Trump, others don’t support real fiscal responsibility

To make America great again, the federal debt would need to be placed under control. Entitlements, which now comprise over 60 percent of federal spending and whose growth is expected to cause the debt to “spiral out of control” (per the Government Accountability Office), absolutely need to be reduced. In other words, sacrifice is absolutely necessary for the nation to survive and prosper.

Re: President Donald Trump’s entitlements cuts proposal: Absolutely nothing. He’s a fraud, as is every member of Congress who backs him and claims to be financially responsible.

ALLEN BUCKLEY, ATLANTA

Local businesses could step up for unpaid TSA staff

Regarding “Airport planners say shutdown very scary” (News, Jan. 23), the poor TSA employees, already stressed, with no paycheck for 30 days, were working nonetheless, having to be professional and keeping their emotions in check. Good for them. I read, too, that local corporations (Coke, Home Depot, UPS) are being frozen out of advertising during the “Big Game.” I see a wonderful opportunity for them to step up and offer meals, snacks and other perks during this intense travel time. Show the workers they are appreciated for being there. They show up – pay or no pay. How many of us would do this and deal with the frustrated public? Come, on local businesses, get behind these hard-working folks and make their job a little more tolerable. The publicity and goodwill could have a much larger impact than a costly TV ad.

MARGARET MCDANIEL, MARIETTA

Nation of immigrants shouldn’t turn its back

It is hard to believe the president and Congress could even think of denying a path to citizenship to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) people. Because I’m an interpreter, I have met many of these ambitious youths’ parents. They were often encouraged to come to work on farms or in factories. How could a three-year reprieve from deportation have meaning for these people, who don’t even remember their birthplace? Most came to escape abuse by gangs in their native countries or were unable to obtain work or student visas. The abuse was real, and in my opinion, the U.S. should have provided refugee status to most of them. The huge number of dollars requested to build the obnoxious wall would more than cover the costs. Think of the dark images of walls from the past: the Berlin Wall, the Great Wall of China. We are a nation of immigrants.

PRISCILLA PADRON, ATLANTA

Liberal appeals to race don’t support morality

I am only one person. However, I know I speak for thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands or maybe millions, who are horrified the Democratic Party continually refers to conservatives or Republicans as “racists.” They feel their moral authority allows them to state things they haven’t even researched. History will tell them each party has been active on both sides of civil rights at various times. You simply cannot put people in boxes or categories. Human nature is not that absolute. If so, we might define all overweight people as lazy, all blondes as dumb, all lawyers as crooked, all successful people as cheats, all Democrats as closed-minded, all homeless people as bums, ad infinitum. So, those who have tried to make such erroneous assumptions (listen up, Hank Johnson, Leonard Pitts, Nicolle Wallace) should be cautious in their remarks lest they become the targets of other so-called “moral authorities.”

MEL MATUSZAK, DACULA