I see few masks at rallies, football games. I’m ashamed of my fellow Americans.

Lack of masks

On Saturday I witnessed football games in Florida with a lot of fans and few masks. Over the past week, political rallies showed the same. This offends me. I am a senior citizen and try to adhere to the mask rules, but others do not.

Cases are going up, and look how many people have lost their lives or lost loved ones. Why are some people so selfish? If you lose a loved one maybe you’ll change your mind about doing the right thing. Then again, maybe not if you’re that selfish.

I am ashamed of my fellow Americans!

Debbie Harmon, Raleigh

Stimulus package

Regarding “Blame Trump, McConnell for the lack of stimulus,” (Oct. 18 Opinion)

Op-ed writer Eugene Robinson says that the failure of Congress to deliver aid for coronavirus relief is President Trump’s fault. I’m pretty sure he could blame the crabgrass in my lawn on Trump also.

But I was raised not to complain unless you can offer a solution and I have one. Pass a bill to include the $1,200 stimulus checks and the $600 per week enhanced unemployment checks. Then, pass a stand-alone bill to cover direct coronavirus costs for education and child care, and if Congress wants to help the airlines, make it a stand-alone bill.

Passing individual bills for billions allows for closer inspection, rather than a lump sum of $2 trillion.

The problem the Democrats have is that the sum they want is greater than the coronavirus-related parts. When you start stripping away legitimate coronavirus aid, you end up with billions aimed at Democratic political projects, not aid for the American people.

Hey Congress, get off your butts and get these checks out to the people in need.

Bob Jenkins, Fuquay-Varina

Raleigh bond

As a Black Raleigh resident, I oppose the Affordable Housing Bond as presented on the 2020 ballot.

While it seems well-meaning, it does not fully address the real needs of low-income residents in a significant way. Being “better than nothing,” as some rationalize, is nothing more than repeating the age-old practice of minimizing the needs of those most impacted by the scarcity of workforce housing.

With the gentrification of historically Black neighborhoods, land values and property taxes are escalating to the point of rendering homes or apartments unaffordable for low-income wage earners. This forces people to choose between paying taxes/rent, putting food on the table or paying utility bills.

Most but not all of the $80 million bond needs to be allocated to house those spending more than 30% of their household income for housing.

Work should be done by the City Council and staff to provide a more honest bond on housing those in most need.

Leon Cooke, Raleigh

GOP senators

As I read the Trump critique made by U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse during his town hall call last week with constituents, I was filled with disgust.

Now, after nearly four years of enabling Trump as he has torn democracy apart, a Republican senator speaks up? Now that Republican senators see themselves possibly losing the Senate, they see morality?

Where was Sasse during the impeachment hearings? He could have stopped this debacle if he and other Republican enablers had voted to indict Trump.

Too little, too late.

Carolyn Guckert, Raleigh

Senate race

I am puzzled by the N&O’s refusal to endorse a candidate in the U.S. Senate race. The overwhelming weight of the editorial board’s comments would reasonably lead to support for Cal Cunningham.

The editorial had nothing positive to say about Sen. Thom Tillis. Most of the remarks about Cunningham were positive, but the editorial properly castigated him for his affair as it does raise questions about his judgment and character.

Fortunately, the editorial invited Tillis and others to speak out forcefully about the character of the president they support. But overall, the logic of the editorial leads to an endorsement of Cunningham, yet you chose the milquetoast approach to evade the conclusion. I expect better of the N&O.

Robert Dalton, Chapel Hill

Voting in Wake

Kudos to the Wake County Board of Elections. Last Friday, it was raining when my wife and I went to vote at Precinct 12-06. We parked in the curbside voting area. There were four staff members with umbrellas serving handicapped voters. One of the volunteers had to come to our car four times.

While we were waiting, we watched the mobile voters go into the building and come out shortly thereafter. Their line moved smoothly. Congratulations to the board’s staff for making voting an easy experience this year.

Bob Williams, Fuquay-Varina