Readers speak out on federal budget cuts and remember a train ride of the past

Yahoo

13 hours ago

The following letter is in response to one published recently blaming President Trump for a NOAA radio outage. It is troubling to me how people are so quickly willing to blame even the slightest inconvenience on a political conspiracy. Even more disappointing is how our society is becoming trained to react to sensationalist headlines designed to generate clicks and outrage rather than simply presenting the facts.
On June 7, The Oklahoman published a letter to the editor that asked 'Has President Trump broken our tornado warning system?' The author's premise was that because her NOAA weather radio did not work on one specific day (June 3), Oklahomans are at risk, and the only explanation is that it must be the president's fault. However, a simple internet search shows that the National Weather Service announced a planned NOAA weather radio outage for technology upgrades during that time and gave 24 hours of advanced notice.
To be sure, one could argue that early June is not an ideal time for such an outage in Oklahoma. However, one could also argue that Oklahoma's severe weather season does not follow a strict calendar and that Oklahomans who have lived here for decades know better than to rely on just one form of weather warnings ― especially for a storm that hit during the late afternoon.
The author erroneously claimed that Americans are at risk because President Trump and Oklahoma's congressional delegation 'broke NOAA.' I believe jumping to wrong conclusions based on emotion and political vitriol over the facts poses a far greater risk to our country than a scheduled technology upgrade.
— Charlie Hannema, Edmond
The proposed budget released by the Trump administration two weeks ago is a deeply anti-Oklahoma document and I want to encourage my fellow Oklahomans and our elected officials to reject the budget and the cuts to federal science agencies it contains.
The federal agencies most at risk in this budget perform a wide range of services that directly benefit Oklahomans every day. Whether it be National Weather Service scientists providing the foundational data for making accurate weather forecasts during tornado season, the U.S. Geological Survey Water Science centers providing real time monitoring of flood conditions and pollutants in our water, or U.S. Department of Agriculture biologists tracking and containing outbreaks of crop pests, loss of these services and many others will have untold impacts on the safety and well-being of our state.
The Trump administration's cuts will even diminish our recreational opportunities as cuts to the USGS Wildlife Research Units, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will effectively eliminate hunting, fishing, and camping opportunities in the state.
Few if anyone in our great state will benefit from the cuts being proposed and in many cases these cuts will directly put the lives and well-being of Oklahomans at risk. Oklahomans everywhere need to use their voice, call their representatives, and demand that this proposed cuts to science be completely rejected.
— David Londe, Oklahoma City
More: Trump cuts to NIH funding would gut American science and medicine | Opinion
Sen. Markwayne Mullin has proven himself to be one of President Donald Trump's most steadfast allies in Congress. That's why I hope he'll continue to stand with the president in fulfilling a critical promise: protecting Medicare for America's seniors.
Medicare Advantage is now the Medicare program of choice for more than half of beneficiaries, but the program faced back-to-back cuts under Joe Biden, raising costs for seniors and putting their benefits at risk. It wasn't just bad policy; it was a broken promise to older Americans. Thankfully, President Trump is taking action. Earlier this year, his administration approved a funding increase for Medicare Advantage in 2026, helping to reverse the damage and ensure seniors get the coverage they deserve.
But President Trump's agenda is at risk. His Big Beautiful Bill, which passed the House with Medicare funding intact, could face changes in the Senate — with some Republicans even discussing cuts to Medicare Advantage. That cannot happen. Any final agreement must protect President Trump's promise to seniors and keep Medicare Advantage off the chopping block.
Unlike many government programs, Medicare Advantage isn't bloated or inefficient. It empowers seniors with choice and competition, saves taxpayer dollars, and delivers better health outcomes and lower premiums than traditional Medicare. It is exactly the kind of innovative program Republicans should champion.
Sen. Mullin can be a leading voice among his colleagues defending Medicare Advantage and ensuring it remains strong for Oklahoma seniors and millions of Americans.
I urge him to keep standing with President Trump and hold firm on the promise of protecting seniors' health care.
— Marty Fuller, Oklahoma City
More: SNAP and Medicaid are on the chopping block. It's chaos, and people will suffer. | Opinion
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), often called the food stamp program, allows millions of children, families, people with disabilities, veterans and seniors in our state to better afford groceries, while at the same time boosting our local economy.
This is important because the cost of groceries keeps going up, and families' wages are staying steady, if not going down. But SNAP is currently at risk of up to $300 billion in cuts due to the Republicans' so-called Big Beautiful Bill. This is more like a Big Awful Betrayal for families and for our economy if allowed to pass.
If Senate leaders accept the massive cuts to SNAP that have been proposed by the Republican-led House, hunger — especially childhood hunger — will skyrocket. These cuts would also lead to increased health care costs, reduced academic outcomes, increased poverty and less productivity. Harsher work requirements, especially those geared toward parents, and additional bureaucratic red tape won't lead to more workers or less hunger.
SNAP is the nation's first line of defense against hunger. Almost 80% of people who benefit from SNAP are children, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans. If SNAP is cut, food pantries would not be able to make up the difference or meet the overwhelming need. SNAP provides roughly nine meals for every one meal provided by Feeding America's food banks.
Because SNAP already has work restrictions, most SNAP beneficiaries who can work already do work, but do not earn enough money to make ends meet. It's important that those who can't work because of care responsibilities, disability, or age are also able to access this important nutrition assistance
Our families need real solutions to rising costs, health concerns and care for our children. I urge our senators to reject the House-passed bill and instead protect our families, local businesses, and economy by strengthening SNAP, rather than cutting it.
— Sherri Headrick, Chickasha
More: Don't tell me Oklahoma was never racist. Jim Crow was Senate Bill 1. | Opinion
We were on the night train from Wichita, Kansas, to Kingfisher, Oklahoma, during World War II. We rode the night train, which was pulled by a steam locomotive instead of the shiny red and silver day train with a diesel-electric engine. It was cheaper. I was about 10 years old, and Dad had moved the family to Wichita in hopes of getting a job with some company that produced war material.
At the time, Kansas was integrated, and we kids attended school with "colored" students (the designation given Black people at that time). But Oklahoma was segregated. So, as we were approaching the Oklahoma border, the conductor came through our railroad car and announced that all "colored" people had to go to the last car. I was too young to understand the significance of that policy, but when we moved back to Kingfisher, I started becoming more aware of the unfairness of it all. Douglass School, located near the tracks, was for all Black children, grades one through 12. I remember someone saying that our outdated, worn textbooks were given to Douglass School for their use.
When I finished high school and left for college in Oklahoma City, I remember eating at restaurants where this sign proclaimed: 'This establishment reserves the right to refuse service to anyone,' meaning no Black people were allowed. If they wanted to buy food, they had to go to the back door and receive it in boxes to go. Even when Oklahoma became officially integrated, it took years for Black people to start receiving some degree of equal treatment.
When I started working at Tinker Air Force Base, some older buildings still had restrooms with traces of the word: 'Colored' over the door. I worked with some really great people of different races during my time at Tinker, giving me a growing understanding that the color of one's skin doesn't determine their worth or ability. I enjoy seeing people of different races assuming their rightful place in the world, especially on television. No longer are people of color portrayed only as servants or maids, but more likely as doctors, lawyers, college professors, airline pilots or many other professions.
Some believe we should whitewash our past for fear that someone might be offended or might develop hard feelings for someone else. But I believe we must face our past wrongs in order to avoid repeating them.
I hope that someday soon, America will reach the ideal so ably expressed by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr: 'I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.'
— Ed Koonce, Mustang
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Readers write in opposition to proposed federal budget cuts | Letters