Editor:

The U.S. federal budget is headed toward a sovereign debt crisis that threatens Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and national security. Interest payments on the debt are soaring exponentially and in a few years will consume the entire budget. So how did we get into this mess, and who is at fault? 

Article 1 of the constitution empowers Congress to enact all laws and appropriate all funds. For decades, except during the Clinton administration, Congress, from both parties, spent like drunken sailors pushing the National Debt to $37 trillion. So who’s to blame? We all are! We elected these bums and believed the nonsense that deficits don’t matter. We all got ourselves into this mess and the time has come to do something about it. Write, text, call, donate to your members of Congress and insist they fix the budget deficit and pass all 13 spending bills by Sept. 30 each year, or vote them all out.

Leo Eldredge
Chatham

Editor:

I just got an email from a friend in Belgium wanting to know what the hell is happening in America. All I could say to him was "be afraid, be very afraid of your country's and Europe's future relationship with my country.” It seems "Making America Great Again" involves a complete dissolution of our long-held partnerships with our European neighbors. Who knows what other countries we will demand possession of to "Make America Great Again." In our own country we are "Making America Great Again" at a breakneck speed leaving a lot of debris behind it.

We have an unelected immigrant from South Africa who made billions building cars as his sole qualification, firing thousands of federal career employees including the head and staff of a group of neurologists working on a deterrent to Alzheimer’s; the staff of the department that monitors nuclear activity; one thousand air traffic controllers; and park rangers that manage and protect our national parks. These are just a few of the thousands of newly unemployed Americans. Incidentally, for some reason this individual is also demanding access to our private information.

Evidently, "Making America Great Again" involves firing with no notice almost all of our military leadership and replacing them with sycophants. Almost all of the fired leaders were members of a minority group. Even though some women and minorities have been appointed, I wonder if "Making America Great Again" involves going back to a white male-dominated society.

What's next?

Joe Boro 
South Chatham

Editor:

"Four more years." Sounds like a prison sentence.

Enough said.

Mike Rice 
South Wellfleet 

Editor:

For most of my professional career, I've managed various business units in a high-tech Massachusetts company and had to deal with staff terminations from time to time. Although I always approached each person with kindness and understanding, it was a painful process for them and me. Now we see the world’s wealthiest person gleefully brandishing a chainsaw as he sets about the elimination of thousands of government jobs, damaging the lives of countless employees and other people at home and abroad. Drastic cuts to such organizations as USAID will likely lead to the deaths of children in some of the poorest nations on earth. All for doubtful and undemonstrated improvements in government efficiency. This cruel and bizarre behavior is thoroughly un-American and has got to stop! I urge all of our citizens — Republican, Democrat, Independent and everyone else — to contact their political leadership and demand a considerate, effective and accountable approach to the management of our government.

Erich Bender
Chatham

Editor:

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Solis for your generous donation and incredible work. Your hard work makes a big difference in our community. We would also like to give a special thanks to Martha Schiffner for her continuous donations. Due to her generosity, this helped us in many ways.

We are truly grateful, and thank you once again for everything you do!

Fainie and Victoria Jean Baptiste
Harwich

Editor:

My wife and I are longtime residents in Riverbay. I want to thank my friend John Whelan for a great article on the history of Riverbay. John captures the flavor of our community in his quote from Bob Dylan.

Bill and Beverly Cullinane
Chatham

Editor:

“Grass doesn't grow on a busy street.” 

That quote seemed to be the right way to open this discussion. Given the multitude of ways to landscape successfully and quite beautifully, it's OK to explore non-grass solutions to the entry to Chatham's Kate Gould Park. From finely sized hardwood mulches to peastone of varying textures and colors, there are many attractive solutions to this problem that don't involve a lawn. 

Once the ground space is covered, a small number of ornamental stone planters containing hardy shade-loving seasonal colorful plants could be placed in the area to add to the entry's appearance. The result can be practical, flexible, "walkable" and a beautiful way to enhance any activity at this Main Street entrance to the park.

Jack Davin
Upper Chichester, Pa.

Editor:

Someone needs to assure Ms. Patterson that the sky is not falling and that “everyone” is not complacent (“Change In Management Needed,” Feb. 27). She worries about the town not having enough water for the 200 affordable housing units planned over the next five years. She complains about excess free cash and how it will be spent. She questions new hires because “folks (presumably town staff) are not doing their jobs.”

In 2024, Chatham employed the ninth fewest full- and part-time town staff per capita on the Cape and about the same as three other Cape towns, so it appears that the hiring complained about is not inappropriate, especially in view of expected shortages of municipal workers, retirements and resignations. Ms. Patterson is mistaken that the five new full-time hires yield an 18.4 percent growth rate. The finance committee reported that rate for 25 full-time hires over six years for an average growth rate of 3.1 percent per year. 

Ms. Patterson complains about the level of town free cash, but the town will be asked to spend most of that free cash this year for needed projects, including upgrading the CFAL and transfer station, projects she characterizes as “pet projects.” She also suggests the expenditures are somehow nefarious because they will be by majority rather than a two-thirds vote. 

Ms. Patterson fears that building 200 affordable homes over the next five years will create water shortages. Those homes will increase Chatham’s population by about 600 persons. That’s only 2 percent of Chatham’s summertime population of 30,000 that the town supplies water for every year. If there is excessive summertime water use, residents of affordable housing are not the cause. Moreover, Chatham’s water department, select board and town manager have worked diligently to manage the town’s water resources sustainably, including implementing water conservation efforts, monitoring usage, and planning for long-term water sustainability and will continue to do so. See, e.g., the Feb. 28 Mainsheet.

George Myers
Venice, Fla.