Child care
As a single mom, I know firsthand how critical affordable child care is. Without child care subsidies, I would not have been able to afford child care and after-school care, and I certainly would not have been able to earn my degree, get a good job, and build a stable future for my daughter. That’s why I was disappointed to see Republicans in Congress push a budget proposal that guts child care funding for working moms like me while handing out more tax breaks to billionaires and corporations.
I want to thank Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., for taking a stand against increasing the cost of child care in his budget amendment proposal. The current Republican budget proposal is a disaster for working mothers like me, and could rip away support that allows parents to pursue an education and a career.
Child care subsidies gave me the opportunity to work hard and create a better life for my daughter so she can grow up with stability and security. But to me, it looks like Republicans would like to take that opportunity away.
We need a budget that invests in working people. Our leaders should be fighting for families, not billionaires.
Kiannah Lewis-Cobb, Virginia Beach
Sen. Mark Warner
Re “Warner takes up region’s concerns” (A1, Feb. 27): An article by Gavin Stone indicated that cuts by Elon Musk and DOGE could be a recipe for disaster. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., is quoted as saying that the recent firing of senior military leaders and replacing them with people he called “loyalists” lacking necessary qualifications “literally undermines the security of our nation.”
Wow, Senator Warner is finally taking notice of the security of the United States. Where has he been for the last four years of the immigration/southern border disaster? I do not recall any warnings or actions on his part to stop the situation at our southern border. I think the word “hypocrite” best describes Warner. As to replacing senior military leaders with people “lacking necessary qualifications,” I can only point to the Afghanistan withdrawal and recent warship collisions as proof the dismissed leaders were somewhat lacking in competence.
Andrew Brantley, Williamsburg
Two oaths
U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans you have taken two oaths to defend the U.S. and its Constitution. The first was when you accepted your commission in the U.S. Navy; the second was when you entered the House of Representatives. It is now time for you to live up to your oath. You can no longer remain silent as President Donald Trump runs roughshod over our nation, its Constitution, and our standing in the world. We are now aligned with the outcast nations having turned our backs on our natural allies, the democracies of the world. We are making threats to take Greenland from Denmark, the Panama Canal from Panama, and annexation of Canada.
Elon Musk is destroying the bureaucracy, necessary to the functioning of a successful government. The Republican Party sits on its hands ignoring what is going on and only seeks to increase the national debt with another unnecessary tax cut. You can forever tarnish your name or you can speak out crossing the aisle if necessary to stop the carnage. You can be another Liz Cheney or a nobody. It’s your choice.
Donald S. Taber, Virginia Beach
Fiscal hit
With President Donald Trump’s mass federal employee firings, it won’t be long until the country sees massive home foreclosures, apartment evictions, automobile repossessions, as well as a reduction in local and state sales tax income.
Wake up corporate America, your income and value is about to take a huge fiscal hit.
Alan Samuels, Norfolk