Elon Musk is deciding federal spending? Are we just tossing the Constitution? | Opinion

According to the Constitution, the president submits a budget to Congress that it uses as a starting place to debate and pass a budget, which the president implements. Now, the unelected, world’s richest person Elon Musk decides what to actually spend tax money on.

So why go through all this Constitutional stuff of co-equal branches working and doing their jobs and instead let this billionaire and his unvetted minions decide what the government should be.

Jeff Bassett, Charlotte

Praise Musk

We should all be grateful that Elon Musk has volunteered his time and money to ridding the U.S. of wasteful government spending.

This is something every Congress person has completely ignored in their quid pro quo modus operandi. I only have one thing to say to Musk: Illegitimi non carborundum!

Ed Carlson, Charlotte

No permits?

Charlotte homicides rose to 111 in 2024 from 89 the prior year. A gun was used in 93% of cases. This week, the North Carolina General Assembly is fine-tuning legislation that will allow concealed handguns to be carried without a permit.

What in God’s name is the matter with us that we elect and hand power to such people? We should feel deep shame.

Harry Taylor, Charlotte

USAID

The American people have spoken. Trump has political muscle, a cult following and hero worship just short of the late Mickey Mantle. What makes America unique is our philanthropy around the world. I think USAID needs some adjustments, but not gutted with a blow torch.

We create goodwill with USAID. Philanthropy at its finest is when we give and don’t expect anything in return. It’s not good optics when the world’s greatest country and the world’s wealthiest person cut USAID funding for the world’s poorest people who depend on us.

Saving people from diseases and starvation is what this Christian country is all about.

Randall Lemly, Charlotte

Seriously, Trump?

Has anyone in the Republican Party recognized how ironic Trump’s immigration policy is? He’s willing to send troops to the Mexican border to stop the influx of immigrants. But he wants Arab nations to take in millions of refugees from Gaza and place American forces there. He says he wants to make Gaza like the French Riviera. What hubris!

The Arab countries do not want millions of refugees in their countries straining their fragile economies. Trump should stop thinking a Trump Gaza Riviera and work to rebuild Gaza. The vast majority of people in Gaza had nothing to do with the attack that started the war.

The way the Republican Party is bowing to Trump, I would not be surprised to see a bill introduced to make Trump punditry for life.

Augie Beasley, Charlotte

Putin victory plan

Trump said he is talking with Putin about ending the war in Ukraine. Here comes the surrender by Trump of a people that want to be free of Russia. I see all those people of WWII and after that who defended freedom for all people.It seems to me that supporting Ukraine’s freedom and others is what we have been working on for many years.

The Russians are in a bad way, and this is just what Gen. George Patton would have liked as it keeps Russia in check and reduces our defense budget. Ending the Ukraine war with Trump calling the shots is the Trump surrender plan and the Putin victory.

Ed Terrell, Charlotte

Diversity learning

I have never been impacted by the “divisive ideology” of DEI, though I have experienced its effectiveness.

As a student more than 60 years ago, I witnessed integration in elementary school. Two Black students entered my grade. I shared classrooms with blind students, those with physical or emotional difficulties as well as those with home environment problems.

In high school, I lost the privilege of taking advanced classes. I shared a few less advanced courses with “ordinary” students. They weren’t all involved in their studies, or couldn’t understand the topic or were intentionally disruptive.

I learned more about real life from being around a diverse population than I had from books. It was a positive experience.

Bill Barnes, Charlotte