Missing Obama’s calm leadership
President Barack Obama always was the adult in the room with no scintilla of impropriety — ever. He accomplished much in his eight years as president. He stabilized our economy and brought our jobless rate down significantly. An initial step, the Affordable Care Act, was spectacular; many elements of the plan are extremely important to the vast majority of Americans. Comprehensive immigration reform wasn’t possible, but when met by the brick wall of Republican refusal to collaborate, he took the lead and devised a plan for undocumented children to be protected under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. He did his best to protect our precious environment for the very survival of our species.
I miss his calm, responsible, adult leadership. Embarrassingly, our country is now in the hands of an idiot and a Republican-held Congress that doesn’t appear able to stand up to him even when they know they should. L. Riley
Santa Fe
Disease is Trump
Donald Trump has just changed the federally managed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also known as the CDC, to the Centers for Discussion Control, so that it can take evidence-based ideas and science-based facts and make them more vulnerable to diversity entitlement, for the benefit of every transgender fetus that comes along. Keep disease in control. Allons enfants de la patrie Contra nous de la tyrannie Aux armes, citoyens! Richard H. Frost, Ph.D.
Santa Fe
Noisy and early
Sweet Santa Fe is suffering from the scourge of leaf blowers. For months now, starting as early as 5:30 a.m., their din and dust clouds have been disrupting the city’s otherwise peaceful ambience.
The sound travels for blocks, penetrating thick adobe walls and jangling nerves. A city supervisor said she receives lots of complaints, yet this activity continues unabated. Certainly no one would be allowed to blast car horns or loud music for hours on end, yet the racket of blowers is permitted.
I understand that people appreciate the convenience, even at the cost of their hearing and lungs. But why should all of us have to suffer because some don’t want to use a rake and broom? I hope the City Council can address this issue. Let’s make the City Different more than just a marketing slogan and effectively address the problem of noise pollution. Joan Conrow Santa Fe
Keeping kids safe
On Thursday, Dec. 7, around noon, I went to the Santa Fe High School campus to donate camera equipment to the school. This was my first time on that campus, and I was surprised by how large it was.
After parking my car in the visitor parking, I walked to the entrance of the campus. The security guard directed me to the building to check in.
What struck me was that the security guard did not ask me for identification. Nor did he ask to check my camera bag, which was large enough to house a couple of weapons.
I checked in and received a stick-on label. Once I had entered the building where I obtained my “pass,” I could have gone to other areas of the building without going through check-in. Several hours later, I heard about the horrific tragedy at Aztec High School that had occurred that same morning. I do not have children or grandchildren in the Santa Fe Public Schools; nevertheless, I believe in advocating for the safety of all children, everywhere. Ronald J. Gole, Ph.D. retired school social worker Santa Fe
Falling on Martinez
I hope that the taxpayers are not paying for ads on radio or in newspapers placed by the governor’s staff saying we are doing great under Gov. Susana Martinez — when most reports put our state at the bottom or 49th in most things that are reported, like schools, health and jobs.
Why do we think large companies would come to bring growth and jobs here when we stand 49th in the nation on the issues mentioned above?
As a state, we are not getting better at most things. We are headed in the wrong direction when our kids cannot read or do math at grade level.
What does the state Public Education Department do to fix schools? They seem to only make it worse. This also falls on Gov. Martinez. Paul Moore Santa Fe
Gift to yourself
Get out your popcorn and into your jammies to watch Painting Santa Fe at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, on Channel 5, KNME 5.1, New Mexico PBS. Focusing on the founding of the Santa Fe arts colony, this new documentary from New Mexico PBS tells the fascinating history of Santa Fe’s transformation from an adobe village to a world-renowned center for the arts.
It is an art and history lover’s tour of early Santa Fe, and the old photos of the city, not to be believed, are reason enough to watch it. This is a gift that you can and should give yourself. JoAnn Balzer chairwoman Culture Connects Santa Fe