Congressional action is needed
Re: “Immigrants can help Texas stay competitive — Employers lack tools to legally hire needed skilled and unskilled labor,” by Woody Hunt and Joan Carlos Cerda, June 14 Opinion.
In this op-ed, the authors argued that immigrant workers are vital to alleviating the workforce shortage that’s straining our economy. I couldn’t agree more.
Congress should take action to harness the power of immigrant labor, especially in health care, technology and other high-need industries. However, that doesn’t justify allowing President Joe Biden to act unilaterally to create new visas for immigrant workers.
The only way to create durable and effective immigration pathways is through congressional action, not executive orders that are subject to litigation and changing political winds. As we continue to see with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, executive actions on immigration are unstable and often end up hurting the very people they were intended to help.
Congress must find the political will to enact bipartisan reforms that will serve our country for decades to come, and I’m committed to being part of the solution. As the authors correctly noted, immigrants will help America meet the workforce needs of the future, which is why we must take the time to get this right. A quick-fix approach by the president will only create more problems in the long run.
Sen. John Cornyn, Austin
We expect more from justices
Re: “Report: Justice accepted vacation from GOP donors — Alito says he wasn’t obligated to disclose 2008 Alaska trip,” Thursday news story.
In the story regarding Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s acceptance of a luxury fishing trip, there is this remarkable statement: “The high court is not subject to a binding code of conduct that applies to lower court judges.”
How does this make any sense? Why do we expect less from the Supreme Court justices than we do from lower court judges? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
I’m anxiously waiting for Chief Justice John Roberts or Congress or someone to rectify this absurdity. But I don’t think I’ll hold my breath.
Miner Raymond, Waco
Airlines share blame for mayhem
Re: “Would a dress code make for a calmer flight?” by Christopher Elliott, Thursday Comics & Puzzles column.
Elliot’s travel column has given me a good laugh. Stricter dress code for airline travel? Suits? Dresses? Now I’m just shaking my head!
I wore a dress the first time I flew in 1979 and continued that trend even on an international flight in 1984 as I recall. But times (and airlines) have changed drastically. I dress appropriately (no one could accuse me of looking like I just rolled out of bed), but definitely for comfort.
I do get the “dress better-feel better-act better” connection, but has anyone thought that maybe the airlines packing us in like sardines might just be the reason for the sharp decline in manners? Duh.
So how about this? When the airlines decide to bring back some space and comfort, I might consider pulling out a dress for travel.
Sara Miskimins, Dallas/Lake Highlands
The tie makes the manners
After college I worked for IBM. The very strict dress code was a suit, white shirt (French cuffs optional), conservative (striped) tie, wingtip shoes and a handkerchief in the breast pocket. The lessons learned about human behavior from that dress code opened many, many doors for me to have an above-average business and personal career.
I could easily write a book on how the way one dresses will and can determine your life. In one of my companies I required all of my sales force to wear a tie when none of our competitors did. We were No. 1 one nationwide every year.
Having started flying when you were required to wear a coat and tie to get on a plane to the utter chaos experienced today, I cannot agree with Christopher Elliott more. There is absolute, undeniable and incontrovertible truth that the way a person dresses will have a direct correlation to their behavior. After all, there has never been a riot in the Vatican.
Larry Huddleston, Cedar Hill
No excuse, Texas
Re: “Texas 49th for women’s health — 2023 scorecard does not reflect effects of abortion restrictions,” Thursday news story.
Once more Texans can say, “Thank goodness for Mississippi.” Over the years that state has kept the great state of Texas from being dead last in all manner of civil and human rights categories.
Of course, Mississippi also has the highest poverty rate and lowest income rate in the country.
Texas has no such excuse.
Rodney W. Pirtle, Dallas
Fix Dallas streets first
Re: “’We must not settle’ — Mayor Eric Johnson outlines his final term’s priorities at city inauguration,” Wednesday Metro & Business story.
In the mayor’s inauguration speech, he stated his major goal is to improve public safety and park access to encourage people to move to Dallas. He needs to focus on street repairs, or public safety officers will not be able to get to the public and people will not be able to get to the parks. Why would one move to Dallas with the conditions of our roads?
Joe Goggans, East Dallas
Facts should steer our reality
I was recently in New York and went to the beach. I was talking to a nice man who asked where I was from. When I told him Texas, he went a little red in the face and asked, “Is it really bad down there? I hear that you have illegal immigrants running rampant in the streets. Your crime must be terrible.”
Everyone has an opinion and, even if I disagree, they have a right to that opinion. Facts are a different story. Sadly, many Americans read or listen to only one news source and do not fact check information that agrees with their political position. Facts and truth should be what steers our reality, not sound-bites, vitriol and blatant lies. Americans deserve better, but we get what we vote for.
Amanda P. Stanton, Duncanville
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