Re: “City Council considers whether to keep cams taking photos of license plates,” April 7 news story

It’s a reminder of why I love Denver and Colorado. Denver City Council is debating keeping a license plate recognition program that has proven successful at identifying stolen cars driving past and, by extension, catching the “suspects” driving them.

Why the pause by the Council? Privacy concerns! Balancing the greater good with individual freedoms is government operating at its best.

One only has to observe our current national government grabbing people off the streets and, without “due process,” but for simply expediency, shipping them off to a hellhole prison in El Salvador.

It’s comforting to know someone still cares for the rule of law.

Harry Puncec, Lakewood

A violation of American values

Re: “Federal government detains international student at Tufts,” March 27 news story

Watching the video of Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old Turkish student working on a Ph.D., is pretty sickening, especially since it is occurring in the United States.  First of all, we keep hearing the lie that the administration is only deporting violent criminals. Then we have masked people who claim they are with law enforcement, grab her and handcuff her, and apparently cart her off to Louisiana. She did have a visa allowing her to study in the U.S., which the president’s administration apparently revoked and shipped her to Louisiana. Unlike these agents, Hitler’s SS did not bother wearing masks.

One story is that she spoke up and was against the killing of thousands of innocent women and children in Palestinian territories. Target Hamas? Yes. Slaughtering innocents? We all should be against.

I guess this is a way that President Donald Trump wants to keep people from traveling to the U.S. and spending dollars here. But America, it is not. It is evil and corrupt, in this 83-year-old’s opinion.

Wayne Wathen, Centennial

Work hard, pay taxes, get deported

Re: “Internal Revenue Service will send immigrant tax data to ICE enforcement,” April 9 news story

To Make America Great Again, the IRS will give the tax returns of immigrants who work and pay their taxes to Homeland Security so they can target and deport undocumented immigrants who work in America and pay their taxes. Why not? Makes about as much sense as the Trump tariffs scheme.

Jeffrey Stroh, Denver

Biden’s brag about job creation

I remember when former President Joe Biden boasted about the increase in employment each month. Nobody ever complained that many of those jobs were unneeded government jobs. Now everybody is complaining about the reduction in government jobs, especially the provisional workers who have been employed less than two years – the same two years Biden boasted about rising employment. The chickens have come home to roost.

Jim Lloyd, Lakewood

Shouldn’t we taxpayers be team owners too?

Re: “NWSL stadium: Denver to kick in up to $70M,” April 10 news story

So now, after the National Women’s Soccer League team owners have announced that they will bring a new team to Denver and have sold season tickets, the taxpayers of the city find out that they should kick in $70 million dollars to make this work. Why do cities keep doing this?

Private capital came up with $110 million to pay the fee for the NWSL expansion franchise. If Denver adds $70 million to the pot, then why should the city not own 39% of the team?

Professional sports have become a money spinner for team owners in America. Nonetheless, the taxpayers of Denver are being asked to put their money at risk with no reward for any upside.  Would you give someone 39% of the capital needed to start a new business without any ownership rights in the enterprise? So why should the taxpayers of Denver do this for the new NWSL team owners?

Guy Wroble, Denver

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Re: “Lower Arkansas Valley: Clash over water,” April 6 news story

While visiting a local business the other day in Rocky Ford, I noticed the headline in the local paper about another attempted water grab in the Lower Arkansas Valley by Colorado Springs. I am a fifth-generation farmer, and we have agricultural interests in Kansas and Colorado, including in the valley.

For anyone unaware of the consequences of these water grabs, it would be timely to take a drive through Ordway, Las Animas, or other locations in the valley. There you can see the impact of the greed of cities and developers.

The reality is that the cities and the developers operate on the assumption that there is a God-given right to develop. Last Sunday, there were also articles about the massive growth around DIA and the need to widen Peña Boulevard to handle the higher volumes of traffic. Really? The fact is that we are dealing with finite resources, and there are limits to growth.

I am fully aware of the water savings technology that is in use in agriculture, and there are multiple ways in which that technology can and should be used in urban settings. But when we have unaccountable bureaucrats who have no incentive to conserve, the result is bound to be bad.

Until there are some honest conversations and leadership at all levels of government in Colorado about the limits to growth that are tied to finite water resources, the conversations about saving the Colorado River and other water sources are just for show.

Ben Palen, Denver

I’m pretty sure they teach the basics of supply and demand in business 101. But just in case the people in charge of these decisions skipped that class, let’s review. There’s no question the Front Range needs water to continue to develop. That’s the demand side.

The problem is the search for new water sources in areas that don’t have water to spare. We don’t need to duplicate the actions of Los Angeles that turned the Owens Valley into a desert, with the same outcome for the Arkansas River Valley in Colorado. How about a different approach? Look to obtain new sources of water from areas that have a surplus of water.

The Missouri River and Mississippi River basins flood with regularity almost every year. This would be the supply side of the equation. Why not run a pipeline to the Front Range? It seems feasible that they could run a pipeline that would parallel existing oil pipelines. They could also utilize solar, wind and backup generators to run the pumps.

