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Okay folks, if you want to talk to your senators, now is the time to do it. Here's what I wrote:
Dear Senator:
Like you, my parents have been long dead. I'm wondering how they might view the country they left us now. I'm curious how you would explain Donald Trump and Matt Gaetz to them? Maybe you could explain Trump, but how could you explain Gaetz? And how would you explain your vote to confirm him for Attorney-General of the United States of America, should you chose to do that?
Jim Walters, Iowa City
“What we should focus on if he (Trump) wants to remove people is those that have been convicted felons, sexual assaults and so forth,” Senator Ernst was quoted as saying, presumably with a straight face. In other words, she’d support sending the president-elect into exile instead of back to the White House. Right?
Mike Wellman, Des Moines
A recent article in Vox summarized U.S. public health data on the spectacular annual decline of serious and often-fatal diseases after the introduction of vaccines in the early- to mid-1900s. (“The stunning success of vaccines in America, in one chart,” Vox, 11-19-24)
Annual measles cases pre-vaccine: 530,000; annual measles cases post-vaccine: 13.
Annual diphtheria cases pre-vaccine: 200,000; annual diphtheria cases post-vaccine: 0.
Annual rubella cases pre-vaccine: 48,000; annual rubella cases post-vaccine: 6.
Annual smallpox cases pre-vaccine: 29,000; annual smallpox cases post-vaccine: 0.
Annual polio cases pre-vaccine: 16,000; annual polio cases post-vaccine: 0.
Smallpox has a 30% fatality rate. Thousands died of measles every year. Diphtheria killed 1,800 people annually.
During the past many decades vaccines have been required in schools, and that is why the diseases have disappeared.
President-elect Trump has said he will end federal funding of schools that make vaccines mandatory. Big mistake Mr. President-Elect.
Kimball Shinkoskey, Woods Cross, Utah
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