The Editor:
The Trump Administration and “tech broligarchy” are dismantling our government, changing society, and risking our democracy. Firing the newest long-term employees in the name of cutting fraud to help reduce the federal deficit is damaging our civil service employees. Based on a May 2, 2024, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy report, the 2017 tax cuts drastically reduced the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent, pushing us further into debt.
I am a retired federal employee, having proudly served 31 years with five agencies. Federal employees are public servants who serve and protect us every day. They work with our military at home and abroad to defend our country and provide care to our veterans. They protect our communities from violence, teach our children, deliver our mail, and safeguard the safety of our food and medicines. They help protect our air and water and national forests, national parks, and other public lands. They ensure essential functions are financed, that Social Security checks arrive on time, and that our borders and airports are secure. When disasters occur, they come to our rescue and help us recover.
The federal government employed about two million civilians, according to a December 2024 Congressional Research Service data. Since 1968, the federal workforce has decreased 2.88 percent, while private sector employment has increased over 140 percent. A significant portion of the federal budget goes out to private contractors like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and military contractors. SpaceX is currently in talks with the Federal Aviation Administration for a $2.4 billion contract that was originally awarded to Verizon and competes directly with Boeing’s aerospace division.
Cutting current federal employees does little to reduce the deficit and makes our government less efficient. We need to review ways to improve our federal agencies and reduce our deficit. However, mean-spirited, drastic cuts to federal employees, with no effort to look at the consequences, is no way to operate our government and puts our country’s security at risk. The American public and our democracy deserve better.
D. Brady Green
Blaine
The Editor:
This policy that The Northern Light has adopted of running letters from Bellingham and British Columbia slamming our president has me scratching my head.
I thought that The Northern Light was a Blaine newspaper. Quite a few people in Blaine voted for our current president. I don’t see the relevance of publishing hate mail from British Columbians about how lousy our president is.
And the stream of ultra-liberal letters from Bellingham is also getting old. Doesn’t Bellingham have plenty of newspapers where “hamsters” can publish their views?
Good luck figuring this out.
Raymond Cushing
Blaine
The Editor:
The past six weeks of President Trump’s second term have brought chaos, uncertainty, and an apparent realignment of our international relations. We the United States are no longer the leader of the free world as seen by our long-time friends and allies.
Last Friday’s White House meeting with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy showed Trump’s disdain for Ukraine. Trump also said he trusts Russia’s dictator Vladimir Putin. Donald Trump wanted Ukraine’s minerals and Zelenskyy wanted security assurances from the U.S. Trump refused. Ukraine has stood up to Russia’s invasion and fought and bled the past three years. Thankfully European nations will continue their support. I stand with Ukraine.
Canada and Mexico, our closest trading partners, will be hit with a 25 percent tariff this week unless Trump rescinds it. Both nations have increased their border security at Trump’s request, yet he still wants to punish them. Trump will be breaking the treaty he negotiated during his first term. Canada and Mexico will retaliate. All of us should expect to pay higher prices if this happens. I stand with Canada and Mexico.
As a citizen of the United States, I have always felt blessed. However, now I feel sad and ashamed that the most admirable aspects of my country are being destroyed in such a short time. We need to raise our voices to our elected officials against these horrible actions.
I love my country, right or wrong. When it’s right, keep it right. When it’s wrong, make it right.
Layne Boyce
Birch Bay
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