The immediate argument is that we can’t; it’s too expensive. Yes, it is expensive, but can’t never got anything done. Los Angeles proved that water runs uphill to money, and the money is there. It’s there in the form of insurance settlements to pay for all the damage the flooding does every year to that region. It would require reallocating how the money gets spent. It would require a functioning federal government. It would require political willpower. The issue isn’t the short supply of water; it’s the short supply of imagination.

Mike L. Keith, Gunnison

Commuter rail is Front Range issue to solve

Re: “Still waiting: Endless barriers prevent start of construction on train from Pueblo to Fort Collins,” April 6 commentary

Please name the fast-growing cities in the United States that do not have traffic problems. They are everywhere.

Predictability in transit times is important for economic efficiency. Given the unpredictable nature of metropolitan road traffic, there is a significant opportunity to improve economic efficiency through improved transit.

NIMBYs, however, don’t want to share the burden. Nor do environmentalists. Further, there is no consensus on the ideal solution. Is it light rail, subway, more highway lanes, blimps or a partridge in a pear tree?

Most importantly, there is no money — not local, not federal. The federal government’s debt level must be reduced. It cannot borrow funds to solve traffic frustration.

What is the solution? Colorado residents must pay for the improvements in transit. If Coloradans are frustrated by the lack of a solution, I suggest they buy a mirror.

Every people has the government it deserves.

Michael Canon, Denver

I wholeheartedly agree with the content of Sofia Joucovsky’s commentary. Sadly, our country now lags behind both European and Asian countries in passenger rail infrastructure. Dispersed population centers like those that exist on the Front Range could easily upgrade the system in a simple, linear way.

Peter Ewing, Pueblo

Looking for better ways to get to the airport

Re: “For $15 million, look at all Peña Blvd alternatives,” April 6 editorial

I hope the Peak Consulting Study finds a way to understand who’s using the road and why, which will probably include understanding where the person is traveling to and from. I live near 13th Avenue and Holly Street. The A Line is not close. I’d have to drive there or hire a driver, then still pay the $10 ticket and wait for the train.

I like the idea that drivers could go to E-470, but if most people are coming from the west of the airport, why would they go east? No matter how much traffic I’ve seen on Google Maps when I’m leaving the airport, it has not once told me to take E-470.

The article mentioned the expansion of lanes by the airport, which has always puzzled me. I’ve only been here for six years, so maybe before that, the last mile before the airport had bad traffic? All of that roadwork planning missed the mark on how fast the area was growing residentially. It feels like everyone is scratching their head as to why there are more people on the road.

I lived for years in New York City, and I loved its public transportation options, but that’s not feasible for Denver at this point. We need to think about more futuristic options, like self-driving vehicles with a dedicated lane, because asking me to take a train, then a bus, then walk doesn’t seem like the future.

Lauren Jenkins, Denver

Denver City Council doesn’t need to spend $15 million on a study; rather, look at what the Washington D.C. metro area did in the 1980s. As the area around the Dulles International Airport grew, the Dulles Airport Access Highway became clogged not as much with airport traffic as with travelers going to homes, shops, and restaurants between the Beltway (Interstate 495) and the airport. Does this sound familiar? It should, because that is what is happening between Interstate 70 and DIA. This is due to all of the development around the airport. I would venture to say much of the traffic on Peña Boulevard never even goes to the airport.

The solution for Dulles and the surrounding area was simple: Build local access roads to serve travelers who did not have business at the airport and restrict the Airport Access Highway to airport business traffic only. Having traveled in and out of the area since the late ’70s, I can tell you that this has worked and continues to work for the airport and surrounding area.

There seems to be plenty of land around Peña Boulevard. Building traffic lanes for local businesses and housing in the area and keeping non-airport off of Peña makes sense.

Calvin T. Switzer II, Castle Rock

I offer a far less expensive and disruptive alternative not mentioned in the article. Recently, I read a second cell phone lot was being considered. For the new cell phone lot, why not have a continuous loop of shuttle buses?

Departing passengers could be dropped off at the lot, transported to the terminal, and the same bus could bring arriving passengers back to the lot to be picked up. This would not only reduce traffic on Peña Boulevard but also reduce traffic congestion at the airport. RTD could run the service, charge a fee of maybe $2.00 per trip and maybe show a profit.

Attention City Council: I offer this alternative and will accept far less than $15 million.

Steve Nash, Centennial

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Re: “Under bill, gas stations would have to post climate warnings,” April 3 news story

House Bill 1277 (which requires stickers on all gas pumps in Colorado alerting consumers about the negatives of fossil fuel) is an asinine misuse of the Colorado State Senate’s time. I’m guessing little tikes riding tricycles know, at least, that much.

Rep. Ron Weinberg is right in saying that it is an insult to our intelligence.

Moreover, requiring the Colorado Attorney General’s Office to be involved in investigating compliance on something so ridiculous would be yet another asinine misuse of time. The sponsors of this harebrained bill should take some time to learn what real public policy is and attend to that.

