US shouldn’t compensate families separated at the border. Charge them instead.

DOJ plan

It has been widely reported that the Department of Justice is negotiating to pay families who were separated from their children at the U.S-Mexico border as much as $450,000. The president called that report “garbage.” As it turns out the DOJ is negotiating with the illegal immigrant families.

We pay $100,000 to the families of U.S. service members killed while protecting us in combat situations. How do we justify larger payments from the DOJ than those to our Gold Star families?

Parents who expose their children to the treacherous trip from South and Central America to the U.S. border should be charged with child abuse and endangerment. If we reward this behavior with money, we are enablers and are encouraging more such child abuse.

Bob Burroughs, Charlotte

Medicaid in NC

It saddens me to see North Carolina in the bottom ranks of states. The number of states that have not expanded Medicaid is now 12, including our state.

What puzzles me is that this change would help people in rural areas, which tend to vote more conservatively. So, not expanding Medicaid hurts health access, but also rural hospitals and economies — with the federal government funding 90% of the cost.

As former Ohio Republican governor and presidential candidate John Kasich said, Medicaid expansion is a “no brainer.”

Keith Wilson, Charlotte

NC budget

Regarding “Cooper still hopeful on budget deal with NC Republicans,” (Oct. 29) and related articles:

Gov. Roy Cooper and the N.C. General Assembly are still negotiating our state budget. I’d like to see an expansion of efforts to help the least fortunate among us with more aid for the hungry, homeless and sick.

Medicaid expansion would help, but our state also has a budget surplus in the billions from taxes already collected. This money could give some desperate folks a chance.

I’ve spent many hours distributing food and building houses for people who’ve had a hard life or are just going through a hard time. None of them want to be a burden, but they need help.

As they pass this budget, I call on my state legislators, Gov. Cooper, and the General Assembly to pay special attention to the least fortunate.

Andy Kalchik, Charlotte

Defunding police

Regarding “Sheriff: Inmate assaulted 3 Mecklenburg County jail officers,” (Nov. 5):

If the nation continues to “defund” police and there is no respect for the authority, incidents like the one at the Mecklenburg County jail will happen day after day. We need to wake up and recognize that you have to have someone with authority in position to handle crime. It has worked for over a 100 years; why stop now.

Gerald C. Gibson, Lincolnton

Richard Burr

Regarding articles about investigations into Sen. Richard Burr’s potential insider trading, suffice it to say that the STOCK Act. that President Obama signed clearly states that members of Congress are breaking the law if they use non-public information to gain an unfair advantage.

Under that definition, Burr’s is a slam dunk case.

The timing, number of stocks sold, value, and the call to the brother-in-law gives me pause.

I read Value Line, Barron’s, the Wall Street Journal and watch CNBC occasionally, but that does not hold a candle to the information Burr gets.

I’m livid that he’s sitting in high cotton during COVID, and I’m watching my “book” go down like a yo-yo.

Randall Lemly, Charlotte

Biden’s bill

The cost of food, gasoline and other essentials has skyrocketed and citizens making the minimum wage are finding them hard to afford.

The current bills on the agenda in Congress may cost big corporations some money. This has lead to a firestorm of communication aimed at members of Congress who supported the most recent tax breaks for the wealthy.

The $1.85 trillion domestic policy package under consideration will create jobs, improve our air and water, and try to get medical costs under control — all this for the future growth of a cleaner and healthier America.

Voters must insist that our representatives work to get a bill across that will benefit the majority of Americans, not a chosen few.

Mary Ann Evanoff, Midland

Trash and traffic

As a lifelong resident of the Charlotte area, I have to write about the current state of trash and traffic in Mecklenburg County.

Traffic is simple: Learn your route and know your lanes traveled. Be polite and courteous. Also, a car length distance between cars is purposeful.

On trash: We can do better in Mecklenburg. In college I spend my summers working to pave and landscape the region’s roads for the NC DOT. We took pride in our work and in the area’s roadside beauty.

I think we have enough pride and care to do so once again if we follow the old adage of “leave a place better than you found it.”

Michael Morris, Huntersville