Gov. Abbott spent your tax money on politics with his LA migrant busing stunt, Texas | Opinion

Politics with your tax dollars

I don’t recall ever asking or authorizing Gov. Greg Abbott to traffic humans on my behalf. (June 14, star-telegram.com, “Migrants bused from Texas to Los Angeles in move mayor calls ‘despicable stunt’”) If he wants to do that, it’s all on him, including the cost.

Abbott should put his own money where his political aspirations lie and not pass the cost to the state.

- Kelly White, Watauga

A real treat for book lovers

The Star-Telegram’s June 18 edition probably delighted many readers and book lovers, as it did me. The several book reviews and the article with a literary reference (4D, “I slept at Jack Kerouac’s home in St. Petersburg. You can, too”) were interesting and stimulating.

It was like old times, when Larry Swindell gave us a book review every week and there were reviews by other local writers and national literary figures.

This issue was much appreciated. I hope we will have more of its kind in the future.

- Joann Karges, Fort Worth

Doesn’t meet the qualifications

The Tarrant County Commissioners Court is doing our residents a disservice by hiring a totally unqualified elections administrator. (June 17, 1A, “Tarrant County hires chief deputy clerk as elections chief”) Only applicants who are educated and have at least four years of elections experience should have been considered for this position. For our leaders to allow on-the-job training is negligence. This isn’t a job at McDonald’s.

The administrator should start on Day One with knowledge of how the job is done. The commissioners have done the county’s residents, the new administrator, the elections office staff and our democracy a disservice by not doing their due diligence to identify the best possible candidate.

I hope they are wiser in their search for candidates to replace the county administrator.

- Janet Mattern, Fort Worth

Schiff deserved knocking down

Congratulations to the House for censuring Rep. Adam Schiff. (June 23, 6A, “House Republicans censure Schiff. He couldn’t be happier”) For two or more years during the Trump administration, I had to listen to him lying about Donald Trump’s collusion with Russia and suggesting that Trump was a Russian asset. Schiff said too often that Trump was doing something illegal or impeachable. Thank goodness Schiff was already removed from the House intelligence committee.

- Lucille Bida, Arlington

Trump is just getting worse

Donald Trump’s recent TV interviews only confirm that he still needs a muzzle. His name-calling of his primary rivals and his combative nature are only getting worse. When I hear him call Ron DeSantis a loser, I am reminded that he endorsed DeSantis for governor of Florida. Why, then, was Trump endorsing a loser?

Many Republicans voted for Joe Biden because they couldn’t take Trump any longer. If he doesn’t find some decency in his next presidential run, history may repeat itself and he will be responsible for putting another Democrat in office in 2024.

- Angela Benvenuto, Arlington

LGBT rights not as important

Sunday’s story about the U.S. ambassador to Poland marching in a Pride parade implies that the American government’s support of LGBT rights in Poland ranks with support of Poland as a NATO member. (14A, “US envoy marches in Warsaw’s yearly Pride parade”) It’s a dangerous turn of events when our government starts emphasizing such controversial moral stances over more important international issues.

This emphasis is across the board in President Joe Biden’s government. It can be stopped by voting Republican next year.

- William Brown, Arlington

Not the day for this story

What a huge disappointment to open the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Father’s Day, June 18, and see the front-page headline: “The battles over drag shows in North Texas.”

Why not use the front page to honor the fathers serving in the military or fathers of past generations who fought in wars to keep our nation free?

Why not honor fathers who work hard to support their families, so they can be safe? Why not honor fatherhood on the front page as a special holiday instead of highlighting a controversial issue in North Texas?

The Star-Telegram has plenty of days and months to write articles that divide our city. Why not take one day out of the year to bring our community together to share love and respect for the men in our lives on Father’s Day?

- Jan Hull, Fort Worth

This story was originally published June 25, 2023 at 5:07 AM.