Sen. Berger shouldn’t speak for all in NC on abortion. My plan would. | Opinion

Berger on abortion

The writer is executive director of Reproductive Rights Coalition.

I practically spit out my coffee while reading Senate Leader Phil Berger’s statement about North Carolina’s ban on abortions after 20 weeks: “I think if you look at where the people of the state of North Carolina are, they think that that’s too long.”

Berger’s claim to speak for the people of North Carolina is laughably cruel in light of his party’s relentless removal of the voice and vote of the majority of N.C. citizens.

Berger knows that any further restriction on abortion will be highly unpopular, which is why his party proposed the new rule allowing a vote to override a veto by Gov. Roy Cooper without notice. Under the rule, N.C. residents could lose their most fundamental right to bodily autonomy because a representative was sick or had an emergency and couldn’t be present to vote.

Berger should either allow the people of North Carolina to speak by ballot measure or stop claiming to speak on their behalf.

Brooke Adams, Charlotte

NC Democrats

Regarding “To win statewide, Democrats need to close the turnout gap” (Jan. 17 Opinion):

The Democrat’s enthusiasm gap in North Carolina is a result of their uninspired candidates and poor messaging, coupled with their failed policies and results when afforded one-party rule for decades. Their recent losses are a product of N.C. voters rejecting Democrats’ promises based on our recent memory of their results. Under a Republican state legislature we went from furloughing teachers to teacher pay raises, and from billions in debt to surpluses and rainy day funds. Voters saw what the Democratic candidates were offering and said, “No thank you.”

Daniel Barry, Weddington

Classified materials

Classified documents found at various locations associated with President Biden have set the media in a whirl. Egged on by Republican politicians and conservative pundits, some in the press has striven to equate this with the theft of hundreds of top-secret documents by Donald Trump, haphazardly stored at his private club in Florida. Trump lied when confronted about his illegal possession of classified material and then obstructed legal efforts to retrieve them. Biden has done neither. Despite what some in the media claim, both sides don’t always do it the same.

Michael A. Clark, Charlotte

GOP and the IRS

Regarding “Using the tax code to their advantage doesn’t make Trump, or anyone else, a criminal,” (Jan. 15 Opinion)

Donald Trump and many major corporations pay little to no taxes, but it’s a stretch to say it’s “not a matter of cheating but properly using the tax code to their advantage.” It may be cheating, it may be “properly using the tax code.” The Republican majority in the U.S. House wants to make sure we never find out which it is.

By underfunding the IRS, they are voting to increase deficits and decrease already rare audits of corporations and high-income citizens like Trump — while using the illusion of a powerful IRS coming after ordinary taxpayers and small businesses.

Burt Cheezem, York, S.C.

Starving the beast

Last week, U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called on Democrats to engage in talks with Republicans over a fiscal plan, including an increase in the federal debt limit.

To accurately appreciate what’s going on here, one must understand the phrase “starve the beast,” which is a political strategy used by conservatives to limit government spending.

The phrase explains an important reality. Republicans can’t directly attack popular programs like Social Security, Medicare and education. However, they may be able to successfully claim that there isn’t enough tax revenue to finance them. That’s how Republicans want to cut funding of programs that primarily benefit workers, the middle class and poor — just cut taxes on billionaires, millionaires and corporations.

Chuck Kelly, Charlotte

COVID-19 response

I believe we must launch an investigation similar to the 9/11 Commission or Warren Commission to investigate the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 1 million Americans dead, we owe it to their families to explore why our response fell short. This inquiry shouldn’t be a partisan battleground because both political parties make valid points about the response. Democrats are correct to blame President Trump’s rhetoric for misinformation surrounding the virus. And, Republicans are right to criticize regulations that held up the creation of treatments and testing and teacher unions that lobbied against reopening schools.

Gabriel Russ, Lincolnton

Unworthy to serve

I am greatly concerned about the appointment of anyone who refused to certify the 2020 election after the insurrection to any committee that gives them access to homeland security information.

Why are these foxes being put in the hen house?

More importantly, why is it that 147 lawmakers refused to certify the 2020 election and no action was taken against them?

Jacqueline Briscoe, Hickory