OPINION: Speak Up!

Regarding “OPINION: No Kings protest was patriotic” (Nov. 9 Journal): The NO KINGS PROTESTS, even in Albuquerque, was absolutely what Greg Valentine experienced. Another example of where facts matter and peaceful protests are part of our culture! RA

For POTUS there are very few real problems (get richer, have bigger and better things, retribution, etc). Mostly, it’s about “messaging,” telling people what they want to hear while doing what they want. LOST ELECTIONS? It can’t be that people are disillusioned with Republicans. It must be something else. MY

I’ve noticed that when questioned about something illegal or outrageous Trump’s doing, REPUBLICANS always say things like, “I hadn’t heard about that. I’ll need to look into it.” It’s pretty pathetic. Do they really expect us to believe they are that uninformed? Being that clueless would be even worse. JH

TRUMP is not the president of the United States. He has demonstrated that he favors only the red states and wants to punish the blue states. If his goal is to divide our country, he’s doing a superb job. TB

What kind of president chooses to pay ICE agents during a SHUT DOWN so they can shoot ministers praying, arrest citizens and tear gas children observing Halloween, but chooses not to pay air traffic control staff, making air travel less safe, and not to provide food for the poor? DJT! AF

I will open a GoFundMe site for federal agents to pay for new ballistic vests since the old ones won’t protect against SANDWICHES. The bread was probably day-old sourdough. Killer stuff when dried out! JJ

The SNAP BENEFITS are for all Americans, furloughed or needy. We all should help any way we can if it’s donating money or food. To have to go to work and not get paid is wrong. I’m glad to see people are starting to fight back. This is not America. RD

The Democrats in Santa Fe found money to support the SNAP program. They should be looking at the root cause. New Mexico leads the country with 21% of the state on the SNAP PROGRAM. We’re fifth in the country in SNAP error rate. This under Democrat control of the Legislature. SS

The national media loves drowning in shutdown drama and finger-pointing, blissfully ignoring the obvious: SNAP benefits come back the moment the government reopens. But hey, why report simple facts when you can hype endless political circus instead? SR

Sens. HEINRICH AND LUJÁN, you were voted in to represent New Mexicans in Congress. For the last year you have not represented New Mexico only the Democrat party. It is time you step up for your constituents that are in need and vote for us, not AOC or Schumer. JMW

Gee, it sure would have been nice if Sens. LUJÁN AND HEINRICH had joined the other Dems to support ending the government shutdown. Just once can’t they place the needs of New Mexicans, and all Americans, above divisive politics? DM

As a lifelong independent, I vote for politicians I believe will have the best interest of New Mexicans. After this SHUTDOWN exercise, I will vote for anyone other than the Democratic sheep, Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich. LAH

The Democrats and Republicans will continue to blame each other. Voters will only remember which party was in office when the whole of Congress inflicted financial pain on the nation with the GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. JPO

Affordability. President Trump hates the word affordability and doesn’t want to hear it anymore. Pushing back against the concept, he cites WALMART’S THANKSGIVING MEAL package as being 25% cheaper than last year. Well, last year the Thanksgiving meal had 29 items. This year the meal only has 15 items. EJG

If the Republicans have a better HEALTH CARE PLAN than the ACA then let’s hear it! I have never heard them offer any kind of alternative. LO

Regarding “OPINION: Obamacare’s premium crisis: Democrats knew, and now we pay” (Nov. 9 Sunday Journal): William Sharer’s polemic in Sunday’s Journal trashing OBAMACARE would have been more effective had he featured salient points of the Republican plan for affordable health care in America. Oh, wait. He can’t. Although promised for years, it doesn’t exist. JB

Regarding “OPINION: A plan to address New Mexico’s physician shortage” (Nov. 9 Sunday Journal): Excellent column by Hickey on the PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE. If current Gov. MLG doesn’t address the issue in the legislative session, then the candidates who are running for governor must answer to it. NM voters must make them get rid of the current malpractice legislation and pass the medical compacts. CC

Regarding “OPINION: No sea change in ABQ” (Nov. 9 Sunday Journal): Columnist Boetel stated: “Albuquerque is not happy and it’s not going to change.” Anonymous: “The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.” A vote for Keller will be more of the same. Take a chance on WHITE serving only one term. TMP

TIM KELLER may not be perfect and Albuquerque has problems that need to be addressed, but he won’t allow masked ICE thugs to terrorize our citizens. No on White, yes on Keller. FD

If it is illegal to hire UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS, then how come only the workers are being arrested/detained and not the employer? PP