Yes, climate change matters, but millennials should also be sounding alarms on the debt

Crushing debt

People, especially millennials and younger people, are so fixated on climate change and global warming, but there seems to be no concern for our country’s reprehensible deficit spending.

Where is the outrage over our growing $23 trillion debt? Are they so naive to think the environment will have a greater impact on future generations than this crushing indebtedness?

Yes, protecting our environment and making systematic behavioral change is vital, but equally as important, if not more, is a debt that exceeds GDP.

Mike Howard, Waxhaw

Trump and China

The ad for Donald Trump in the Oct. 21 Observer represents a new low, a bald-faced attempt to paper over his relationship with President Xi Jinping and yet another example of Trump’s reliance on the defense mechanism of projection.

“Biden stands with China,” the ad proclaims. “Stand Against Tyranny. Stand with Trump.” Rubbish.

As recently as Jan. 21 Trump told the World Economic Forum that his relationship with Xi “is an extraordinary one....Our relationship with China has probably never been better.”

We learned Tuesday that Trump maintains a bank account in China and paid $188,561 in taxes there. Moreover, China’s biggest state-controlled bank rents three floors in Trump Tower.

Who’s really in bed with Xi?

David Collins, Pineville

Biden’s tax plan

Several things concern me about the Joe Biden/Kamala Harris ticket. One of these is Biden’s gun control plan. But his tax proposals worry me also. How much is a “fair share” for the rich? I’m unclear on what that is. And since Congress is filled with rich people, do voters really think they’ll vote to raise their own taxes? Would you vote to increase your own taxes? Most wouldn’t.

Kenneth Kyzer, Charlotte

GOP in 2024

As a life-long Republican, it is abundantly clear that the top priority for voters should be to remove President Trump from office. My focus here is his impact on the party itself.

In the last four years, the center-right has either vanished, shifted, or remained largely silent. While Joe Biden was not my preferred Democratic nominee, I have little choice but to vote for him. Perhaps our party can identify a more reasonable, palatable candidate in four years.

Jeff Kaylor, Mount Holly

Family values?

Regarding “Parents of 545 separated kids can’t be found,” (Oct. 22):

The federal government’s immigration policy enforcement has resulted in the displacement of more than 500 children from their parents in such a way that it is now impossible to reunite them.

How, given the resources of this nation, can that have happened? What modern civilization has so callous an approach in the treatment of children? Of families generally?

And where is the outrage of those who loudly proclaim family values each presidential election year?

Geoffrey A. Planer, Gastonia

Immigrants

There are 545 children still separated from their families because of the inhumane policies of the Trump administration.

In addition, over a half million residents of our country are threatened with family separation because of orders to remove temporary protected status from these long-time neighbors and friends of ours. DACA is also under siege, and admission of refugees has been drastically curtailed.

This is happening in our United States. We must not let the “noise of the day” numb us to the dire consequences of such policies on the most vulnerable here and abroad.

I long for the America that is once again a “beacon on the hill,” that stands for the values our faith taught us, for democracy, humane treatment of children and families throughout the world — and here.

Louise Woods, Charlotte

Ballot deadlines

Do you ever wonder, like me, why procrastination is rewarded, deadlines are extended, meetings start late? Because this type of action happens: “Court extends NC deadline for mail-in ballots to count.” (Oct. 22)

That deadline is a postmark on Election Day. Come on. Let’s make rules and stick to them. It shouldn’t be that hard to mail it a few days earlier. It is not the fault of the “over-burdened” post office if you mail your ballot on Nov. 3 and it is not delivered by Nov. 3.

Rita Rasmussen, Denver

Expand Medicaid

The pandemic continues to reveal just how urgently we must fight for access to affordable healthcare. Twelve states have yet to expand Medicaid and most are in the South.

The South has the nation’s highest uninsured rates, overwhelming rates of poverty, chronic health conditions and racial health inequities.

The N.C. General Assembly’s refusal to accept federal funds and expand Medicaid to protect North Carolinians during COVID-19 and beyond is unacceptable.

J. Donté Prayer, Charlotte