NC lifts restrictions on bars, but not nursing homes, while my mom and others suffer

Nursing homes

My mom sits in a nursing home literally on lockdown for a year. I’ve seen her twice at outdoor visits, but when a COVID case hit, the nursing home stopped all visits.

All over the news I see stories about N.C. leaders lifting restrictions for the beer joints and restaurants. My question to Gov. Roy Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen is: Where is your concern for these elderly who have been treated like prisoners and need some relief to come their way?

When I called the state Department of Health and Human Services they said new rules were “in the works.” Well, it is now evident that no one making the rules has any concept of what our elderly have endured over the last year. Or, maybe to N.C. leaders lifting restrictions on restaurants, bars and gyms will get them more votes.

Ann Trochum, Fuquay-Varina

Stimulus bill

Regarding “Burr, Tillis vote against Biden’s massive COVID-19 relief package as it passes Senate,” (March 7):

The people in North Carolina who are in need of help because of the pandemic need to know this: Neither Sen. Richard Burr nor Sen. Thom Tillis voted to give you a single penny.

Ellen Canavan, Cary

Senate Democrats

I love driving my sports car but it isn’t the most fuel-efficient car. Many new electric vehicles are entering the market that get four to five times the mileage. The angel in my ear is telling me it’s time to do something good for the environment.

Senate Democrats have a similar decision to make. They can hold on to the filibuster, which allows them (and Republicans) to block legislation from the other side of the aisle. Or, they can try to pass the voter rights bill that cleared the House.

It prevents states from adopting requirements that allow gerrymandering, eliminate mail-in voting, require voter ID, reduce polling locations, and other hurdles that make voting access for people of color or low income more difficult.

Senate Democrats can’t have both. I think it’s time to sell the sports car and do something uncomfortable for the betterment of the country. Pass the voter rights bill.

William Dunne, Whispering Pines

Confederate flag

Regarding “Sons of Confederate Veterans sue NCDOT for removing battle flag from license plates,” (March 9):

The Sons of Confederate Veterans’ lawsuit should be immediately laughed out of court.

The Confederate Battle flag was the flag of traitors. Everyone who fought for the Confederacy was a traitor. Those who display it support traitors.

No one who supports the United States of America and its government and constitution would ever display that flag. The removal of the flag from N.C. license plates was long overdue.

Organizations such as the Sons of Confederate Veterans and other supporters of monuments and statues honoring the leaders of Confederate military forces should be held in the same esteem as other white supremacy and hate groups — no esteem whatsoever.

Harris Factor, Columbia, MD

American despair

Regarding “Americans are dying of despair, and Biden must address it,” (March 4 Opinion):

The leaders of both political parties have been favoring corporations at the expense of the working man for 40 years, so that many are desperate shouldn’t be surprising. In 2016 that desperation helped elect Trump.

Conversely, many of the world’s happiest people live in the highly-taxed Scandinavian countries. In the U.S. far too many view taxes as evil, but it is shortsighted and detrimental to ignore that high taxes coupled with governments that care about the well-being of their people enable the happiness Scandinavians enjoy.

Hopefully, the Biden government is returning to caring about our well-being, perhaps alleviating some despair. However, believing the boogeymen about high taxes will push Scandinavian-level-happiness far into our future.

Thomas McKee, Cary

A fine for this?

It’s interesting that some in the N.C. legislature want to increase fines for roadside littering. While they’re at it, why not add penalties for those who litter our election landscape with bogus fraud claims and who push legislation that trashes our right to vote?

David Kiel, Chapel Hill