Summoning up strength and saving our nation
What a diverse and well-written collection of opinion pieces recently. Margaret Montoya (“Using fund dollars for early ed not a ‘raid,’ ” My View, March 10), described those who would misuse “raid” — for tapping the Land Grant Permanent Fund — as “wrongheaded, symbolic of the impaired reasoning associated with a scarcity mentality.” Substituting “of mental capacity” for “mentality,” I thought would be a wonderful way of describing the current Trumpian Republicans.
Then, I read Republican Dr. Peter Smith’s My View, (“GOP members of Congress, remember the Constitution,” March 10), signed by more than 30 GOP members of Congress and decided there may be some “scarcity of mental capacity” in the GOP, but evidently not all of them. Thus, I conclude the biggest, current Republican flaw is party members’ profile in cowardliness. They are cowering before the White House buffoon in fear of being primaried and thus compromising their principles and abjectly violating their oath to protect our Constitution. May God (and the Democrats) save this nation from the Trumpian Republicans. Terry Gibbs Santa Fe
Bumpy enough
The city should remove the thousands of speed bumps on major roads. The potholes are taking care of speeding and breaking suspensions. Tommy Thompson Santa Fe
Living with R-1 zoning
I feel sorry for Iscah Carey, the young professional woman having the wrath of zoning upon her (“Greenhouse unfit for historic district,” Feb. 15). What gets me is the city knows about its deficiency. Why not regulate with human spirit in mind?
When I lived on Hawaii where Ohanas (similar to an accessory dwelling unit) are abundant, it seemed to work. Friends, relatives may visit; it may be used as a vacation rental. On Maui, the Ohana was and is a place for elderly relatives to reside when in need. So why is it that Santa Fe is not able to address this problem once and for all?
The problem for people with casitas and/or greenhouses is not really the city, but newcomers, out-of-towners and -staters who point the gentrification finger at them. If you’re local and have the right contacts, no such problem exists. My advice? Procure a “creative” rental agreement. What’s wrong with that? Thom Holzer Santa Fe
Doing right
Over 160,000 people, mostly young, have been striking and protesting all over Europe to bring attention to our climate crises. The worldwide student strike and the Sunrise Movement in the U.S. is making its presence felt at the offices of our representatives and senators to support a Green New Deal, modeled after FDR’s immensely popular New Deal program.
Since the best science tells us we have 12 years to make profound changes, half-measures are worth about as much as no measures. The good news is the Green New Deal is immensely popular, even among Republicans. Please call your senators and ask that they get on the right side of history. Leslie Lakind, DDS Santa Fe
Neither and both
Writing an article all about the nonemergency at the border without mentioning the word “illegal” at least one time is disingenuous and the creation of “fake” news (“N.M. cities mobilize as shelters take in migrants,” March 14; “It’s time to help refugees among us,” Our View, March 14). The same holds true for articles on “climate change” where our sun and the solar cycles are not mentioned. Do you not agree that our star is the biggest influence on our weather and climate?
How is the “illegal” migrant situation not an emergency when “shelters are often at capacity” and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller is willing to open up his home? You have two articles on a situation that is not an emergency? Why ask for more volunteers if there is no emergency? Neither mentions stronger border security and how it might help this “non” emergency. Mark Coble Santa Fe