I read Emil Strotheide’s letter from the March 9 issue with some agreement. I, too, had noticed the majority of letters to the editor did lean to the left, and I had felt somewhat encouraged with the thought that perhaps the News-Leader’s readers were coming to their senses.
I am curious as to what Strotheide expects MAGA supporters to write. Would their letters be filled with glee at the mass firings of civil servants who with little or no notice had the rug pulled out from underneath them? Would they cheer on the influence of the richest person in the world, un-elected and devoid of human compassion, whose impulsive actions without consideration of future implications may lead our country into a recession when coupled with the ridiculous tariffs that are being imposed? Or would they rejoice at the recent meeting in the Oval Office where the president of another sovereign nation who was the guest of the United States was bullied and humiliated in an orchestrated display that belied any understanding of tact and diplomacy?
Perhaps they would brag about the budget resolution adopted by the Congress that puts in jeopardy Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security and rewards the richest Americans with tax cuts of $4.5 billion? As the Congress is in recess, would the MAGA supporters applaud the advice from Speaker Johnson to his caucus urging members to avoid town hall meetings? Would opinion letters from MAGA supporters brag about the dismantling of the Department of Education and the end of funding to support at-risk programs for the students of our nation and to tax college scholarships?
Is Strotheide expecting opinion letters extolling the virtues of the cabinet appointments that comprise the least prepared group of individuals to lead our government? Would MAGA supporters be prompted to write opinion letters celebrating the return to racism, misogyny, discrimination, and the like? Where are the letters supporting the United Nations vote in which the United States sided with Russia?
Strotheide stated he “almost feel[s] embarrassed to call myself a Trump/Vance voter.” Yes, tragically, Missouri voted for the Trump/Vance ticket and the pain and suffering of that choice is well underway. Amidst the chaos and confusion, lives are being impacted negatively and the lives being impacted include MAGA supporters. Buyer’s remorse is a real phenomenon and in this case the health of our citizens, our economy, our standing in the world, and the very freedoms of our democracy are in jeopardy.
I can proudly say I never cast a vote for the person who inhabits the White House and I rue the day he was elected.
Anne Coleman, Kimberling City
It occurs to me that to be fully comfortable with Trump’s second term agenda one must be able to disregard the humanity of much of the rest of the world. Trump has been remarkably successful at convincing supporters that the people who are not “with him” are somehow not real:
Immigrants are sub-human;
People from other countries are inferior;
Liberals are contemptible;
Fallen soldiers are “suckers”;
Scientists are liars;
Teachers are groomers;
LGBTQ folks are perverts;
Trans individuals are dangerous;
Non-MAGA people hate the USA;
Independent media are public enemies.
One astonishingly successful label has been that of “out-of-touch elites.” Remarkably, in the MAGA dictionary, elites are NOT those in the top 1/2% financially. Somehow that tiny group knows best how to decide things for everyone else. “Out-of-touch” elites are those who are educated in one field or another and who value truth and competence.
There are many problems with this re-branding. It destroys our sense of community. It creates permanent rifts in families. It prevents new learning. It renders the USA alone and friendless. It shrinks the “acceptable” population. It labels “loving one’s neighbor” as “woke.” But worst of all, it destroys the possibility of a strong democracy. Rather than working to improve a remarkable way of government, it seeks to obliterate it.
Debby Baugh, Springfield
Alright Congress you have a job to do! Long live the king! I think not! You are making it embarrassing tobe an American and you can change it. Making close ties with Russia, saying President Zelenskyy isresponsible for the war in Ukraine. Firing and rehiring essential workers at agencies where un-electedgeniuses thought it not necessary to check on what those workers do. Stop it, stop it now. You have thepower to put an end to the presidential orders stealing your functions; that is impeachable! Tell thatusurper, that jerk in the White House, “NO!”
You can change it all. Stop the “do nothing Congress”; change campaign finance laws, stop presidential overreach and pardons. Stand with the courts about what is right and what protects us from an out-of-control juvenile like Donald J. Trump. Very few voters sent him to the White House for a travesty like this and you need to explain to your voters that what is going on is wrong and hurting America. Or do you want to tell them that President Zelenskyy, a shining light to the world for his fearless leadership of a country attacked by a much larger adversary should suffer degradation and lies from our commander in chief? Throw Trump and Musk out!
Trump only gets ahead when these idiot moves of his get the attention of frustrated people who really don’t know how damaging this stupidity is. It is your task to explain it to them; not an easy task, but what an opportunity. Do your job. Or do we annex Panama, give Canada statehood, throw the Palestinians out of Gaza to fend for themselves and take over Greenland? Get real, wake up and tell the billionaires to hit the road.
Tom Keersemaker, Theodosia
In response to the News-Leader March 4 article, “Greene County Republicans issue endorsement in SPS board race”:
David Meyers, in accepting his endorsement from the committee stated, “This race is not about party affiliation, but about the success of our students and teachers.” Is he ignorant of what party affiliation is or does he think no one will know that if he is endorsed by a political party, that will make him politically affiliated?
While it’s true the school board has not been political in the past, when a political party endorses a candidate then it has become political.
There’s not enough space here for me to convey all that I have learned but in my extensive research I find that Sarah Hough and Gail Smart are far more qualified to sit on the school board than either David Meyers or Kelly Byrne.
I strongly urge you, the voter, to go to the internet and research all four candidates before you vote. I’m sure that if you’re open-minded and honest with yourself you will agree with me that the Greene County Republican Committee did not pick the most qualified candidates for the school board.
Stephen Losh, Springfield
I know a lady who is paraplegic and lives at home. She requires daily assistance of personal-assistance aides to remain independent. She’s used a number of local “home” and “in-home” care agencies over the last few years. Sadly, there’s a common problem with all of them in regards to staffing issues, mainly that there’s few if any “floater” employees to replace assigned workers when they can’t make it to her home. Whether due to illness, family issues, weather-related transportation problems, etc., the worker is absent when expected.
So, there really needs to be a medical staffing agency in Springfield that specializes only in “floater” employees. It would be for trained workers seeking temporary or part-time employment. As an incentive, perhaps they could be paid $2 per hour more than the going rate for full-timers.
This multifaceted, single agency could contract with ALL the various home and in-home care companies in Springfield and surrounding areas to provide to them “floater” employees for hours or days that regular workers can’t fulfill contracted patient-obligations.
In closing, this letter is just a thought for a local enterprising individual or group seeking to provide a much-needed service in the medical field. To basically “fill the gap” of needed personal-aide care “floaters” in Springfield. So that elderly or handicapped folks aren’t left stranded — lying in bed — for three days in a row because a regular worker is sidelined for some reason, and their home or in-home care-providing company can’t find them one single replacement. That’s just inexcusable, if you ask me.
Luella Corbin, Springfield
