Letters to the Editor (July 17, 2025)

Is this pro-life?

Editor:

The current administration and the Republican Party have come to power touting what they call a “pro-life” platform, but have their policies and proposed legislation borne this out?

The dissolution of USAID (the agency started by Republican George Bush in 2003 that oversaw nutritional, medical and educational aid to developing countries) on July 1, 2025, will mean millions of adults and children in Africa and other impoverished countries will lose vital assistance.

An ongoing study of the impact of the closing of USAID by Boston University estimates more than 10,000 children have already starved to death in the past four months with a projection of more than 160,000 more child deaths by years end — and this with millions of servings of a nutritional supplement product sitting in a warehouse in Rhode Island with no way to transport them to where they are needed due to directives from the current administration.

Twenty-five million people could die in the next 15 years with cuts to programs for TB, HIV and child health and nutrition. Is this pro-life?

In this country, proposed cuts would decimate the SNAP and food assistance programs resulting in more than two million children losing food stability. This includes the impact of such cuts on school and summer breakfast/lunch programs. Is this pro-life?

Proposed cuts to Medicaid would mean about 30 million children would see their health access severely reduced or terminated. About 100,000 New Mexicans would lose their health coverage. Thirty-five percent of Valencia County residents are currently enrolled in Medicaid, including more than 14,000.

With a dramatic reduction in Medicaid payments, it is projected six to eight New Mexico rural health facilities will close in the next 18 months. Would the new Valencia County hospital even be able to open with the projected loss of Medicaid funding? Is this pro-life?

Statistically, nearly 10 percent of high school age teens have contemplated or attempted suicide. A disproportionate number of suicides are by teens struggling to come to terms with their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Yet, teen suicide prevention programs, especially those focusing on helping LGBTQ youth, have been terminated by order of the current administration. Is this pro-life?

Our New Mexico congressional senators and representatives have been very vocal in fighting the proposed harmful cuts. But they need all of us to join voices with theirs in protest. And to my neighbors who voted for the current administration, I would say, there is no shame in admitting a mistake was made and you are having second thoughts on your choice.

Your voice is welcome to join ours in protest against these cruel and dangerous cuts to vital programs.

Ron Lahti, M.Div

Belen

Political meltdown

Editor:

It is sad to watch the meltdown by the entire mainstream political establishment in both parties (and mainstream talking heads) concerning the election of Zohran Mamdani as the Democratic candidate and likely the next mayor of NYC.

The paranoid reaction of “the establishment” (both parties) to the idea of “democratic socialism,” along with their failure to hold the Israeli government accountable for its actions, is being resoundingly rejected by voters, especially the younger ones.

The establishment oligarchs are wringing their hands because they are in such deep denial that the lights have changed (thanks John Lennon). The Democrats rigged the system against Bernie Sanders, and against a number of progressive candidates, refusing to realize that progressive policies are the future of the party if the party is to have a future.

The Democratic Party and mainstream candidates have been thwarting the will of the voters for years. In 2006, Joe Lieberman refused to accept his defeat in the CT senate primary and so ran as an independent. In 2021, India Walton won the nomination for mayor of Buffalo, but her opponent and the party again refused to accept the voters’ decision. Democratic voters are screaming that they’re not going to take it anymore, but the Democratic Party refuses to hear them. As a result, many voters stayed home and gave the world Trump.

The Democratic Party establishment’s attempt to corral voters and candidates to “move to the center” is no longer working. There are not enough voters left at what they claim is the center. Voters across the political spectrum know the system is not working, so why would they listen to anybody who says “let’s have more of the same”? People are voting for change even if it’s destructive and lawless — as we have seen with the re-election of Trump. I know a person who voted for Trump in 2016 who actually said to me that he was voting to “burn the place down,” and that’s what’s happening.

As long as the Democratic Party establishment refuses to understand that they facilitated the re-election of Trump (twice!), the Party will continue to disintegrate. It’s well past time for them to realize they are not the future of the party. They should hand the reigns over to people in a younger generation like David Hogg who recently was ‘exited’ from the Democratic Party leadership.

We need leadership that understands that we need bold change, not “strongly worded letters” and “roll over and play dead”, which is allowing the Republicans to gut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

Paul Kinzelman

Peralta