Nan Young, Denver

As a physician trained in public health care and a pediatrician living and practicing in Denver, I treat children who live in some of the most polluted zip codes in the country. I can tell you firsthand that the burning of fossil fuels is making them sick. Children are especially vulnerable to pollution-related illnesses like asthma and increased respiratory infections, which can have lifelong impacts, especially as we experience more days of extreme heat.

In light of this health threat, HB 1277, a bill moving through the Colorado legislature requiring warning labels on fuel products, is a viable and necessary public health strategy. We know from history that putting warning labels on tobacco products shaped consumer behavior and was key in advancing tobacco policies that continue to save lives. It is time to take similar action on fossil fuels.

My patients, their families, and all Coloradans have a right to know how the products they are using are impacting their health.

Clare Burchenal, Denver

Party discipline hurts our country

Re: “Congress began ceding power to presidents long before Trump,” April 7 commentary

In his commentary, David Drucker correctly observes that strict party discipline means the U.S. government functions like a parliamentary system, without checks and balances, when the president’s party controls Congress. Parliamentary systems have a check on an out-of-control executive when the electorate is closely divided; changing a few votes in the legislature can force an early election and bring down the government. That is not a feasible option with our fixed terms of office.

We would be better off with less party discipline or a parliamentary system.

Paul Lingenfelter, Denver

Student-athletes deserve fulfillment of education

Re: “The term ‘student-athlete’ is a lie that must die with House Bill 1041,” April 5 commentary and “Bring back the amateur athletes,” April 5 letter to the editor

Jim Martin and the letter writer did not mention an important fact about student-athletes: if they are injured enough to be unable to compete anymore, their scholarships are gone. Unless they also have an academic scholarship, they are on their own. They will have to return home without an education, with a potential lifetime injury.

The perks they may have received as a sports hero are gone; they might have some extended medical care related to the injury, but no way to support themselves. If they were close to graduation, they might be able to get their degree if they planned ahead. Maybe if they were good enough, they could get a position back home as a school coach. Otherwise, many former student-athletes are limping along without a way to make a living.

At the very least, student-athletes should be guaranteed an education if they are injured while fulfilling their obligations to the school.

Beth Heinrich, Colorado Springs

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Re: “New leadership: The Republican Party’s big tent returns to Colorado,” April 6 commentary

I appreciate Brita Horn’s wish to open up the Republican tent to new members. I was one for the first 20 years of my voting life. I am now an unaffiliated voter.

If she really wants me to rejoin the party, she and her fellow Republicans must recognize that when elected to Congress, a new member takes an oath, stating, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic …”

I believe President Ronald Reagan was wrong in stating that Republicans shouldn’t speak ill of fellow Republicans. Any politician who feels they owe more to their party than to the Constitution should not be in office. A Republican or Democrat who refuses to call out members of their party who are not abiding by the Constitution is violating their oath of office. Any politician who refuses to abide by the Constitution is a domestic enemy of our country.

There is nothing in the above oath about supporting a political party. If Horn wants me and the more than 40% of unaffiliated voters in Colorado to join her party, it must demonstrate that its elected officials will abide by their oath and call out any politician (of any party) that is ignoring the Constitution.

Wayne Patton, Salida

Having attended the “Hands Off” rally in Durango on Saturday, April 5, this unaffiliated voter became more progressive than ever. What may have been true about unaffiliated voters leaning conservative in the past, I believe, is no longer the case.

Until Republican office-seekers can truly condemn the current administration’s rape and pillage of our democratic republic, voters like me will vote the other way. Republicans seeking election or re-election will hang on to the coattails of their almighty leader because that is the only way they will get the party nomination from their constituents.

The “big tent” cannot be big enough! Until the current president, with his crusade to limit government services, is no longer in office, Horn’s words of inclusion ring hollow. This is demonstrated by the dismantling of government agencies that were created to help people in need: the poor, the disabled and veterans who served our country.

Horn’s commentary was very well written, and I may have been persuaded to vote Republican before President Donald Trump and his theatrics. But the “big tent” idea is too little, too late!

Cory D. Wheeler, Durango

At least Brita Horn admits that the party does not, and has not, had a big tent. The Republican Party used to promise it regularly but then continued to move further and further to the right. Look where we are now. I wonder if people will fall for this “big tent” trope again?

Marianne E. Duer, Parker

I was happy to read Brita Horn’s commentary. Republicans who can reach across party divides by allowing for all voices within the more conservative spectrum can help meet the need for balance in our state’s political life.

As a pro-life Democrat, I would like to see a similar expansion of the Democratic tent to include those who see that life does not start in the delivery room and yet also recognize the right of a woman to safeguard her own bodily integrity.

It doesn’t stop there. As Horn has shown, there is room for reasonable discussion on all the topics that face and so often divide us.

So many of the tenets held by the Democratic Party — equal economic opportunity, robust social safety net,  public education, respect for human rights, and an attitude of cooperation towards allies and trading partners— can be promoted and implemented in ways that respect legitimate concerns of those on the more conservative side of our population.

Having two parties that complement rather than oppose one another would give us all an opportunity to make more reasoned judgments in our choices as voters, in place of the nose-holding-lesser-of-two-evils ones we’ve had in the recent past.

