OPINION: Speak Up!

Trump shouldn’t stop with adding a big, ugly BALLROOM to one side of the White House. He should balance out the structure with a huge casino on the other side. And afterward add an amusement park in front with a huge circus tent with a neon sign announcing “Trumpland.” FD

When the first bulldozer arrived to demolish the White House EAST WING, the ground shook; it wasn’t the bulldozer though. It was every dead president rolling over in his grave. JP

Three-hundred million of taxpayers’ money to build a golden BALLROOM for billionaires to watch the president dance. Wow! Probably serve an Argentinian beef buffet. GK

When Obama made renovations to the WHITE HOUSE (improvements to A/C, electrical, security and fire protection) he went through the National Capital Planning Commission as required by law. Trump ignores laws. Did he even have open bidding? JH

I cannot believe that I am the only one appalled by President Trump tearing down the EAST WING. He is a tenant, not the owner. Would you let a tenant do this to your rental? Doesn’t he need some kind of OK from Congress or the people? MC

Famous TRUMP promises — Mexico will pay for the wall. We are going after the worst of the worst. I will not play as much golf as Obama. We will not touch the East Wing with ballroom construction. I will donate the $230 million I am owed to charity. AF

As Trump denies FEMA assistance to Vermont, Illinois and Maryland while granting it to Alaska, Nebraska and North Dakota, he once again shows he is not the president of the United States, only red states. The recipients should lower the stars and stripes and raise an orange flag of fealty. ML

Alarmingly, Trump is succeeding in his dismantling of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency’s SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS department, which he is closing! What? WDS

Congratulations to the 7 million NO KINGS DAY protesters for peacefully sending an important message to POTUS that many Americans are unhappy with his policies. It was the correct and patriotic action supported by the Constitution. POTUS’ many lawless and corrupt actions aren’t acceptable to the majority of us. MY

My NO KINGS DAY is the Fourth of July, where the Revolutionary soldiers defeated the king of England! RT

Members of CONGRESS have continued to receive their paychecks without interruption, even as many Americans face financial hardship. Perhaps a pause in their own compensation would offer valuable perspective on the challenges their constituents are enduring. SR

New Mexicans, write your two U.S. senators! They have voted 12 times to keep the GOVERNMENT CLOSED, solely for political reasons. Shameful! Massive furloughs are coming soon, including to both Sandia and Los Alamos national labs. Think of the damage to New Mexico. EC

During their campaigning, SENS. LUJÁN AND HEINRICH vowed to “work across the aisle.” I think it’s about time they get it together and do what we elected them to do. AR

The INCUMBENT MAYOR certainly is using the system well, timing all sorts of ground breakings, ribbon cuttings, grand openings and reopenings, and many other “look what I did” ceremonial events to occur in the weeks before the election. Coincidence? Highly unlikely. DM

To create a fund to REIMBURSE BUSINESS OWNERS for damage caused by homeless persons is affirmation that the current city administration is not interested in solving the problem. It is very much like giving needles to drug addicts. It only encourages bad behavior by not punishing it. GH

Mayor Keller has made a goal of installing “ROAD DIETS.” The problem is they create more problems for neighborhoods than what they are trying to fix. I think it is time we give Mayor Keller a “political diet” and replace him with someone that can come up with better solutions. SS

DARREN WHITE when with the Department of Public Safety interfered with the police when his wife had a traffic incident. Recently he claimed residency with the state of Florida to get a property tax break. He’s a crook, we don’t need him. We need a resident. GT

Former U.S. attorney and candidate for Albuquerque mayor ALEX UBALLEZ said the city should ban the wearing of masks by ICE agents. As an attorney, he certainly knows that the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution prevents the city of Albuquerque from regulating federal law-enforcement. So why say that? JRM

I am proud of Gov. Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Legislature providing UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE for the state’s children because that is where the children’s education starts. It should reduce truancy and improve our children’s learning in the years ahead. This is especially important with Trump’s politicization of every aspect of our lives. EN

I agree with another DC’s Oct. 19 Speakup! about WILDFLOWERS being mowed down here. It would be great if in Albuquerque, we kept more wildflowers along the sides of our medians and highways. Please don’t cut them down just because you think homeless people are going to camp in them. DC