Letters to the editor | Tuesday, April 28, 2020: Credit card relief during coronavirus crisis
Give people a break on credit cards
During this very difficult time many Americans are living on the edge financially. Many are buying basics, including groceries, using credit cards and will at a later date be burdened with late fees and high-interest rates. The American people bailed them out in 2008.
Proposal: for the next three months, eliminate all late fees and reduce or eliminate high-interest rates.
Frieda Rector, Modesto
He’s just a charlatan
In a rare moment of mental acuity, President Trump realized how his total lack of presidential leadership and trust betrayed the American people during the coronavirus pandemic. At taxpayers’ expense, Trump surreptitiously hired a propaganda team to create a bogus narrative “Trump saves America” video. Using edited news items, a new timeline, a virtual video of lies masterfully shows now how a graceful, unruffled, confident yet humble and benevolent Trump handled the coronavirus crisis in a truly presidential manner. Leni Riefenstahl could not have done better.
The Trump worshipers excitedly congregated to view Trump’s ode to himself. Somberly placing their made-in-Moscow MAGA beanies over their hearts, they stand at attention and tearfully sing along to Kate Smith’s classic, “Trump bless America, land that I love.”
This fictional tale certainly was not meant for the vast millions of sane and loyal Americans who know that Trump is a con artist charlatan toying with American lives. Instead Trump’s video of re-written history is a paean to Trump loyalists who thrive in his world of blind eyes, deaf ears, hardened hearts and lost souls.
Brooks Judd, Turlock
Harder’s effective in Congress
Josh Harder has held at least one public event every week since March 9.
I participated in his latest telephone town hall meeting on April 15. Most questions were about financial benefits available through the CARES Act passed by Congress several weeks ago.
An independent contractor wanted to know if she would qualify for unemployment benefits. Harder explained that she would and to contact the Stanislaus County workforce department. There was a question from someone on welfare and another on social security. Harder told them they would get a stimulus payment of $1,200 for each adult and $500 for each child under 18 years of age.
A farmer, who is an essential worker, wanted to know what kind of benefits he would be getting. Harder said he had already sent a letter to President Trump asking that essential workers receive fair compensation for the work they do.
Thank you Josh Harder for listening to concerns of your constituents, for informing us and for working in Congress to get bills passed to meet our concerns and needs.
Mary Ann Reynolds, Modesto
Howze knows how to serve
Ted Howze is a leader. He leads the most organized, efficient team I have ever seen. Ted is also a team player and active within our community. These are harbingers of the way we can expect Ted to run his congressional office and serve our district.
Ted deserves our thanks and admiration for jumping into action to help those who serve and those who are most vulnerable. Ted and Operation Compassion have been stepping up and partnering with local residents to receive, organize, and distribute goods to needy persons in CA-10. In addition to distributing care packages, Ted and his team recently received a huge donation of bread, and in two days they distributed about 4,000 free loaves via curbside pickup.
Ted also partnered with the Punjab Express restaurant in Turlock and the Sikh community to serve free meals to seniors, veterans, healthcare workers, law enforcement officers and firefighters. Ted and Operation Compassion partnered with The House Modesto, Protecting Soldiers Rights, Modesto Mayor Brandvold, and Oakdale Mayor McCarty to serve free barbecue meals to almost 1,000 people. The organization for this event was amazing to see.
Truman Jensen, Modesto