Readers write
Carter Center observed 2020 voting in Fulton
In 2020, the Carter Center was asked by Fulton County to be a bipartisan observer of the national elections. The Center has observed elections in multiple countries worldwide, and its reputation and experience are well-established. This was the first time the Center observed domestic voting. Volunteers observed not only on Election Day but also during early voting.
I was one of the volunteers. We were trained, given detailed observation forms, and daily reported throughout the voting process. Observations started with the poll opening and ended with closures, watching ballots secured and transported to Fulton County.
The 2020 vote’s legitimacy continues to be questioned by President Donald Trump, though the governor, the secretary of state and numerous audits have attested to its accuracy, except for minor errors that would not have changed the outcome. The Center was aware it was developing an observation “template” that could be exported to other states, and so it has been.
The FBI recently seized the 2020 Fulton County ballots. We should be concerned about ballot security once they leave the county. The administration may be establishing its “template” of ballot seizures for future elections.
LYN KIRKLAND, ATLANTA
Illegal tariffs will be very costly to America
The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s tariffs as being unconstitutional because Congress has not ceded its tariff authority to the president.
Approximately $160 billion in illegal tariffs were collected. IRS regulations provide for repayment of tariffs to ensure that when tariffs are deemed illegal, repayment includes interest to compensate for the time the funds were illegally held by the government. The interest rate is determined quarterly, using the federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points. Currently, the short-term rate is 3.5%. Not only do the tariffs have to be repaid, but they also must be repaid with interest. That means the additional cost of Trump’s illegal tariffs is 6.5% times $160 billion. That is approximately $10.4 billion annually. We can add this tidy sum to the national debt thanks to Trump. He suggested repayment “has to get litigated for the next two years.” Two years of interest would be $20.8 billion.
Meanwhile, retail milk prices have risen to record highs averaging over $4 per gallon.
“Starting on day one, we will end inflation and make America affordable again, to bring down the prices of all goods.” — Donald Trump, Aug. 9, 2024.
ANTHONY L. COCHRAN, ATLANTA
