Letters to the Editor: A little bit of socialism isn’t so bad

Letters to the Editor: A little bit of socialism isn’t so bad

Accusations about socialism off the mark

In response to recent letters deeply concerned about the election of socialists: I don’t like excessive government ownership of the means of production or of businesses either. Though President Trump doesn’t seem to mind direct government stakes in publicly traded corporations, that seems a bit too socialist for me.

But as for other issues typically supported by American socialists: How much do you really want to oppose higher taxation of the very rich in order to redistribute wealth more appropriately? How much can we object to raising a federal minimum wage level that hasn’t changed since 2009 while the cost of living has increased far beyond it? How much can we oppose the freedom to unionize so that workers have a greater chance against large corporate employers?

People toss around the word “socialism” as if it were like anthrax. I think of it, though, as being more like salt. Though countries like Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea fell into it so heavily that it became worse than unpalatable, that’s not a reason to treat socialism as if it were categorically poisonous. You can kill a recipe with too much salt, but do you really want to do without it?

John Groff

Allentown

Don’t pay legislators who don’t pass budget

Thank goodness the state budget has been passed. The four-month delay caused chaos for many school systems, counties and nonprofits in the commonwealth. Loans had to be taken, layoffs were required and uncertainty created stress on many. This mess was caused because our elected officials didn’t do their No. 1 job, pass a budget by June 30.

That date used to be important. Now it’s treated as just a guideline. Our legislators are some of the highest paid in the country, but they don’t deserve their salary if they fail this basic responsibility. I believe that the next politician to run on the motto “No budget, no pay” would win in a landslide. As I stand on the street corner during the 2026 primary season, my sign will read just that: No budget, no pay!

Joan Howe

Bethlehem Township

Trump should have reported Epstein’s crimes

In Pennsylvania any teacher, social worker, church member, medical employee, law enforcement officer — anyone who has any contact with young people — has to register with the state. This involves fingerprinting, several hours of training, and a background investigation. Once you jump through these hoops and pass the tests, you are then a “mandated reporter.” This means that, if you suspect that a child has been abused, trafficked or neglected in any way, you are required by the Child Protective Services Law to report the situation. Not to your principal, not to the director of your social agency or hospital network, not to the head of your church or organization. You are given a phone number to call at the Department of Human Services. Failure to report abuse immediately at this number will result in your being charged with a misdemeanor or, in some cases, a felony.

That the president of the United States, even though perhaps he did not approve of Jeffrey Epstein’s behavior, did not report to anyone what Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were up to is unconscionable and amoral. He didn’t get charged. He got elected to the highest office in the country. What’s wrong with this picture? What’s wrong with this country?

JoAnn Klucsarits

Walnutport

Will everyone really be able to use White House?

Since the White House is the people’s house and it was said after construction it’s going to be magnificent and everyone is going to use it: Can I have my next birthday party there?

Beth Laury

Allentown

Trump is wrong about food prices

How can our president say food prices are way down? Did he ever buy food in a grocery store for his family? Who is telling him all these lies? I’d like to have him come here and check out food prices in our grocery stores.

I don’t think it will change his mind. But one can hope for a miracle.

Ron Snyder

North Whitehall Township

The Morning Call publishes letters from readers online and in print several times a week. Submit a letter to the editor at letters@mcall.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author(s), and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication.

Music For Peace

Just a short bit with the video for today from Bee. Same from me, below hers.

Peace Song November – Peace Will Come To Me

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I choose this one, because the music of it brings me peace. I bet I’m not the only one. It’s a peaceful song.

Music For Peace

Bee brings us the Black Pumas, and a bit of commentary that begins, “One aspect of a peaceful existence is to consider our fellow humans as our family not our enemies.” Precisely!

Peace Song November – Colours

My selection is this story, with The BeeGees performing Bob Dylan and then their own peace music. It’s an excellent story, and very good performances! Their own song is equal, at least, to Bob Dylan’s, but Barry Gibb discusses Bob Dylan’s influence on his music.

Barry Gibb recalls brave Bee Gees TV performance of Bob Dylan song to protest the Vietnam War

In 1962, the Australian Army began its formal military commitment to the U.S war in Vietnam. Two years later, young men were required to register for the National Service scheme and forced to fight in a bloody war that would enlist over 80,000 Australians. Over the next 11 years, 523 Australians died in battle and nearly 2400 were wounded before the country withdrew.

The fear of being sent to Vietnam to kill or be killed for the government struck fear into the hearts of many young Australians in 1963. That’s why three teenage boys, Barry (17), Robin (14), and Maurice (14) Gibb, The Bee Gees, took their big moment on Australian TV to speak truth to power by singing Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind.” The Bee Gees were relative unknowns that night on Bandstand, but by the end of the decade, they would be among the biggest acts in the world.

