Tell representatives what you’re feeling
Not happy with actions taken by Elon Musk? Speak up. It is pretty easy to contact your senators and representatives.
1. From your computer, use your search engine (example: Google).
2. Type “email” then type your “congressperson’s name.”
3. Click on the results to access a web page. From there you can find a link to his/her email.
4. Fill in some information about you, such as your address, etc., to let your congressperson know you are a constituent of the state or district they represent.
5. Type your message. It can be just a simple sentence. Politely describe the exact thing you are concerned about. For instance, “Stop Elon Musk’s actions to [fill in the blank].”
Even if you think your representative will not agree with you, it is important to express your opinion and possibly change their mind. Getting lots of email messages on the same subject will get their attention. It will be worth just 10 or 15 minutes of your time.
Pat Ralston
Soddy-Daisy
USAID aside, U.S. will help the needy
About the article on the front page of Sunday’s TFP, “Who will fill gap left by USAID?” In my opinion, the article was negative and full of “maybes” and “can.” I do not believe the U.S. government would ever abandon countries that desperately need our funding for food, medicine, clean water and other needs.
The gap is caused by wasted money and fraud sent to these countries for ridiculous programs such as $32,000 for a transgender comic books in Peru, $47,000 for transgender opera in Columbia and many more unnecessary programs.
Let us see requests from countries asking for our help. Let us know how these got in the budget.
I have been to these countries. I have seen the poverty up close. Poverty will always be around, but I believe the USA will always help those in need.
Ruth Cote
Hixson
Our dear democracy quickly disappearing
What don’t you understand? My world and your world are coming apart. The speed with that happening is insane. How can the tragedies we are in line for continue to be unopposed and unrecognized by Marsha Blackburn, Bill Hagerty and Chuck Fleischmann? I’ve intentionally left off their titles because they are used to identifying as our representatives, and the titles don’t fit.
In just the few weeks of the Trump administration, we are seeing a wide variety of attacks aimed at allies and people like you and me. Terminating of USAID, which demonstrably has been a successful international program. Attacking diversity and inclusion boggles the mind and insults our intelligence. Cutting funding for health research makes not only no sense but puts lives at risk. Will no guardrails be in place? This is all taking place after the termination of inspector general staffs across a wide spectrum of the government.
Are you as exhausted as I am? Nothing our president is doing makes sense or portends for a better future. We are not better off today and increasingly less respected abroad. We need to make sure our representatives understand and stand with us. Our democracy is disappearing very quickly.
Irwin Ginsburg
Ooltewah
Astonishing the fraud that’s been uncovered
The revelations that are coming to the American people with the DOGE efforts by President Trump and Elon Musk are staggering, unbelievable and astonishing, to say the least.
The government’s management, use and oversight of our tax dollars has been atrocious. It shows that over recent years, politicians have had zero interest in wisely managing the billions and trillions of federal dollars that pass through their hands on a regular basis.
It appears that there are no departments in the government that are not involved in this mismanagement. “Waste, fraud, and abuse” are being uncovered everywhere and on a daily basis now.
The vast majority of Americans are very pleased to see this crucial investigative work being done. Hopefully, it will lead to a drastic reduction in the increase of our $37 trillion federal debt and can result in the savings of billions of dollars in the future. This would be a great blessing to all Americans.
But it is fascinating to see that there are many leading Democrats and media personalities who are outspoken in opposition to this work by DOGE. Why would that be? They must be personally and politically profiting from this horrible mismanagement.
J. Johns
Ringgold, Georgia
Evidently, Trump not interested in the U.S.
More and more, Donald Trump shows that he is not interested in our country, only his power and rich friends.
More and more, he shows his desire to stop any checks on his ignorant decisions.
Clearly, he is giving Gaza to Israel and letting his friend Putin take over another country.
Roger Thompson
Coffee County
What good is federal education dept.?
Former House Speaker Tip O’Neill is usually credited with the phrase “All politics is local.” Whatever this savvy politician may have meant by this axiom, at the very least it reflects the reality that most significant human interactions are face-to-face, “up-close and personal.”
In my experience, the same is true of schooling. Thus, the classroom experience is preferable to remote learning; small groups of students are preferable to large lecture halls, and there are inherent limitations on a school administrator’s ability to effect significant change among teachers whose conduct and character is played out behind closed classroom doors.
This limited ability at a single school is even more limited in the case of a district’s central office effecting change and/or supervision among hundreds or thousands of teachers spread across a region.
Take this reality to the next level, a state superintendent seeking to steer a state school system. And (you know where I’m headed here), take it now to the federal level and the Department of Education with its 4,000 bureaucrats and its $80 billion budget.
What meaningful change or supervision is possible here? Other than the threat of withholding federal funds, the answer is little if any. Practically speaking, it is impossible. And the recent horrendous NAEP test results only underscore this point.
Gary Lindley
Lookout Mountain, Georgia
Thanks given to history teachers
I want to publicly thank two retired American history and civics teachers in Chattanooga I fervently cherish – Wilbourne Markham and Ted Tumelaire.
In the early ’70s, Mr. Markham taught my classmates and me about the Founding Fathers’ wisdom in designing our system of governmental checks and balances. Most importantly, he instilled in us a warning that democracies are fragile and must be vigilantly protected. It has been a pleasure to reconnect with him recently although our conversations have sadly dealt with the ongoing disintegration of those very checks and balances.
My daughter had the privilege of studying American history with Mr. Tumelaire, another wise, ethical and dedicated mentor. I still remember our dinner table discussion of the profound implications of the Citizens United decision that Mr. Tumelaire covered in class that day.
Both of these gentlemen remain politically engaged, and I enjoy immensely reading their letters to the editor.
Mary Duffy