Let’s have less “either/or” and more “both/and” in our political process.

Frances Rossi, Denver

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It continues to alarm me that opponents of the Worker Protection Act  (that would overturn the Labor Peace Act) use the union shop argument as a false defense of workers’ rights. Compelling union membership vs. open shop contracts is an important discussion, but the existing Colorado Labor Peace Act is designed to stop union organizing and nothing more.  They are fully aware of this because they are the same people who oppose open-shop unions as well.

The Labor Peace Act curtails freedom of association for thousands of people who want to improve their lives. It is not just about money. The right to organize is about public safety, work schedules and appeal rights. In short, it is about due process of law. People who truly believe in freedom of speech and association could modify this bill to mandate strong open-shop contacts, but they choose to label anything they disagree with as extreme or overregulation — especially labor law, considered by many as “anti-business” which is a death knell that has helped turn the two-party system into a smoldering mess.

Looking at the big picture, I think the fedearl DOGE and the Colorado Labor Peace Act resemble a perfect recipe for escalating class warfare. Colorado is a blue state. I hope Gov. Jared Polis listens to Sen. Bernie Sanders on this one (but not on everything).

Tim Allport, Arvada

Please stop the whining

That ubiquitous sound coming to your neighborhood soon is not from beautiful songbirds or children’s distant voices on the playground. No, it’s the piercing whine of the annoying gas leaf blower.

Their use, especially by lawn service companies, seems to be growing by the yard. Is it really necessary to move every grass clipping and every dry leaf off your hardscapes? This noise pollution interrupts our relaxing moments, cozy chats and the peace we all deserve.

The noise level of a gas leaf blower with its two-stroke engine can reach up to 100 decibels. So, if you have to blow, choose battery-powered over gas-powered. Or just get out the broom!

T. Allen, Littleton

Medical debt should remain off credit reports

Re: “Lawmakers urged to increase consumer protection,” March 20 news story

The former general counsel for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently briefed Colorado’s Judiciary committees.

One CFPB action that our congressional delegation should work to protect is the rule that prohibits credit reporting companies like Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian from sharing medical debt information with lenders, which then gets used in calculating credit scores.

Medical debt is not like other kinds of consumer debt and should be treated differently.

Often medical debt is unavoidable — people get sick and suddenly face large medical bills, which can take months to pay off. However, if they can’t pay it off within 90 days of receiving the medical bill, their credit score gets dinged.

Even worse, medical bills sometimes have errors, which take time to fight. Complaints from people about debt collection attempts on medical bills that were not owed increased by 31% from 2018 to 2021. People shouldn’t feel pressured to pay a bill they don’t owe just to protect their credit score.

Under the CFPB rule, people still owe legitimate medical bills. But that debt would not factor into their credit reports.

This is something the Colorado legislature has also tackled in a bipartisan fashion. Our federal representatives should protect the medical debt rule. Let’s let families recovering from health issues get back on their feet medically as well as financially.

Danny Katz, Denver

Editor’s note: Katz is executive Director at CoPIRG.

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Re: “Widening of Peña gets green light for study phase,” April 2 news story

Do we really need to spend $15 million over five years to study the traffic on Peña Boulevard? It’s obvious to anyone who regularly goes to the airport that a growing airport and rapid development of the land east of Peña combine for constant and worsening traffic jams. It also appears fairly obvious that Peña was originally designed to be expanded with adequate room already in place for an additional lane in each direction.

Light rail only works if frequency, security, and reliability are improved, but even then, it’s only a partial solution for those who happen to live near a light rail station. To think others spread across the Front Range will commute to a light rail station and then take a lengthy connecting trip to the airport (2-3 times longer than taking an Uber) defies common sense. Further, the continued growth in the vicinity of the airport will drive the need for more capacity on Peña regardless of improvements to light rail.

How about we save the $15 million and get started now on what’s obviously needed. No study necessary. Alternatively, Peña becomes a nightmare before our city leaders realize it must be expanded. Why not be proactive in order to best serve area residents with efficient access to our constantly growing “world-class” airport?

Larry Harmsen, Englewood

While RTD struggles with low ridership, Denver City Council is looking into widening Peña Boulevard. This will just encourage more people to take their cars to the airport.

RTD must step up its game. Two experiences in the last month illustrate RTD’s need for passenger-focused management:

A colleague recently started his trip by going to Union Station to catch the A Line train to DIA. However, it wasn’t running from Union Station that weekday. Why not? He had to take a costly Uber to the airport to make his flight.

Last week, I rode the A Line from DIA. It took close to an hour for the train to reach my stop at 40th & Colorado. On the straightaway along Peña Boulevard, the train rolled at 5-10 mph, then parked. No obstacles, no station, no announcement to passengers about the cause for the delay. We rolled slowly again. Stopped again. Rolled slowly. I could have bicycled faster!

To get people out of cars, public transportation has to be reliable, safe, and efficient. When there’s a delay, communicate to the passengers. It’s not rocket science, folks. Get your act together!

