To the Editor:

Recently three Haywood County citizens long involved in issues of public concern met with Congressman Chuck Edwards at his office in Hendersonville. Issues focused on were SNAP, medical insurance, research cuts and the federal match for Medicaid payments to hospitals and nursing homes.

As the federal shutdown drags on, Republicans accuse Democrats of prolonging it for political reasons, pointing to stalled votes that could reopen the government and fully restore programs like SNAP. But Democrats say what they’re holding out for isn’t politics — it’s protection. Specifically, protection for millions of Americans who rely on Affordable Care Act subsidies that will soon expire. 

On Oct. 1, Republican-controlled Congress shut down the federal government, bringing a renewed round of confusion, finger-pointing and uncertainty to tourism-reliant Southern Appalachia — a region still paying the price for generational poverty, and still struggling with recovery from Hurricane Helene more than one year ago.  

In a series of pointed comments, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance took aim at their respective opponents during separate visits to the Tarheel state last week, with Walz largely blaming former President Donald Trump for the country’s woes, while Vance continues to target unauthorized migrants. 

To the Editor:

Harris is focused on financial policies to benefit the middle classes. She proposes to reinstate child tax credits that Congress refused to extend and to add a new tax credit to the parents of newborns; provide tax credits to builders of starter homes, to first-time home buyers and to small business start-ups.

To the Editor:

Why Vote?

First, before you vote you need to register to vote and if you think you’re already registered to vote, you should confirm this, by rechecking your voter registration status.   

Democracy means that we voters get to decide with elections which candidates are empowered to serve in our local, state and federal governments. Those elected officials are supposed to serve us, not their own personal selfish quests for wealth and power. We want our political leaders to listen to our wishes and provide us with essential government services. 

To the Editor:

I’m writing in response to the “Democrats try to scare voters” letter in the May 8 edition of your paper. That idea is totally preposterous considering that the standard bearer of the Republican Party is a fear master.  

That the American health care coverage system is broken shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone, even proponents of the 2010 Affordable Care Act who thought Obamacare would make coverage affordable for everyone. But as long as workers with employer-subsidized health care are forced to rely on the generosity of capitalists for their health and well-being, there will continue to be crises like the one currently unfolding with soon-to-be unemployed workers at Pactiv-Evergreen’s Haywood County facilities.

James and Brenda Porcello are thankful for many things this fall, and near the top of that list is Jan Plummer, of Waynesville, a Mountain Projects employee who was among those who helped save James’ life just a few months ago.