Money vs. problem-solving
Trump unsettles the world stage
Regarding “Trump insults overshadow NATO aims,” (A11, Dec. 5): The NATO summit is another opportunity for our president to alienate allies and nag about money. Everything he does is concerned with money: who owes whom, and who has the most. This shouldn’t be surprising. As a real estate huckster, his business reputation and worth were based on personal money-making prowess.
While other world leaders are trying to coordinate problems ranging from refugees to terrorism, Trump is playing the landlord, harassing the others about their rent checks.
It’s a summit, but it seems like a nadir. Bob Gayle, Houston
Unemployment rate
Regarding “Another holiday story,” (Dec. 5, A12): The editorial talks about a 7.2 percent underemployment rate as if it were a high number. In reality this is just as good as a 3.5 percent unemployment rate.
The monthly underemployment rate has only been below 7.5 percent 33 out of the past 310 months, mostly between mid 1999 and mid 2001. Since then, it peaked at 17.1 percent in 2010 and did not drop below 7.5 percent until late last year.
To put it simply, last month’s 7 percent underemployment was a great number. David Rosenberg, Houston
Food stamp cuts
Regarding “668,000 will lose food stamp benefits under new work rules,” (Page 1, Dec. 5): The Trump administration’s proposal to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) is an example of a transference of benefits away from those in need to those who have plenty. This is not immediately clear because the benefits to the well-off are are disguised within the large tax cut proposed by Trump and passed in Congress. These tax cuts fuel austerity measures, such as cuts in food stamps, EPA services, infrastructure rebuilding and other vital government services.
Aside from hurting those in need, the government’s rationale for food stamp cuts is dishonest. Shaun Smith, Houston