As significant cuts to Medicaid are being considered by Congress, I wonder how many people think about who this program serves [“House GOP plans Medicaid cuts, imposing new rules,” Nation, May 13].

My father worked a blue-collar job until he was 76, when my mother died. She had health issues, and he wanted to make sure they had good health care. In his mid-80s, my help was no longer sufficient, and he needed home health aides. These women all had Medicaid but no health insurance.

My father required a nursing home his last two years. His Social Security and pension checks went to the nursing home, but that wasn’t enough. So, after cashing in a life insurance policy and savings, Medicaid covered the balance. This gave his family peace of mind.

A significant Medicaid reduction would affect the elderly and those who care for them. Will this be another program our government takes a chainsaw to without regard to people?

I am shocked that the state has to step in to control the use of cellphones in schools “Prepare now for school phone ban,” Editorial, May 14]. It is the responsibility of parents to limit the time their children spend on cellphones. Parents should send their kids off to school with no phones. Hey, my generation survived without them!

It seems the state ban indicates smartphones may be a constant student distraction. So, students who need phone contact with a parent should use “dumb phones” that don’t have internet access.

The Trump administration wants to pay immigrants who entered the country illegally to “self deport” [“Trump administration offers $1,000 for ‘self-deportation,’ ” News, May 6].

This could encourage more to enter this country, knowing they’ll get paid to leave. How about paying us taxpayers to stay here?

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