Letters to the editor: Supporting Ukraine; U.S. debt problem; boycott CNN

Ventura County Star
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Backing a non-nuclear Ukraine

Re: AJ Morris’ May 10 guest column, “Backing Ukraine a must for US”:

A quick addition to AJ Morris’ excellent argument. To greatly oversimplify but make the point in its most relevant way:

In 1991, when the USSR disintegrated, “Ukraine became the third largest nuclear power in the world ...” Ukraine gave up those weapons, with its security guaranteed by the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, signed by Ukraine, the USA, the UK, and the Russian Federation.

There are earlier lessons along this line, but for now — if Russia reabsorbs Ukraine, especially if the USA and UK and NATO acquiesce, what lesson does that teach not just to China and Taiwan but non-nuclear countries generally? To quote Tom Lehrer’s sardonic “Who’s Next?” on proliferation: “ ‘The Lord’s our shepherd,’ says the Psalm / But just in case, we better get a bomb!”

There are nine acknowledged nuclear powers and over 10,000 nuclear warheads on Earth; we don’t need more countries going after “a nuclear capability,” and every warhead over some 200-400 is an existential threat.

Richard D. Erlich, Port Hueneme

Do something about national debt

How high must our national debt get before President Biden and our politicians do something? It has moved past $31.4 trillion, the legal debt ceiling. The debt is projected to be over $42 trillion by 2027. The U.S. Federal Debt Ratio to Gross National Product is presently a record 120.37, projected to be 151.8 by 2027, an indication of a draconian future.

The present interest on the debt is 15% of federal spending, projected to be 22% by 2027. At present deficit-spending rates, debt principal payoff and interest payments will dominate and take over federal spending. The road to financial perdition and nation-ending bankruptcy.

We are the greatest debtor nation in history with a legacy of increasing debt imposed upon our children and grandchildren. Deficit spending must stop. Spending cuts and deficit reduction efforts must be made. Increased economy destroying taxes and charges and Federal Reserve printing of money will not solve the debt crisis. Both the present Democrat and Republican debt-ceiling increase proposals do not solve the debt crisis caused by deficit spending.

Thomas Bryan, Ventura

Boycott CNN for Trump town hall

I urge all thinking Americans to boycott CNN in response to the farce they called a Town Hall starring disgraced former president Donald Trump.

Fill the room with rabid Trump supporters and let Trump run roughshod over your moderator. Typical and recycled Trump lies. Twice impeached, once indicted and fresh off a finding that he committed sexual abuse and defamed the victim. The audience laughed when he once again attacked and defamed E. Jean Carrol. Cruelty personified.

CNN has lost any credibility they once had and I for one am done. Inexcusable that they would give Trump a platform to lie with no one to fact check. Shameful.

Brian Yorke, Ventura

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: Supporting Ukraine; U.S. debt problem; boycott CNN