Texas just hiked this phone fee more than 700%. How are we supposed to afford it?

An outrageous fund increase

Has anyone noticed how much their landline phone bills have increased in the last few months? The Texas Public Utilities Commission has raised its rate for the Texas Universal Service Fund from 3.3% to 24%. This is an outrageous increase. My charge went from $2.15 to $15.72 per month.

When people are having a difficult time because of inflation, it is reprehensible that the commission would impose such an increase. Check your last few months’ bills and see how much more they are.

- Phyllis Vaught, Graham

O’Rourke is not for open borders

Gov. Greg Abbott is airing a campaign commercial claiming that Beto O’Rourke is for open borders, and officials from his campaign are making the same false statements. (Oct. 2, 26A, “Impact of gubernatorial debate uncertain”)

Here, from his website, is O’Rourke’s stand on the border and immigration: “Guaranteeing safety and security at our border is at the top of my priorities. Texas should be THE leader in building a safe, legal, orderly immigration system that meets the needs of our state and country.”

That doesn’t sound like open borders. This commercial appeals to fear, but the vast majority of what is happening at the border — people looking for a better life, coming from Venezuela, Central America, Ukraine — is not deserving of our fear.

Is the person who approves these commercials and campaign messages deserving of your vote?

- David Troiano, Highland Village

Every pot user helps bad guys

President Joe Biden’s pardons of thousands of prisoners serving time for possession of small amounts of marijuana is a mistake. (Oct. 7, 13A, “Biden pardons thousands for ‘simple possession’ of marijuana”)

Those convicts supported the criminal drug distribution system. Every purchase of any drug from a criminal distributor supports the cartels and their agents who are responsible for much of the violent crime that plagues our neighborhoods and certainly are responsible for the epidemic of overdose deaths.

It isn’t my aim to enter the pot debate. But there is no debate that the criminal drug cartels must not be supported in any way.

- Jack D’Amario, Granbury

No good news on unemployment

Unemployment has reached a new low of 3.5%. But might that indicate fewer people are filing for unemployment because their benefits have been used up? Have you noticed how many services and businesses are short-staffed and begging for more people? Could it be because collecting money from the government is so much more appealing than actually working for it?

The shortage of willing workers is affecting all of us. Even hospitals are suffering, and we surely need them to have all the help they provide for our well-being.

It’s no coincidence that this “good news” comes just in time for the midterm elections. Consider this and ask yourself: Where does the credit for the low unemployment actually belong?

- Barbara Slimp, Cleburne

What about China and India’s role?

There are many who distrust overall media coverage of climate change for several reasons. I hear little acknowledgment of the impact that China and India have on the Earth’s climate. If those nations do little or nothing to reduce the causes of man-made climate change, the impact of U.S. policy will be significantly diminished.

Recycling and clean air and water programs are valuable, and their impact is easily seen.

- Paula Scoggin, Benbrook