States should seek more independence
The federal government has threatened to withhold some money that North Carolina normally gets if the state does not accept one of the administration’s policy opinions. The most important lesson we should learn from this is the danger of the states accepting money from the federal government, giving the feds the power to blackmail and bully the states, as we are seeing here.
As far as practical, the states should try to eliminate the practice of federal money paying for programs that should be performed by the states (education is a good example). For example, if some federal money is going to the states to pay for a particular program, the states should raise their state taxes by that amount to pay for that program, and the federal taxes could be reduced by (at least) that same amount, so the taxpayers would not be paying any more money.
BILL WHITLOW, AUBURN
GOP is laughing stock of world
The Republicans are trying to pass laws allowing guns on college campuses while at the same time trying to block transgender people from using restrooms designated for the sex to which they have changed. The hypocrisy is huge. Republicans with the help of Donald Trump are making our country the laughing stock of the entire world. I would be embarrassed to be a Republican. When will the Republican Party realize that they are being left behind by a world that is embracing more and more compassionate social norms. Instead of fighting the inevitable, they should be accepting it. It is happening whether they like it or not. Instead, they should be working toward a cleaner planet and more social justice. Get out of the way Republicans.
MICHAEL DE GIVE, DECATUR
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