Letters to the Editor 12-7-2022
Letter to the Editor:
Thirteen Republican senators sent a letter to their Republican leaders urging them not to invoke cloture (a legislative assembly procedure for ending debate and taking a vote) to pass the defense budget, known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Before voting these senators want to debate a proposed amendment to this budget that Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and twenty Republican senators are backing. This amendment would reverse the military vaccine mandate, would stop the military from kicking troops out over their COVID-19 vaccination status and reinstate those who have already been discharged, with back-pay.
Even though twenty Republican senators already support this amendment they need support from at least twenty one more senators in order to prevent passing the cloture pertaining to the NDAA.
Rand Paul’s letter to the Republican leaders reads as follows: “The Department of Defense (DOD) COVID-19 vaccine mandate has ruined the livelihoods of men and women who have honorably served our country. As of April 2022, approximately 3,400 troops have been discharged from the military for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. While the DOD certainly must make decisions that will bolster military readiness, the effects of the mandate are antithetical to readiness of our force, and the policy must be revoked.
The United States simply cannot afford to discharge our brave men and women in uniform and lose the investments we have made into each and every one of them due to an inept bureaucratic policy. While training cost vary between each service, the Army, for examples estimates it spends $15,000 to prepare them (each individual) to join their first unit. The military also faces challenges with recruitment. Military recruitment is reportedly down 23% from annual targets. Therefore due to costs and recruiting challenges, losing thousands of troops due to their vaccination status is a readiness issue that the Department should take seriously.” This sober issue (amendment) definitely deserves to be debated.
JoAnn Utphall
Boyceville
Letter to the Editor:
Total original pages of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution including the Bill of Rights – 6 (six). Total number of mentions of Christian, Jesus or Christ – 0 (zero, none, zip). End of discussion. Case closed. Move on. The United States was clearly not founded as a Christian nation. Now if you don’t love it, you can leave and head for Zambia or Samoa, the only two officially and constitutionally Christian nations on earth.
Chuck Boyer
Wheeler, WI