The future of USAID

Amidst the reign of chaos that has been unleashed by the newly established Trump Administration, efforts to close government agencies, release long term government employees, curtail spending obligations approved by the U.S. Congress, and challenge international trading partners and allies, our nation’s security has been put at risk.

Looking just at the attempt to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an agency established by President John F. Kennedy at the height of the Cold War, we must ask what the global security and humanitarian consequences will be?

It is important to note that the entire USAID budget amounts to less than 1% of the nation’s budget. And, as JFK pointed out, the USAID is designed to help those in other countries with life-saving healthcare support; nutrition and famine relief; and other development projects.

While this aid is humanitarian in nature, it also serves a critical national security function. It was designed and has served to cultivate allies around the world and project the United States as a friend and ally, a promoter of democracy, and as a hedge against the influences of Russia and China.

As the Trump Adminstration has unilaterally moved to suspend the ongoing work and projects of USAID, it should be no surprise that China and Russia will move in to fill the void left by our departure. How do President Trump and his enablers consider this to be in the best interests of our national security?

— State Sen. Bill Monning (ret), Carmel

PG&E

PG&E is listening and addressing your concerns. In 2025, customers will see more stable electric rates compared to last year. In January, most residential customers saw electricity costs drop by 4% or $11, helping offset gas price increases. This means, that if you’re usage hasn’t increased compared to last year, your combined gas and electric bill remained flat.

We’re working hard to further stabilize bills through 2026 by cutting costs, improving efficiency and pursuing nontraditional financing sources without compromising safety. For example, customers could see an additional $16 monthly decrease in their electric bill in the next 6-12 months if the CPUC approves PG&E’s request to issue bonds to spread vegetation management costs over a longer period.

We want you to know we’re making progress.

— Teresa Alvarado, vice president, PG&E’s South Bay/Central Coast Region

Lost trust

Jeff Smith in his “Americans have lost faith” editorial should not be worried about Americans losing their faith in the government. They never had much! Government already had a well-earned reputation for dishonesty! But this time, the dishonesty was blatant. Our last administration was caught in a multitude of visible lies, from Hunter Biden’s laptop to the Afghanistan retreat to the President’s solemn promise never to pardon his son.

What has changed the most is that American citizens no longer believe in the honesty of the legacy media. When it became so apparent that our previous president was in poor mental and physical health, the old media ignored reality and attempted to fool their audience. But Biden’s bumbling, mumbling, and missteps were just too obvious. It was like the old folktale The Emperor’s New Clothes. Everything became nakedly evident to everyone despite the government-media’s denials.

So, no. Americans have not lost their way. But they will no longer believe the slick mythmaking. They now know that the big media are attached to the government’s pursestrings and will no longer play along.

— Lawrence Samuels, Carmel

Star-bungled banner

“Oh say can you hear….” After watching numerous college bowl games and NFL playoff games over the past several weeks, I long to hear our National Anthem the way we used to hear it when we were kids, you know, in tune. The only thing worse than the soprano shrieks causing neighborhood dogs to howl are the embarrassing, orgasmic moans causing me to shout, “Get a room!” God only knows what we’ll get for the Super Bowl?

— Glenn Nolte, Carmel Valley