Your Letters for Jan. 30, 2026

Aren't we better than this, America?

An article printed by the News-Press on Nov. 28th, submitted by Keith Evans, neatly summarized some of the steps taken by wannabe authoritarians after getting into office. Among those mentioned were: purging the government (think DOGE), replacing competent advisers with sycophants (think Hegseth, Patel, Bondi, etc.), threatening institutions that provide guardrails against overreach (think lawsuits against major media organizations, harsh criticism of unfavorable court rulings, etc.), intimidation of politicians within the same party that speak truth to lies (think Adam Kinzinger, Liz Cheney, and any current Republican that steps out of line), increased use of federal policing and military forces when not requested by the governing authorities (think L.A., Washington D.C., Minnesota, etc.), and many others too numerous to mention in this piece. 

These are all troubling signs to historians that recognize them as a harbinger of the potential loss of individual and governing autonomy that can occur when a person in power is allowed to govern without regard or respect for the normal boundaries observed by prudent leaders.And now we have a President who seems to consider the normal world order as something he can rearrange to his own liking, potentially blowing up a security alliance (NATO) that has been in existence for over 75 years. He wants us to acquire (own) Greenland, for strategic purposes he says, but has even gone beyond the idea of purchasing it (were they and Denmark willing sellers), to implying that we will simply take it, if necessary.  Not to compare this to Russia's aggression against Ukraine in any way, but, isn't it just a little too close for comfort?  Aren't we better than this, America? 

This President has been enabled by legislators unwilling to speak truth to power, in part because of his ability and willingness to destroy their political careers by any means necessary if they do so. I greatly admire those politicians willing to sacrifice their status, or even their entire career, by speaking out against the assault on democracy by this administration, and I salute the citizen groups that are peacefully practicing their constitutional right to protest those abuses. 

Mike Hawkins
Fairfax, Missouri

Hook, line and sinker

The writer to your paper on January 23, 2026, wrote a 3-column letter about U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. It had to be one of the longest letters ever. There was curiosity about why such lengthy article was devoted to this representative. The writer’s many assertions about Rep. Crockett included but were not limited to the following:

• Practiced nasty politics
• Insinuated that she has a questionable source of income
• Voted to prevent Republicans to pass a restrictive voting bill
• Difficult to work with; rude to staff
• Absent from office often; focused on being an influencer
• Called her selfish
• She uses voter intimidation and more

The writer’s reason for this list of accusations is not completely transparent. However, after reading it a second time, it became more apparent that this might be right out of his party’s playbook. This might be the writer’s part in the campaign against Jasmine Crockett. Rep. Jasmine Crockett is campaigning for a U.S. Senate seat from her state of Texas – yes, Texas. She is a U.S. Rep. from the state of Texas. The party playbook and the D.C. party memo is meant to activate the supporters. The word has gone out about how to proceed with Jasmine Crockett. The U.S. President has let it be known what he thinks of Rep. Crockett (and all other women of color). Trash her. She’s a Democrat. She’s a woman. Most of all, she’s a Black woman. He never misses the opportunity to name-call people of color. The writer of the article has bought the whole thing – hook, line, and sinker. One does not have to read between the lines to see that this writer has nothing but disrespect for African American women.

Loes J. Hedge
St. Joseph