Fare thee well, Joe
Dear President Biden: Over the past four years, I may not have always agreed with your policies, but I have viewed you as mostly a prudent and honest leader. You put our country over yourself time after time. You treated our allies with respect and diplomacy, and railed against those who threatened our democracy.
The White House was graced with your honor and dignity, and that will sorely be missed. Maybe you won’t go down in history as the greatest president we ever had, and rightly so. But you, although in the midst of constant divisiveness, kept an even keel and led our country ever forward.
Fare thee well, Joe, and Godspeed!
Opinion
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Richard Street, Carrollton
Nice speech, poor legacy
Someone wrote President Joe Biden a decent farewell speech. It wasn’t what I thought it would be. The part about securing a truce in Gaza was nice. His administration did work hard on it. But, I still believe the biggest factor was the election of Donald Trump.
There’s little argument that Biden was the worst president in history. As a fellow old man, I feel bad about the decline of his health, both physical and mental, but he is living in a dream world. He keeps repeating his claim of having the best economy in decades.
When he was elected, gasoline where I live hovered at $2. His immediate attack on the energy industry caused it to stay around $3. Then, everyday needs such as groceries and household goods surged by leaps and bounds.
And what anti-gun bill passed that he said was saving lives? Just watch the news or read the paper. Violent crime is still a problem. Our southern border has been a fiasco. The withdrawal from Afghanistan was a total disaster.
These are just a few of the reasons he will be remembered as the worst president in modern times. We still need to pray for our country and better times.
Jimmie George, Farmersville
Flipping a quote
To paraphrase a famous saying by President John F. Kennedy: Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what you can do for me, Donald Trump.
T.P. O’Mahoney, Dallas
Carter’s Bibles were free
In 2005, the annual Jimmy Carter Habitat for Humanity home construction was in Detroit, and I participated. Nearly all the homes in an inner-city slum had been torn down, and we were building new homes.
On the last day, Jimmy Carter came down the street in a golf cart for the group photos at each home. He was running late, and I could see he had stopped at one of the original remaining homes and was handing out one of his books to the resident sitting on their front porch. I was irritated because our house was far from complete, and we were just standing around waiting for him. Later I learned Carter was handing out a Bible, not one of his books.
Carter is not the only president to distribute Bibles. Another president, the one who once said “I don’t need anybody’s money. It’s nice. I don’t need anybody’s money. I’m using my own money,” sells his Bibles for $59.99.
Paul Schultz, Fairview
Half-staff flag is displayed
The governor of Texas has ordered flags flown at full staff today, citing a federal statute that states: “The flag should be displayed on all days, especially… inauguration day . . .” (4 USC Ch. 1: THE FLAG, Section 6(d), Time and Occasions for Display).
But that is only part of the U.S. Code. Later, Section 7(m), position and manner of display, requires “The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President”
Displayed at half-staff is still displayed. Section 6 does not require flags be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day, it simply says displayed. And “shall” carries a little more force than “should.”
Please keep politics out of our respect for a former president.
Tom Boehmer, Richardson
Thanks for raising flag
Thank you to Gov. Greg Abbott for deciding to display the United States flag at full-staff for the presidential inauguration. The Dallas Morning News continues to spew divisiveness and letters disrespecting Abbott, President Donald Trump and patriotic Americans celebrating the inauguration.
I will be proudly, respectfully and patriotically flying my American flag at full-staff.
Donald Jones, Wylie
Too soon for fire blame
No matter what the tragedy — plane crashes, floods, tornadoes and most recently the Los Angeles fires — these are the questions typically asked: What could have been done differently? Who’s to blame? Were budget cuts a factor? And my least favorite question of all, “Knowing what you know now, (insert question here)?” As has been said, a maze is always easier to solve if you start at the end and work backward.
Certainly, in some instances (e.g., the police response in Uvalde), bungling and lack of leadership is a significant factor. But, for the LA fires, questions to local leaders regarding water pressure, LA Fire Department budget cuts, etc. are totally inappropriate.
Anyone who saw the apocalyptic wind-driven fires can easily see that the number of firefighters and water pressure issues were not factors in dealing with the primary issue — hurricane-force winds. This tragic fire is no place to play the blame game.
Rick Williams, Garland
Tweaks for college playoffs
The new college football playoff format is fantastic for sports lovers. Only two improvements are needed. The two quarterfinal games should be played on a Saturday instead of a Thursday and Friday for more viewership.
The second change is to play the two games during the day, instead of at 6:30 at night, when some fans are tired and sleepy.
So please tell me, do the great Dallas Morning News readers agree or disagree?
John Bell, Richardson
We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com
I am writing to express my support for Joe Biden as our next President of the United States. As a long-time public servant, Biden has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving the American people and bringing about positive change in our country. I believe that his experience, leadership, and dedication to uniting our nation make him the best candidate for the job.
I wanted to take a moment to commend former President Jimmy Carter for his recent efforts to promote peace and humanitarianism around the world. Despite his advanced age, Carter continues to be a shining example of selflessness and compassion. I admire his dedication to making the world a better place for all people.
I am writing to express my concern about the recent controversy surrounding the display of flags in our community. As a symbol of our nation’s values and freedoms, flags should be respected and displayed with pride. I urge all residents to come together and show respect for our flag, regardless of their political beliefs.
The devastating fires in Los Angeles have had a profound impact on our community. My heart goes out to all those affected by this tragedy, and I commend the brave firefighters and first responders who are working tirelessly to combat the flames. Let us come together as a community to support those in need and rebuild our city stronger than ever.
As college football season kicks off, I am reminded of the joy and camaraderie that this sport brings to fans across the country. Whether cheering for our favorite teams or enjoying tailgates with friends, college football has a way of bringing people together and creating lasting memories. Let’s all enjoy the season and support our teams with pride.
