US should issue more temporary work permits

I hope that the temporary spending bill will become permanent. Both sides must put aside their win-at-all costs thinking and compromise. Democrats should not claim victory.

President Trump should put aside his ego and not add conditions to every proposal. Both sides should resolve to avoid this happening again.

People should be paid for the work they perform on time. The shutdown really hurts people and the economy.

A barrier of some sort may be needed for parts of the border. Ask the people who live there and the Border Patrol what they think is needed and will work.

Issue more temporary work permits. We have crops rotting in the fields and fishing boats in docks because they need workers. Many who cross the border illegally just want temporary work. Make it easier for desirable immigrants to come here.

Hold employers responsible for hiring undocumented workers.

Help Mexico and other countries in the Americas stabilize their own economies. Tie trade deals to better wages.

Also, we could wage a “truth” campaign against the unscrupulous who promise to guide or transport workers to land of plenty. The truth is that many will die on the way and when they get here, they will be living in fear of the law. Legally entering, they will get better wages and benefits.

Make asylum what it was meant to be and not just for wanting a better job. Publicize this in other countries.

Muerl Liddell, Worthington

Do some research before raising gasoline tax

I respond to the Friday Dispatch article “Dewine: State roads need money in urgent way.” Gov. Mike Dewine is talking about raising the state gas tax. As of this month, the Ohio gasoline tax is 28 cents a gallon, according to Gasbuddy.com. Before any increase, I would like for State Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks and Dewine to look at the gas tax in the state of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has very bad roads, the same as Ohio. Its gasoline tax is 58.7 cents a gallon. So with so much gas-tax money going to the states for roads and bridges, where is the money really going? I remember when gas cost 25 cents a gallon and the roads were in great shape. The turnpike raised its prices and that money is to go to the roads, too.

Someone needs to take a very close look at where the money is going before any taxes are raised.

Carl Felton, Columbus

Driving range eventually rises in cold weather

I respond to the Associated Press article “Cold may slash electric car range” in Friday’s Dispatch. While the battery range does drop if you heat or cool the cabin or drive at high relative air speeds, more detail is needed. With my Chevrolet Bolt, the nominal range at full charge is 238 miles. One very cold day, the range was only 161 miles, but after driving for about 10 miles it rose to 182 as the battery warmed, and it might have gone higher.

The seats and steering wheel heat quickly but don’t draw noticeable energy. With cabin heating, the cost can go as high as 7 cents per mile. For most of the year, the range rises to around 325 miles. In summer, I get around 5.5 miles per kilowatt hour or less than 3 cents per mile. The vent fan is surprisingly effective since the ducts are not heated by the engine. Our charging electricity is from 100 percent renewable sources (AEP Energy).

With a fossil-fuel-powered vehicle, since only about 25 percent of the energy drives the wheels, efficiency is so low that heating, cooling or high relative air speeds are not noticed, though the motorist is paying for them.

Robert Grimm, Columbus

Agencies shouldn’t suffer because of stalemate

The Jan. 29 Dispatch article “Portman, Balderson seek to end shutdowns” showed that both congressmen are standard cut-governmentat-all-costs Republicans. The main part of their bill sounds reasonable. If a budget bill cannot be passed for an agency, it would not shut it down, but would fund it at last year’s rate. So we would not have the inconvenience and wasted taxpayer dollars we had during the recent Trump shutdown.

The twist is that if a budget is not passed within 120 days the agency gets a funding cut of 1 percent. Then every 90 days an additional 1 percent cut gets made. There would be no shutdown to cause public outrage but an agency could end up with an automatic 3-4 percent cut if Congress did not do its job. This is exactly what Republicans would like in many areas of government.

If Congress does not do its job, it should pay the penalty, not the agency. How about changing Portman’s bill so that if a budget is not passed within 120 days Congress has to stay in Washington and meet seven days a week until the budget is passed? In school that is called detention for not doing your work.

Bill Werman, Dublin

Security threat could be inside White House

A day hardly goes by without mention of the president’s “beautiful wall” and his nagging insistence that our national security depends on it. Yet, when our national-security and intelligence chiefs point to the real threats coming from North Korea, Russia, China, ISIS, and, yes, climate change, Trump chides them for being “naive,” telling them that they need “to go back to school.” It seems to me that the real security threat is the president himself and his twisted perception of where our threats lie.

It reminds me of a man who is going crazy trying to stop ants from coming into his kitchen while ignoring a raging forest fire bearing down on his home.

Robert A. Parks, Columbus

Stop those giving jobs to illegal immigrants

Does President Donald Trump want to stop illegal aliens from entering the country? I say no, he does not. It is obvious to me that the way to stop illegal aliens from entering the country is to deny them jobs, by

arresting and fining the companies and people who hire them. There are already laws against this behavior, but they are not being enforced.

Almost every single one of our illegal aliens is here for a job. If you deny them jobs, they will not come. I am certain that the president has figured this out. If we stop hiring illegal aliens for cheap, then wages will rise. This would hurt our president in his pocketbook. All the people who work for him could be demanding more money for their labor.

The talk about a wall and “bad hombres” is just acting. If the president wanted to take real action, he could direct the FBI, Justice Department and Homeland Security to move against the people giving jobs to illegal aliens. This would not require congressional approval and would have a prolonged lasting effect.

Rod Carroll, Columbus

Respect, empathy need to make a comeback

Today’s culture is becoming colder, harsher and plagued with a selfish attitude that an increasing number of citizens are getting completely fed up with. All of us need to be more respectful and empathetic toward others.

The present threat to our democracy can be slowly overcome if each of us would make a constant effort to respect others and help them when they need it.

Several republics in the past have disintegrated in 250 years. The United States is nearly 250 years old and is having a serious leadership problem.

Express your opinion publicly about what would be the right solution and act on it to save our country for our descendants.

Pete Penn, Sheffield