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14th Amendment does not provide guarantee
The Feb. 18 letter titled, “14th Amendment under assault by Trump, Baumgartner” presents a perplexing and unclear argument. Based on my research, the 14th Amendment does not provide a guarantee that individuals entering the United States with novel skills and ideas can establish a home and prosper within its borders. It does guarantee birthright citizenship to children born in the United States, with certain exceptions. Along with naturalized citizens within the United States. In fact, the “dream of joining our nation” is realized through the naturalization process under the Immigration and Nationality Act. An immigrant, asylum seeker, or refugee must go through the naturalization process to become a U.S. citizen first. A lawful permanent resident (green card holder) of the United States may obtain naturalization status and acquire U.S. citizenship upon fulfilling the criteria and procedures established by Congress’s authority under the Constitution.
My understanding is that the current president’s Executive Order 14160 essentially challenges the Supreme Court’s decision in the 1898 case United States v. Wong Kim Ark. However, it is important to note that other presidents, on both sides, have challenged the Constitution and had their cases heard by the Supreme Court.
-Renee Webster Newport
Money determines level of justice
The Epstein files have exposed a major flaw in the USA criminal justice system. Billionaires are not subject to the same level of justice as poor and ordinary citizens. Miner opinion letters often call for blood and express support for severe law enforcement and penalties, especially for people without the means to buy their way out of the criminal justice system.
Has a billionaire ever been executed or sent to prison for life? Money buys power and extraordinary legal representation. A poor citizen gets inexperienced attorneys who have recently passed the Bar. Most voters vote into higher political office former prosecutors who have high conviction rates, of mostly poor defendants.
Too often, I believe that poor defendants get unequal treatment in court. I did serve on an aggravated first-degree murder jury in Kitsap County. The defendant’s incompetent attorney put him on the stand and sealed the guilty verdict.
The people in the Epstein files are guilty of association which isn’t a crime. The people redacted and protected by the Trump DOJ may be guilty of crimes. Their money protects them from justice. Most of Epstein’s victims were paid off and have NDA’s restraining them from speaking.
-Pete Scobby Newport
Young people add to dialouge
Our community is fortunate to have a newspaper that keeps public conversation alive.
As readers share perspectives on national and regional issues, I find myself thinking about another group whose voices are equally important to our future — our young people.
Students, trade apprentices, young volunteers, and early-career workers are already shaping the direction of our region in quiet but meaningful ways. They are entering emergency services, learning skilled trades, caring for family businesses, and deciding whether to build their lives here or elsewhere.
I would genuinely welcome hearing from them.
What do they see as the opportunities and challenges of living in our rural communities? What would make them stay, return, or invest their future here?
Local dialogue grows stronger when multiple generations are part of it. Inviting younger voices into the conversation doesn’t replace existing viewpoints — it expands them.
In a time when we are reflecting on the legacy of local journalism in our community, expanding dialogue close to home feels especially meaningful.
Perhaps this space can continue to be one where experience and emerging vision meet.
-Saundra K. Park Newport
What has America done?
This is a question I ask myself everyday, what has America done? Trump has been elected the president of the United States. This guy is not normal by any stretch of the imagination. He says things that I told earlier some people like him because they think he’s funny. He’s not funny; he’s pathetic. Our country it’s not a routine that’s going to get you on a talk show and get you laugh or put you on Saturday Night Live doing comedy. He’s crazy, among many, many other things.
He lies about the price of gas every day or at least every time he’s up there talking about gas and how low everything is. I went to the grocery store the other day I was looking for chocolate chips just to make some cookies. I look down and there’s a bag of chocolate chips for almost $9! There’s many other things like ground beef 2 lb for almost $20. Gas prices are going down just a little tiny bit here and there but then again he does something stupid and up they go again. If you believe his claims about prices when he talks about Iowa gas prices go online and ask Google what are the prices of gas in Iowa.
-Jeannie Hutchins Newport
No takers for the challenge
Two weeks ago, Mr. Hood challenged the doom and gloom crowd to write accomplishments of the democrat party in lieu of hateful, disturbed accusations. (‘What have Democrats accomplished?’ Miner Feb. 11).
Not to be. Last week just more sobbing, whimpering, and moaning. Expect to see more of that when Trump gives his State of the Union Speech. They are all trying to hang their hats on the scenario that I.C.E. is playing rough even though it is the Left that is responsible for the disruption.
Sanctuary cities are unlawful. When local authorities should cooperate with the federal ones, they don’t. They release criminals back on the street, then federal agents have to track them down to arrest them again. When protestors act in a legal manner by not interfering, there are little issues. Cities that are law abiding have little problem transferring illegal alien criminals to the Feds. Those cities and protestors that don’t obey the law should be criminally prosecuted. Those who want to pick and choose which laws they will honor and are foolish enough to put themselves in harm’s way, are destined to fail. Then, the false narratives come.
Mr. Scobby says his Trump letters might end, (When Pigs Fly).
-K. C. Hunt Newport
The Save Act?
In a letter to The Miner (Save Act), dated Feb. 18, the writer questions why Democrats are opposed to voter ID. He cites undocumented surveys by unnamed “social media journalists,” apparently conducted in the streets of NYC as proof that voter ID is not an undue burden on the citizens. What was the sample size of the survey? Did these surveyors also visit the many urban and rural areas of our country where it may be more difficult to access voter ID?
A point to be made is why the onus is on we the people to prove we have a legitimate right to vote. I would say the onus is on the government to prove in a court of law beyond a doubt that an individual does not. The larger point is that this voter ID issue is once again putting forth a solution in search of a problem. It is a verified fact that voter fraud, or illegals voting, is a virtually nonexistent problem in this country. It supports the false claims by our mistaken president that the 2020 election was stolen. Let’s call the act by its true meaning: The Save Republicans From Ever Losing Another Election Act.
-Steve Bennett Newport
ID needed for so many things
If you listen to one particular party, you don’t need an ID for voter registration. Here are just a few places that ask doe for an ID. Doctor’s office, pharmacy, hospital, your bank, renting anything like an apartment, rental truck, storage facility, driving, applying for a job, Medicare/Medicaid Social security services, food stamps, airplane flights, getting and using a credit card. If I had the space, I could add at least 30 more reasons for an ID.
The icing on the cake was, in the 2024 Democratic National Convention they required a government-issued photo ID for entry. Look it up. So clearly, it is nor about racism or any other nonsense they claim. Which party is supporting illegal aliens from staying in this country or which state has the most fraud of our tax dollars?
Since 1948, 15 people have been president of the U.S.A. Now add up all the presidential interviews they all gave and compare it to the current president, in just the first year. There is no question many and the local media hate the current president. Especially, two of your weekly writers.
