Letters to the editor

City made bad decision on warming center

To the editor: Regarding the new location of the warming center, it is most refreshing to see a governmental body reverse itself and trash an incorrect decision. But why did they not get it right the first time? They have the staff and the talent to make better decisions. And the city council, how can they trash business interests by placing it on Main Street? In my business there was a saying, "NO MARGIN, NO MISSION." if you did not make a profit, i.e. generate sales taxes, you could not carry out your mission. I hope certain members of the council have learned from this. I personally do not support this project. I hope all involved will learn more about mental illness as they embark on this project.

George Maroney

Carbondale

Border dispute is a manufactured crisis

To the editor: In Donald Trump's first two years in office, he had the benefit of a Republican-controlled Congress (both houses). During that time, he succeeded in getting $1.6 billion appropriated for construction of a border wall, although much of that money was earmarked for replacement of existing barriers on the border. In September 2018, having failed to give Trump everything he wanted by election time, the Republicans extended government funding until Dec. 7. So, how does this not look to the average citizen like a manufactured conflict between political factions now that Democrats control the House of Representatives?

Furthermore, on the issue of terrorists entering the country, the real points of entry have not historically been at our southern border. The State Department reports that "no credible information that any member of a terrorist group has traveled through Mexico to gain access to the United States" as of July 2017. In fact, the Department of Homeland Security counted 2,554 people on their terrorist watch list apprehended in 2017, all attempting to enter either by sea or air. Even Trump's favorite news source, Fox News, called Sarah Huckabee Sanders on this misrepresentation. How is this not a manufactured crisis?

Finally, if there is a national emergency, it may arise from the point of "essential" vs. "non-essential" employees during the current government shutdown. For instance, food inspectors are considered "non-essential." So brace yourselves for another e. Coli outbreak. That would be an undeniably manufactured crisis for which Trump can call a national emergency.

Jim Renshaw

Carbondale