Nancy B. Weil, Denver

The McNichols building is a “superb setting” for exhibit

Re: “Colorado different,” March 30 feature story

As a photographer currently in the “Colorado Perspectives: Visions in Photography” exhibition at the City and County of Denver’s McNichols Building in Civic Center, I respectfully disagree with Ray Mark Rinaldi’s criticism of the venue.

The “cavernous” exhibition space serves as a superb setting for showcasing art, allowing the art to speak for itself without visual distractions interrupting your gaze. While Rinaldi criticizes the “too high ceilings,” “impossible” lighting, and walls “interrupted by windows, columns and emergency exits,” I relish what the room has to offer: immense walls that permit exceptional placement of individual pieces and groupings without being mashed together; spotlights that both beautifully highlight and isolate the works by directing your attention immediately to the art; and ample space to step back and appreciate the large scale of the show in its entirety (and not bump into other guests holding drinks).

The space allows you to immerse yourself in one style or genre of photograph(s) and smoothly glide to the next with no physical obstructions or metaphysical encroachment — savoring one delightful visual morsel at a time.

Too few private galleries can afford such huge square footage due to the cost. Aside from the enormous variety of works (which is wonderfully broad), this exhibition is among the best I’ve seen, largely because of its location!

Howard M. Paul, Denver

Appreciate the benefits of HOAs

Re: “Lawmakers work to protect homeowners from dubious HOAs,” March 30 commentary

When Krista Kafer says she will never purchase a home in an HOA covenant-maintained neighborhood, then that is her right and I respect that decision. I don’t, however, respect the decision of people who buy a home with covenant controls and won’t abide by those rules through lack of knowledge, ignorance or outright unwillingness to follow the rules that are in place and approved by all the other members of the neighborhood.

No one forced anyone to buy a home in an HOA neighborhood. Krista only hears from those owners who fall into one of those three categories, never from the owners who are completely happy that they have someone caring about the upkeep, the maintenance, the property values or a dozen other things that make a great place to live.

As far as the charges about liens and auctioning of homes, those are all a result of one thing: not following the rules the owner agreed to at purchase. You break the rules, you get fined; you don’t pay the fine, and there are consequences. And when you don’t pay the fine for a long period of time, you know what happens — the same thing that would happen if you didn’t make your car payments. The reason why 2.7 million Coloradans live in HOAs is clearly obvious. Bad neighbors are the ones complaining.

Ralph Shepherd, Lakewood

El Salvador prison stocked with victims or criminals?

Re: “A hellscape,” March 30 commentary

The Denver Post and so many weak-minded people lament criminal illegals (there I go again, repeating myself) being deported and their subsequent presence in an El Salvador prison. Why don’t the news media and bleeding hearts care more about the victims of the criminals (e.g., MS-13 and TdA) than the ones who committed the crimes?  It seems that in some circles, perpetrators have more value than victims.

Richard D VanOrsdale, Broomfield

For the first time since Inauguration Day, the Trump administration has admitted that it made a mistake, when a Maryland father from El Salvador was deported and sent to that mega (MAGA) prison. Unfortunately, it can’t return him because he’s now in Salvadoran custody.

Oops.

But you know what? A few innocent people are just going to have to pay the price of the  administration’s recklessness, but who cares? This whole deportation thing will go away, and there will be something else — worse — that will take its place.

“U.S. military invades Greenland.”

Craig Marshall Smih, Highlands Ranch

Let’s look at what Trump really has said and done about immigrants

Re: “Jeanette Vizguerra’s detention mocks ICE’s important work,” March 23 editorial;

The editorial claims that since President Donald Trump “first launched a bid for president in 2015, (he) has intentionally painted all illegal immigrants as dangerous criminals.” What Trump said in 2015 was that many illegals were violent criminals, but he assumed many were good people.

The editorial states that Vizguerra has repeatedly been granted stays of deportation. Yes, she also re-entered the U.S. illegally after leaving voluntarily, which voided one of her stays, and she is under a final deportation order, according to ICE.

Democrats have failed to support securing the border, and there is no need for immigration reform, only for enforcing existing immigration law. By doing this, the Trump administration has effectively secured the border in two months. Republicans favor legal and controlled immigration, not rewarding those who entered illegally with legal status or rights.

The editorial notes that Vizguerra pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in 2009 for possessing a fake Social Security card. What the editorial didn’t say is that possession of a fake Social Security card is a felony. Another news source has indicated that she was stopped for speeding in 2008 and also charged with having no driver’s license or proof of insurance. It was in 2009 during a second traffic stop for expired tags, when officers found the fake Social Security card. She was originally charged with felony counts for identity theft and forgery but was apparently given leniency when she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for attempted use of false documents. This conviction was the cause of her deportation order.

Steve Lloyd, Cheyenne

In defense of Aurora

I am a Colorado native and have lived in Aurora for half my life. As everyone but the president acknowledges, we are not being overrun by Venezuelan (or far more prolific – American) gangs.

