrats for not doing what they have promised and what the majority of Americans want. He asked, “When will they ever learn?”
It was curious to me that he neglected to state the obvious. The Republicans stop nearly everything the Democrats propose even though they are in the minority. It seems that the Republicans have no other agenda but to stop the Democrats, and the country, from progressing. This includes tax fairness, voting rights, gun background checks and many other important areas. They are the party of no!
The answer, however, is in us. We need to use our strong majority to elect a strong majority of Democrats. That would be progress.
Kent Johnson, Austin
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman Letters to the Editor: May 21, 2022