The Bee Gees sang ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ on Australian TV in 1963

“Blowin’ in the Wind,” released earlier that year, asks fundamental questions about war, racial justice, and whether humanity will ever live in peace and equality. The song would become one of the most important anthems in the Civil Rights and peace movements of the ‘60s and beyond.

Barry Gibb, now 79, says that even as a teenager, he completely understood why Dylan’s song needed to be heard. “I was rapidly approaching the time when I would have to register for the draft,” he told Upworthy in an exclusive interview. “It’s hard to explain that period, except that everyone was very worried, very worried, and Bob Dylan was our hero.”

“The Vietnam War was such chaos to the Australian people that it shadowed everything. I wrote a song called ‘And the Children Laughing’ because of what Bob Dylan had written. It’s about life and dying, and the idea that you would die for your country or go and kill people you don’t know. And I don’t want to go kill people. It was not on the table for me. So everything he wrote touched me deeply,” Gibb continued.

Why don’t you get on your feet

It’s about time you got to think

Whatever happened to peace?

Well, open your eyes and you’ll see children laughing

Voices singin’, hearts a-beatin’ ah…

Barry Gibb has always believed in peace

(snip-there MORE; it’s not too long, but this is a long post with the music)

Let’s talk about Mamdani and an Arabic mandate in New York….

Epstein Email Hints Trump Was FBI Informant

Right-Wing’s Riley Gaines Grift Exposed

Riley Gaines turned a 5th place tie, not even in the top ranking, into a political money making bigot gig. She has made hundreds of thousands of dollars pushing people to hate trans athletes using misinformation and lies. She is a favorite of republicans to have testify in front of legislatures to help them justify making trans kids lives miserable. Wonder who is funding her? Religious bigots like billionaire Betsy DeVos. The DeVos made their money on pyramid schemes and selling Amway. All in the name of their god they lie, make things up, and misinform the public about trans people. I don’t understand the hate and bile they have for non-straight non-cis people. Makes their god look ugly. Hugs

POTUS’s Place In History

A Statement from Ty Jones Cox at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:

Taking Away Food Assistance Puts the Trump Administration on the Wrong Side of History

If you care about federal food assistance, it’s been a head-spinning couple of months.

Earlier this year, the Trump Administration and congressional Republicans enacted the largest cuts in history in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and canceled the long-standing annual Department of Agriculture survey that would document the cuts’ harms. But when the government shutdown began, they started expressing concern about risks to SNAP and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

It “helps no one” to cut SNAP benefits, said House Budget Committee Republicans. No one should “allow impoverished mothers and their babies to go hungry,” the White House Press Secretary opined — that is “so cruel.”

But as Maya Angelou said: when people show you who they are, believe them the first time.

And sure enough, as the shutdown went on, it became clear that President Trump was not concerned about the millions of people across the U.S. who need SNAP to help cover their grocery bills. They were just pawns in his political battle.

The Trump Administration became so determined to deny people their SNAP benefits that it fought all the way to the Supreme Court, even though the funds were available and it had the legal authority to use them.The Trump Administration became so determined to deny people their SNAP benefits that it fought all the way to the Supreme Court, even though the funds were available and it had the legal authority to use them.

The government has now reopened, and these nutrition programs are thankfully funded until the fall of 2026. The Administration hasn’t let up, though. Agriculture Secretary Rollins — after saying the government would be “failing” people if it didn’t provide SNAP benefits — has resumed her attacks on the program, falsely labeling it “corrupt” and ridden with “fraud.” In reality, SNAP has one of the most rigorous eligibility determination systems of any federal benefit program and SNAP participants must verify their eligibility regularly to stay connected to the program.

There’s a silver lining here: the public is more aware than ever of the value of programs like SNAP. There was a huge outcry and concern over the Trump Administration’s attempts to unlawfully and unnecessarily withhold SNAP benefits. The public won’t soon forget that SNAP benefits were suspended, and they won’t like seeing more people lose their benefits permanently as the food assistance cuts in the Republican megabill get implemented.

There is a long, proud tradition of bipartisan support for food assistance programs in the United States, grounded in a shared belief that no one should go hungry in a country with as many resources as ours. People from coast to coast and everywhere in between still deeply believe that cutting food assistance puts the Trump Administration and congressional Republicans at odds with broadly shared American values and on the wrong side of history.

TRUMP’S LOSING IT

Two clips about horrific ICE actions from The Majority Report

You MUST Know This About Filming ICE

Trump’s Ice Terror Campaign Invades Charlotte

Just One

I do want to add a content alert; there is little to nothing horrible in Annie’s post, but there is a link to testimony that could be at the least disturbing. This is such an important story, and it really is on us to make sure this stuff stays out front all the time until there is justice.