Aurora is a brilliantly diverse community, with over 100 languages spoken in our city. There are definitely pockets of crime, as are present in any large city, but hello? Have you been to Murphy Creek, Blackstone, the Aurora Highlands, Southshore or any of our other perfectly pristine suburban neighborhoods? Wake up! Aurora is home to the Cherry Creek School District, one of the top school districts in the nation. My daughter is a proud product of CCSD, and is now a teacher in the district, giving back to her community by supporting student groups committed to honoring all learners. However, they have to reevaluate their approach to making all students feel welcome, and with the dismantling of the Department of Education, those who have learning differences/disabilities are about to suffer greatly.

I have worked on the Anschutz Medical Campus for over a decade, serving people from around the region and the country. The University of Colorado School of Medicine is a “top tier research institution,” but we are facing numerous cancellations of research grants and contracts that will adversely impact the health of untold numbers of patients, never mind impacting employment and the Colorado economy.

Make no mistake. The single biggest threat to Aurora and Colorado’s way of life is Donald Trump.

Deanna Schroder, Aurora

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Re: “It’s about ideology, not oligarchy,” March 30 commentary

Ross Douthat states that the misuse of “oligarchy” by Sen. Bernie Sanders creates a vision of Trumpism as a vision of billionaires calling the shots. He correctly notes that many Trump agenda items are not those of the oligarchs.

What he ignores is that any coherent “ideology” of Donald Trump is contained in Project 2025, which is his model for assuming power.

Project 2025 is explicitly derived from the processes used by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to subvert his country’s democracy and by Russian leader Vladimir Putin to subvert the inchoate democratic movement after the fall of the Soviet Union. The oligarchs in Hungary and Russia support the dictatorship with their monetary gains in return for being allowed to remain billionaires. The dictator calls the shots.

According to former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, seven oligarchs contributed a total of $1 billion to elect Trump and other Republicans. Elon Musk contributed millions to the key Wisconsin Supreme Court election. Musk, Jeff Bezos, Rupert Murdoch and Mark Zuckerberg support Trump on their mega-platforms.

Again, according to Reich, Trump supporters add to his riches through his cryptocurrencies. Douthat is right, except that the “ideology” of Trumpism should be called “kleptocracy.”

David Schroeder, Arvada

America is worth staying and fighting for

Re: ” ‘I don’t get why anyone would want to stay,’ ” March 9 news story

First, there was the article “I don’t understand why anyone would want to stay” about moving out of the U.S. because of the country’s political direction.

Then, there were the follow-up letters concerning the moves abroad – other countries are also having their problems, etc.

What amazes and distresses me is that I have seen no letters stating my instant, gut reaction when I read the “don’t understand why anyone would want to stay” article:

Because America is worth fighting for – for our future and the future country in which our grandchildren will live.

America has been a beacon of light to the world. That light is dimming. We need to stay and get that light shining again.

I never saw this country as a nation of quitters.

Alvina Mabry, Golden

The playbook to promote division

In what may be the lowest of lows in spreading inflammatory disinformation, Rep. Lauren Boebert, CD-4, issued a press release on April 1 in which she asserted that “Members of the Democrat [sic] Party have made calls for their supporters to incite and engage in domestic terrorism by attacking Tesla vehicles and facilities to protest Elon Musk.” This is utterly defamatory and beyond the bounds of civil political discourse, but it fits with the playbook of the Trump administration and Rep. Boebert’s efforts to create a false narrative promoting division and hostility within our society for their own political ends.

Ralph Roberts, Littleton

Journalist rightfully honored

I wish to offer my sincere congratulations to Sam Tabachnik for the honor of Journalist of the Year, Denver Post reporter, selected by the Colorado Society of Professional Journalists. He is an excellent researcher and writer. You must be very proud to have him on your staff. I anticipate reading his important articles in the Denver Post.

Victoria Swearingen, Denver

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Re: “Speaker’s effort to block proxy voting rejected,” April 2 news story

I find it painfully ironic that the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, is so outspoken and combatively negative on the topic of allowing new parents in Congress the limited right to vote by proxy. That should be given an easy pass.

The Republican Party proudly touts its adherence to “family values,” however, with a few brave enough to defy the party’s stand, it is once more rejecting any bipartisan proposal, no matter what. The excuse given by Johnson, the third most important person in the government, is “I believe it violates more than two centuries of tradition and institution.” He needs to listen to himself and focus on the innumerable glaring overreaches and defiant unconstitutional executive orders, mindless firings of qualified workers by his self-appointed minions, and constant shows of obsessive self-promoting narcissism by our commander in chief.

When will this defiance of the Constitution and common sense end?

“Liberation Day” will not be when announced by — and when all powers are absorbed by — the executive branch; it will be when we are again governed by people who are elected to work for the people and the nation — and not themselves.

Eric M. Hanson, Broomfield

Boebert’s “telephone town hall” a one-way call

I attended Rep. Lauren Boebert’s “telephone town hall” last night. Rather than being anything that resembled democracy, it was merely a forum for Boebert to practice reading her briefing books without any real interaction with voters.

