5/11/2023

May 11, 2023

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Today’s news is dominated by the end of Title 42 & the possibility of a flood of migrants surging across the border. The WP opines that you are doing your best with a challenging situation. They attribute immigration problems to political dysfunction in Congress.

I urge you to promote compassion for the poor folks risking their lives to come here. How about advertising Every Campus a Refuge (ECR)?  It “mobilizes partnerships between colleges and universities & local resettlement agencies to provide newcomers with free temporary housing on campus.” Small colleges with declining enrollments these days have room to house refugees. ECR is a win-win. Please look into it.

            How was your trip to NY yesterday? Rep. Jamaal Bowman (JB) tweeted a video of himself standing in front of AF1. While I am not a fan of using a jet for a short trip, at least you shared the ride.

Don’t you think JB did a great job of quantifying the impact of the GOP’s “heartless legislation”? Eliminate over 17,000 preschool & childcare spots in NY, make college more expensive for almost 400,000 New Yorkers, raise housing costs for more than 67,000 people…Big #s get attention.

Speaking of big #s, I just read that the USPS has already lost $2.1 billion in fiscal 2023 exceeding its expected losses for this point by 75%. Uh, oh! 1st class mail is going up to 66 cents in July. Best go out & get some Forever stamps now!

What are your thoughts on the upcoming elections in Thailand? Do you think that the Move Forward Party & other pro-democracy groups opposed to the royalist-military establishment currently in power will triumph? I hope so. Pundits think a new government might strengthen ties with the US & they’d be more inclined to promote peace talks between the NUG & junta. At least, they’d pressure the junta to allow humanitarian aid across the border. Fingers crossed the election is free & fair without shenanigans.

BYBS,