USAID cuts a good start to reducing spending

Re: “Closing USAID was first a Clinton-era idea” (Page A7, Feb. 13).

Today, I read the letters to the editor about the “terrible demise of USAID.”

I hope those letter writers and others read the Mark Thiessen opinion in the Mercury News. Thiessen clearly states the history of the USAID agency and the lack of oversight. Clearly, it is completely legal to move USAID into the State Department where there will be oversight and direction of USAID.

Some of USAID’s expenditures do help poor nations with food aid and medical vaccines, and they should continue.

I hope most Americans can understand that our federal government has overspent, and we now spend nearly $900 billion of taxpayer money, every year, just paying the annual interest on our $36 trillion debt, and that is expected to rise.

Therefore, it is obvious that many government programs must be cut in order to stop overspending.

— Brian McCormick San Jose

Sweeping changes at USAID not a new idea

Re: “Trump’s dismantling of USAID immoral” and “Congress cannot allow end of USAID” (Page A6, Feb. 13) and “Closing USAID was first a Clinton-era idea” (Page A7, Feb. 13).

Interesting is the juxtaposition of two letters to the editor and a commentary on the very next page about dismantling and restructuring USAID by Marc A. Thiessen. It shows that we common folk typically do not have the experience or firsthand knowledge of many issues relating to our federal and state governments.

A perfect example — Thiessen’s commentary — uncovers the history and issues involved in trying to dismantle and restructure USAID going back to the days of former President Biden (as senator) and former President Clinton.

Now I am all in for providing necessary aid to starving and oppressed people in foreign countries. What I do not support is government waste and fraud which we all know, or have some sense of, occurs on a daily basis in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento. The Trump administration appears to be trying to institute a government policy that has been kicked around for decades.

— Dan Casas Saratoga

Savings at federal agencies will go to rich

No one mentions that Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s examination of our government’s agencies can be done without closing them down first.

Second, if you think the savings will be used to reduce our debt, think again; they are just trying to justify huge tax giveaways to the richest people in the world.

If this is OK with you, hold on for an America that you won’t recognize or be proud of.

— Rich Lee San Jose