Boebert started by droning on for 10 minutes about every cultural issue in MAGA’s agenda. Her playbook says that presenting cultural issues will insulate her and her MAGA colleagues from legitimate criticism. It will not.

I reckon that very few of the 8,000 attendees were there in support of Trump administration policies. The town hall was so well-attended because many people oppose Trump’s systematic dismantling of our democracy. A casual listener (or a casual member of the House of Representatives) might not sense the opposition that existed in Boebert’s town hall, but that is because she designed it that way. There was zero opportunity for follow-up or comment because she knew what such follow-up and comment would sound like.

Boebert opined, “We are winning big, y’all.” What planet is she living on? The framers of the Constitution built an amazing system, supported by ideas of federalism. One of the foundations of our federal government is that the work of a bicameral legislature must be approved by a president for something to become the law of the land. Well, “winning big y’all” has already included many instances of one person single-handedly eradicating the law of the land. That doesn’t sound like a republic to me, or like “winning big.”

Erik Kerzee, Littleton

Violating the Social Security promise

Social Security isn’t a handout — it’s a promise that millions of us older Americans have paid into with every paycheck. This administration is dismantling an essential program, closing offices, cutting hotlines, and spreading misinformation to justify these attacks. As elders, we deserve dignity, not broken promises.

This is insane. For half of Americans, Social Security represents half their income. For a great many of our friends and neighbors, it’s all they’ve got.

Robert Renfro, Denver

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Re: “$148 caviar-stuffed crepe,” March 28 feature story

I think this is the first time a story in the Life & Culture pages has made me want to write to the opinion pages. As I work at the local food pantry, trying to help food-insecure people supplement their weekly grocery purchases, it is good to know the A-lister, 1% is enjoying a $148 caviar-infused morsel.

The 1% can all thank President Donald Trump and his huge tax cuts for rich people for making this possible. I guess the rich should also thank the poor who may have to sacrifice their SNAP benefits and Medicaid to support the ongoing tax cuts. I know none of the rich folk give a damn about the suffering of others. So, with that in mind, please enjoy your snack.

Kevin Donahue, Idaho Springs

Trump is weaponizing persecution, Colorado Dems shouldn’t follow along

Re: “Pro/Con: Should Gov. Polis grant Tina Peters Clemency?” March 23 commentaries

I don’t always agree with Krista Kafer, but I find it encouraging that she and some other conservatives choose to retain their ethics and intellectual integrity and shun the new right. And what a nauseating display of blind partisanship by Mike Davis. He makes Tina Peters sound like a well-intentioned Girl Scout who made an inadvertent miscalculation. She was convicted of multiple felonies.

No, Mike, Trump does not champion the ending of weaponized prosecution. During the election, he was quite up-front about his eagerness to retaliate against his enemies, and he’s always been open about his wish to jail Liz Cheney and her fellow Jan. 6 committee members. The Trump administration will stand firmly in contrast to the culture of the Garland DOJ that energetically prosecuted the Jan. 6 goons but also cut no slack to Hunter Biden.

Mesa County District Judge Matthew Barrett is not unlike other judges. He takes into account the odious nature of a case. And there can’t be a more odious public servant than one who violates the sacred public trust.

A sad sight. Davis and his once honorable party are now apologists. One can only hope that nothing will interfere with this charlatan remaining ensconced in her new home for the full nine years. We’ll see.

Scott Newell, Denver

The nightmare continues

So here we are a little over two months into the new administration’s term. President Donald Trump’s whiplash approach to tariffs has caused severe damage to the economy and stock market while obliterating consumer confidence; we’ve rounded up only a fraction of the promised millions of deportations; we’ve got a leader of Health and Human Services that doesn’t believe in fundamental science while measles escalates; we’ve alienated and angered virtually every country on the planet; he’s violated virtually every tenet of our treasured Constitution, and the list goes on …

It will be interesting to see if he can find even the $300 billion in savings that would be needed to cover the interest expense on the roughly $8 trillion of debt that grew during his previous term, let alone reduce the deficit.

And now we read that Trump is suggesting that he run for a third term. Perhaps he ought to consider putting some points on the board before taking that step. When will we wake up from this nightmare?

R. Cole, Denver

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Re: “Transit advocates push $4.2 billion plan,” March 26 news story

Having been involved in transportation projects most of my architectural career, I have had the opportunity to experience public transportation throughout the world. I believe that makes me qualified to criticize the conclusion that ridership will improve if frequency of service improves.

That is just throwing good money down the drain.

If something does not work, it can’t be solved by doing more of it. Ridership is down because nobody is riding! Ridership doesn’t improve when the length of the trip is so much longer than driving. And because urban sprawl is ubiquitous, it is impossible for bus and rail transit to serve the countless destinations throughout the metro area conveniently.

Transit in Denver worked better when downtown workers were back in the office, but with remote work, there are just not enough employees going downtown. And ridership in the suburbs has never increased because it is impossible to get every trip close to the rider’s final destination.

The other problem is parking costs. Until parking becomes more difficult and more costly, transit will be viewed as the last choice.

