To the Editor:

I wrote a LTTE mocking Martin’s apoplectic musings on what he imagined is in the Durham Report (DR). The DR revealed plenty of reasons for the FBI to reasonably suspect that the connections of Trump, and his circle with Russia indicated that illegalities were occurring. The DR investigation produced two acquittals, and his final observation was that the investigative process could be improved. What he did not find were voodoo political conspiracies with which Martin is so obsessed.

House Republicans are holding hostage the American economy to slash assistance for low-income citizens and protect the permanent adoption in 2025 of Trump Tax Cuts for the “yacht and private plane” wealthiest among us, without cost offsets. This will add approximately 3.5 million dollars to the deficit over 10 years, when a future Democratic president can deal with it.

You may recall that not once did Republicans contest Trump’s massive increase in the national debt, let alone hold the country captive for it.

Usually, when more money is needed, another stream of income is the logical solution. But for Congressional Republicans, additional taxes on the wealthy are “off the table,” so the rest of us will pay. They are scouring “domestic discretionary spending,” or programs that help those in need, such as food assistance, childcare, housing, and project Head Start. House Republicans endorse deep cuts to services desperately needed by their own constituencies (e.g., Medicaid) and still retain their vote. Suicide by politics.

The Covid emergency protections have expired. The proposed Agricultural Appropriations bill reduces support for fruits and vegetables under WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program, affecting 1.5 million pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding women and 3.5 million children aged 1-4. The government owns your pregnant uterus but has no obligation towards the forced gestation.

McCarthy’s shameful defense of “work requirements” for various government assistance programs ignores that most people in those programs are already working, taking care of elders or children, or physically unable to perform significant work. In his posturing as a “work is good” salesman, his eyes were dark and dead. The point is not “Work.” It is to increase bureaucratic red tape and discourage applications of people qualified for assistance.

Aside from the cruelty, why are the poor getting poorer, the homeless population increasing, people in multiple jobs just to live? Because the wealthy are not paying proportionally to receive the benefit they get from the tax dollars of ordinary people. And that is fine with the GOP and the faithful Republican vote.

Kelly Scoles
Fillmore, Ca.