Infrastructure: America’s bill is past due. It’s time to suck it up and pay up.

Infrastructure

President Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan would address many challenges our country faces.

Roads, bridges and water and sewer systems need work. Many rural residents have no access to broadband, causing economic isolation. And mitigating climate change won’t come cheap. But the fight over who picks up the tab is only beginning.

Biden’s plan calls for a significant tax increase on corporations and perhaps families in the 1%. While that would raise some money, it would not come close to covering the cost.

We must meet our challenges without further ballooning our almost $28 trillion national debt. This will require a broad but progressive tax increase. As a society we simply need to suck it up and face the truth that the bills we have been neglecting have now come due.

We need a national reality check — if you want something, you must pay for it. Lunch is never free.

Ken Jones, Chapel Hill

Durham chief

Regarding “Durham police chief being eyed for top Memphis post,” (April 7):

It is hard to imagine a job more difficult than being a Black woman trying to transform the culture of a police department and better serve communities under assault from gun violence, all while having your plans blocked by the majority of the City Council and facing strong opposition from activists who want to limit the resources you have to work with.

No one believes that police alone can solve the problems we face, but until social and economic programs make police unnecessary forward thinking leaders like Durham Police Chief “C.J.” Davis will be absolutely necessary.

Reginald Hildebrand, Durham

Vaccine holdouts

OK, so I’m going to say this out loud: Shame on you if you’re a vaccine holdout.

The simple science of the equation is clear — the higher the percentage of people inoculated, the greater the effectiveness of the intervention.

COVID takes people down regardless of their age, ethnicity, gender, or point of view.

Your politics matter not when it comes to public health. So demonstrate some public-spirited sense of community, be a person who puts others ahead of yourself. Become a part of the solution rather than one who exacerbates the problem.

Roll up your sleeve, do the right thing, and get vaccinated!

Derek Maul, Wake Forest

Gun rights

The right to bear arms in the Second Amendment refers to the states being allowed to form militias, not an individual “right” to own any firearm you can acquire.

I have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness secured by our government — and confidence to go to the grocery store, school, or massage parlor without fear of being shot.

Most Americans want anyone purchasing a firearm to go through a thorough background check. Most Americans want to stop the sale and possession of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines by the public. Only law enforcement and the military should have them.

You can still buy your handgun, shotgun and hunting rifle. Just don’t tread on our rights to see that sensible laws on the purchase and possession of guns is the standard in America.

Gary Parker, Archdale

Fair Maps Act

Regarding “Proposal would give voters a say in redrawing voting districts,” (March 31):

Wow! A nonpartisan, non-litigious, non-gerrymandered fair electoral redistricting possibility via the Fair Maps Act/House Bill 437. Thanks go to state Rep. Pricey Harrison and former Rep. Chuck McGrady for their initiative. We can all get behind this approach toward ending (at least some of) our partisan squabbling.

Mac Hulslander, Raleigh

Expand Medicaid

Bravo to the 17 Chambers of Commerce in Republican dominated areas of North Carolina and to state representatives in Franklin, Haywood and Graham counties for being open to expansion of Medicaid. Expanding Medicaid will provide more healthcare to rural and poor citizens throughout the state, help support local healthcare providers with reimbursement, help small businesses recruit workers in rural areas, and stop giving federal taxes to other states that have agreed to expand Medicaid.

Janice Woychik, Chapel Hill

Gridlock

When I worked with Congress (in several capacities, 1975-2000), committee chairs had enormous power. Vigorous debate took place on important policy issues.

By the time a bill went to the floor, it had been thoroughly examined and Congress was generally able to get things done.

What changed to cause the current dysfunction? When Newt Gingrich became Speaker of the House in 1995 he quickly consolidated power by, among other things, imposing term limits on committee chairpersons. This prevented them from developing a power base separate from his.

Majority leaders of both parties learned from this and have continued to agglomerate enormous power, partly by keeping committees in a weakened position. Until legislators reassert their authority as committee members and chairs, we will not have a smoothly functioning legislative branch, even if the filibuster is abandoned.

Larry Tombaugh, Cary