Lastly, transit is perceived to be unsafe. Whether this is perception or reality, RTD must improve its reputation as a safe alternative. COVID-19 did not help because the public became adverse to crowded spaces, and transit has not overcome this problem.

The bottom line is that ridership won’t improve simply by increasing frequency. If nobody is riding, having more frequent empty buses is not solving anything.

Richard von Luhrte, Denver

Don’t eliminate developers’ parking requirements

As a citizen advocating for livable streets, I am concerned that Denver is rushing to eliminate minimum parking requirements citywide. The city’s so-called “Modernizing Parking Requirements” plan is framed as a win for affordability and sustainability, but the fine print tells a different story.

The city’s background report relies heavily on selective data and glowing anecdotes from other cities while overlooking the real community impacts, including overflow parking in neighborhoods, reduced accessibility for working families and seniors, and the potential for developer abuse. It assumes that developers will “do the right thing” without parking mandates. But when was the last time that happened without strong community protections?

This change applies even in areas with little or no reliable transit — yet the city dismisses concerns about car-dependent households. Meanwhile, the plan leans on “market-based” solutions, putting profits over people.

I’m not against growth. I support smart, balanced development. But that must include safeguards to ensure residents aren’t left circling the block for parking — or left behind entirely.

Let’s build a Denver that works for everyone. Don’t eliminate minimum parking requirements solely to make life easier for developers.

David Scarbeary, Denver

 People who want to leave the U.S. have a reason

Re: “Fleeing politics: The irony of moving abroad,” March 23 letter to the editor

I was gobsmacked at the bizarre assumptions of the letter writer who thought a woman leaving the United States for political reasons was simply intolerant of diverse opinions. Sir, leaving the U.S. at this point isn’t about uncomfortable dinner parties. The Trump administration is flagrantly defying Constitutional order in countless directions, rounding up citizens for protected speech, ignoring court orders, dismantling veterans services, establishing political alignment within the armed forces, pardoning Jan. 6 rioters, politicizing “justice” writ large, and the list goes on.

Many of these moves are reminiscent of those of Hitler, and I do not use that comparison lightly.

For those of us who read widely, it is hard not to ask ourselves how bad it might get here in terms of political violence and war. I’m sorry, sir, but this isn’t about political conversations. It’s about the future of our families and lives. If you’re not worried, you’re not paying attention.

Abby Person, Denver

Restore the Voice of America

Re: “The Voice of America has fallen silent; our enemies are cheering International broadcasts, March 23 commentary

It is absolutely essential that the Voice of America get turned back on as soon as possible. There are 200 million regular listeners. Restore the jobs of the people who make it possible. It is who we are. More than any other changes or cuts President Donald Trump has made, this is absolutely the worst one. I can see why we need to pay off our $36 trillion debt but this is more important than almost any other cuts that have happened. It breaks my heart. Please restore it.

Dea Coschignano, Wheat Ridge

Missing bipartisanship in politics

Re: “Senator embraced a bipartisan spirit we need now,” March 23 commentary

It was so refreshing to read David Hiller’s column on Wyoming Sen. Alan K. Simpson. It reflected on what America used to stand for and how far away from that we have come today.

I think back to when I was growing up, and yes, we had two parties. I didn’t really understand what they stood for, but I do not remember hearing the toxic dialogue I hear now. I might have even been a Republican because my parents were Republicans.

Then came Watergate and I remember fighting with my father about what President Richard Nixon had done while in office. Then there were the tapes we finally got to hear. I became a Democrat but still did not feel the rancor I am seeing and hearing today.

I looked at the picture of Sen. Simpson and his colleagues standing next to President Bill Clinton and that made me feel good. Flash forward to today, and I can’t even imagine a photo like that of Republicans and Democrats standing next to each other. Therein lies the problem, and I long for the good old days. I hope we get there again, but I know it won’t happen as long as Donald Trump and Elon Musk are running the country and the Republican Party.

David Shaw, Highlands Ranch

Native American genocide should be taught in schools

Re: “U.S. government’s genocide against Native Americans should be taught in schools,” March 23 commentary

I wholeheartedly support the correction of the inexplicable oversight that omitted any reference to Native Americans from the Holocaust and Genocide Studies in Public Schools Bill.

As Chief Phillip Whiteman Jr. eloquently explained, our state’s history includes the government’s perpetration of numerous instances of extreme violence, dispossession, and injustice against Native people, most infamously in the Sand Creek Massacre. It is tragic to think that this history may be unknown to or denied by some because they simply have not been exposed to accurate information about it.

I hope that our legislature will help remedy this lack of knowledge by passing Senate Bill 123 on Genocide against Native Americans, an amendment to the earlier law. I applaud Sen. Julie Gonzales for consulting with Indigenous descendants of genocide and tribal representatives and introducing this amendment, particularly as we move into a destructive and self-defeating period of erasure of acknowledgment of any dark or shameful episodes in U.S. history. I hope other Coloradans will support this amendment, too.

Laura Harper, Denver

We should not be afraid to speak the truth about our genocide against Native Americans. We did it. We can all learn from it. Speaking the truth sets us free.

David L Stevenson, Denver
 

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