House GOP dishes up red meat for violence | Letters to the editor: Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023
House GOP stokes conspiracies
McCarthy gave up his power as speaker. He promised it all away to gain 20 Republican votes. Those same representatives are now on the powerful Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, and others. Many were part of the coup plan in some form. The need for the debt ceiling to be raised has already occurred and it will have to be paid or the US will be in default, as you and I would be if we decided not to pay our debts. McCarthy and Republican representatives are now holding the county’s bills hostage to force Democrats to cave to their demands.
Republicans say it’ll save money. They wish to cut back Social Security, Medicare and other programs — cuts that will hurt you and me. Just defaulting on bills will lower the country’s credit score. Interest will go higher and Wall Street spirals down. All this because of revenge of perceived wrongs in Jan. 6 hearings, ideology and donors’ money — red meat for hate and violence supporters and the deluded few who think Congress is fixing something, while they’re really stoking conspiracies. These are carnival tricks played by majority House members ignoring their oaths.
Diane M. Kroeze, Modesto
Tragic car accidents
It breaks my heart to read of so many drivers who die because of speeding and not wearing a seat belt. Come on people — slow down and buckle up!
Linda Cover, Modesto
Reason for applause
How fortunate are we to live in a community that supports vibrant artistic collaborations such as the Story Into Song Initiative! The lectures were excellent, insightful, and thought-provoking. The State Theatre was a perfect venue, the operettas superb. The nontraditional “Tell Tale Heart” won my heart with the dramatically percussive libretto and score by Stewart Copeland. This delicious operetta was a spicy African small bite in comparison to the gorgeous red-velvet-cake (and more traditional) “Annabelle,” with libretto and score by our own award-winning Linda Bunny-Sarhad and Deborah Kavasch. There are too many exceptional components to compliment in a fan letter, however I would be remiss should I fail to note that Jason Detwiler’s performance of Edgar in “Tell Tale Heart” was soul-crushingly perfect.
Perhaps best of all, 2,000 Stanislaus County middle-schoolers were able to enjoy these operettas of Modesto Opera, based on the students’ current Poe-based curriculum. Do take a moment to read articles presented by The Bee and others about the Story Into Song Initiative — then mark your calendar for January 2024 to enjoy next year’s collaboration.
Martha E. Connor, Manteca
A dream of peace
All around the world, people are suffering from problems that can be fixed by the hands of humanity. We hold in our heart a dream of peace, yet we don’t bring this dream to fruition.
Where is our courage to do what is right? Where is our conviction to live in peace?
Dan Dean, Manteca