THE WASHINGTON TIMES

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Taiwan making coronavirus strides

Daniel N. Hoffman's March 26 piece, "Democratic Taiwan rises to virus challenge despite Beijing's hostility," highlights Taiwan's extraordinary response to the COVID-19 outbreak, despite the diplomatic isolation China has imposed upon the island.

April 1, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Virus shows overreliance on China

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown, among other things, the true commercial interests of many of our so-called leaders. These politicians have committed a wholesale selling out of the United States when it comes to China-America supply and distribution chains. Eighty-five percent of the ingredients in this nation's medicines for both civilian populations and military forces are controlled by China. Eighty percent of rare earth minerals, such as cobalt and lithium (which are used in over 100 high-performance weapons systems dedicated to our national defense) are controlled by China.

April 1, 2020

EDITORIAL: COVID-19 has terrible connection to smoking rates

Public health officials and puritans of every stripe have long had to contend with one basic fact of human nature: We like drinking and smoking. Indeed, humans have been distilling alcohol since, quite literally, the beginning of recorded history. (Those slaves who built the pyramids of Egypt, while having a tough go of it, at least got to lubricate their labors with copious amounts of beer.)

March 31, 2020

EDITORIAL: Kim Jong-un wants you to remember North Korea amid pandemic

You could almost hear world leaders saying, "not now, we're busy!" Even as the coronavirus crisis intensifies around the world, North Korea's Stalinist regime continues its belligerent antics.

March 31, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Don’t side with mainstream media

Twice in one issue? Tuesday's front-page headline tells us New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is filling a "national void" ("'He has filled a national void': Andrew Cuomo emerges as Democrats' counterweight to Trump," Web, March 30). Who said that? A paid Democratic operative in New York, who then goes on to be quoted as saying, "Trump says this will disappear immediately."

March 31, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: What else could they suspend?

I sympathize with those who have gotten sick from the coronavirus or even the normal flu that happens every year. That said, some of the precautions being mandated are tantamount to yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater -- when there is no fire.

March 31, 2020

EDITORIAL: Freedom could suffer from efforts to curb the contagion

Americans are an independent lot by nature, and they instinctively resist unbridled expansion of government power -- except in times of crisis. The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, gave birth to the Department of Homeland Security, which citizens rightly welcomed to the fight against terrorism. Now a different sort of enemy threatens the nation in the form of the coronavirus, which is filling up morgues with its victims. Strategies for containing the pandemic are going, well, viral, bringing the colossal power of U.S. brains and brawn to bear against the peril. With them, though, come edicts that suddenly weaken constitutional liberties in a manner that would never be acceptable in normal times. Americans must demand their liberty back when the danger subsides.

March 30, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Biden’s the best the left has

The Democratic field has finally narrowed. Two major candidates remain: Joe Biden, the establishment favorite, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, a longtime socialist. Suddenly, a dais consisting of two dozen-plus diverse candidates is down to two white, lifelong politician millionaires over the age of 75. Nice.

March 30, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Pelosi’s quid pro quo

There is a bad case of abuse of power and the pot calling the kettle black when it comes to Democratic elected officials who are ignoring their sworn duties.

March 30, 2020

EDITORIAL: Will Andrew Cuomo replace Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee?

One of the unexpected consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has been, for all practical purposes, suspension of the campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

March 29, 2020

EDITORIAL: Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro accused of drug trafficking

Add international drug dealer to a resume that already includes bus driver and dictator. Nicolas Maduro, the ruinously corrupt and inept left-wing leader of Venezuela was indicted Thursday on some extraordinarily serious charges.

March 29, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Rebuff Red China’s ‘help’

In a phone call with President Trump last Thursday, Chinese President Xi pledged cooperation in combating the coronavirus. Chinese Communist Party officials have expelled journalists from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post lately for the reporters' alleged bias when it comes to the coronavirus -- and these are largely journalists with a liberal slant.

March 29, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Staying home the best remedy?

All my life I have heard that doctors recommend people get outside and be active with walking or other exercise. I learned that this was to expose people to the sun to increase vitamin D and to get fresh oxygen. I was told that high levels of vitamin D and oxygen in the blood help the body to fight germs that cause disease and that low levels of vitamin D and oxygen in the blood invite disease. Isn't 'sheltering in place' weakening Americans, making it easier for them to get sick?

March 29, 2020

EDITORIAL: There was no Opening Day on Thursday

Thursday was supposed to be one of the year's happiest days -- baseball's Opening Day. But like this year's NBA season, school year, Olympics and millions of other events once scheduled and now postponed indefinitely (including, we're sad to say, the release of Lady Gaga's new album), baseball has been scuttled. For how long, we do not know. Even if baseball does get going eventually, this season will be the first since 1994 -- the year of the ill-fated players' strike -- that teams and fans have not enjoyed a full season of 162 games.

March 26, 2020

EDITORIAL: A glimmer of hope with coronavirus

For millions trapped at home by state-ordered lockdowns, coping with coronavirus means endless hours of TV and video games, and, as we said, no baseball. Just beyond the windowsill, though, spring beckons with its seasonal explosion of fresh color. A morning meditation on the back porch with a song-bird serenade isn't going to provoke the ire of some finger-wagging governor. Where citizens are still allowed to roam freely -- keeping a respectful six feet of distance from others -- a hike through the park makes it easy to forget coronavirus cares. That's because even while death is visited upon human civilization, the world of nature is coming alive.

March 26, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Treatment worse than disease?

Americans are now suffering from something far worse than COVID-19. 'Corona-chosis,' a mental disorder of epic proportions, is a clear and present danger to our economy and our way of life. This new, collective insanity is wrecking businesses and putting millions of Americans out of work. It is a far greater threat to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness than any virus or disease could ever be. It must be stopped before it drives all of us stark raving mad.

March 26, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Make Chinese government pay

The U.S. economy has been devastated by the coronavirus. State, local and federal governments have all but shut down in response to IT. The first jobless report had 3.28 million people filing claims. This is an an enormous, record hit on the economy. Although Congress has just passed a large economic stimulus package, the momentum of this catastrophe is picking up speed and the harm it will do is yet to be told.

March 26, 2020

EDITORIAL: The world’s strongmen and dictators must tell the truth about coronavirus

As of this writing, just about 60,000 Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus, and our death toll has surpassed 900. Given the current, inadequate resources to track and account for the virus' spread, we should -- as government functionaries at both the state and federal level remind -- expect infection rates are actually much greater than what has hitherto been reported. What this implies for the mortality rate we don't need to spell out.

March 25, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Help workers who help disabled

In New York and throughout the United States, nonprofits manage thousands of direct care support professionals who commute and work in small group homes caring for America's most vulnerable citizens. These workers are essential for the care and support of a large population of persons with developmental, intellectual and other disabilities.

March 25, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Turkey using Syria to attack Kurds

Turkey's intervention in Syria is uncovering the intention and purpose of the Turkish regime, which is expanding its power in the region and increasing attacks on Kurdish groups. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims Turkey is protecting its border. But it has conducted military operations against the Syrian regime inside the country and engaged in ground battles and air attacks. This situation has added disasters on top of existing catastrophes being suffered by the Syrian people.

March 25, 2020