The immigration problem is real. No one will disagree. But what if the president is wrong? What if this is just away for him to get his wall built? Oh, and not be paid for by Mexico. He has claimed as many others that the wall is needed to keep out killers, rapists and drug dealers.
Okay, so if that is true then why haven’t we heard about the thousands of people being held being charged with killings, rape and bringing drugs into the country? Bringing in their families is all we hear about. And their arrest has been for illegally entering the country, not for killings, rape and drugs.
Over the last several years we have watched mass killings in this country. Hundreds killed. Not one by an illegal but by made in America Americans. Yes, we should be worried about MS-13 gangs coming into this country.
But newsflash. We already have hundred of thousands homegrown gangs controlling killings who rape and sell drugs. How about taking $26 billion and going after them first?
— Terry Hartman, Hawthorne
Trump’s long list of lies
A few of the things Donald Trump believes:
• “Climate change is made up.” Then why do 90 percent of the world’s climatologists say it is fact, and how can one ignorant president put his will over the good of 320 million Americans?• “Trump’s inaugural crowd was the biggest ever.”
• “The GOP is improving health care by trashing the Affordable Care Act.” Have you seen anything that is in the Republican health plan yet?
• “Mainstream news is all fake.” No, Donald Trump’s lies and views are fake. The rich and Trump’s friends need more money give them more tax cuts.
• “I didn’t say sh*thole countries.” And Trump’s lies just keep coming. I hope you are teaching your children not to be like Donald Trump.
— Ron Lowe, Santa Monica
Social Security fund
Re “Federal spending is unsustainable” (Editorial, July 9):
Why is Social Security even included in your editorial as one of the causes? As everyone should know, the Social Security fund consists of monies paid by working citizens and is not an entitlement.As for the shortfall between receipts and funds paid out, blame the defense budget, padded as it is by the greedy armament industry that continues to supply outdated materials to the government because it’s “in the contract.”
One can also blame the massive tax cuts for the upper 1 percent who control at least 80 percent of the country’s wealth while the rest depend on Reagan “trickle-down benefits.”
It saddens me to see the demise of newspapers in this age of mass ignorance but it saddens me even more to see newspapers knuckling under to the obscenely greedy. As for caring for the sick and needy, I think, just as a mother is only as happy as her saddest child, a nation is only as strong as its weakest members.
— JosefineAnne Gobreville, Highland Park
Costing taxpayers money
Re “It’s legal to seek asylum at an official border crossing” and “Separating families is not biblical” (Letters, June 26):
I’ve been fascinated by letters from Victor Jacobovitz, Priscilla Koehler, and many other “open border” advocates. They assert that compassion requires us to admit all who claim asylum due to hardships, poverty, crime and other assorted problems in their home countries.
Illegal immigration costs Californians an estimated $200 million a year, money that might be better spent (or wasted on a bullet train) on infrastructure or social services for homeless Americans, etc.
So, I wonder what Victor and Priscilla would do if a family of migrants showed up at their doors demanding a place at the table, food and shelter for an indefinite length of time? Would they welcome them in? Or would they send them away so that their fellow citizens care for them elsewhere at taxpayer expense?
— Al Kholos, Winnetka
Border control
Originally the thinking was that it was inappropriate to house children with criminals (parents, guardians or trafficker). Apparently that has changed since President Trump took office.
— John Dalrymple, Westlake Village
