Census expenses

Every American home by now has received a letter from the federal government informing them that they’re going to be receiving a census form by mail.

It seems so strange to me that a bankrupt government would partner with a bankrupt U.S. Postal Service and spend millions of dollars to send out letters notifying everyone that they’re going to send out letters.

Why spend so much money on such an undertaking when they could have just as easily mailed the census already?

Mail me the census form, and I’ll promptly enumerate my household and send it back. And keep it brief. The government doesn’t need to know what brand of toilet paper that we use. The census that I received 10 years ago looked more like a psychological survey than a government count form.

What planet do these intellectual thinkers come from? Are they here to stay?

Jerrell Roy

Waco

Everyone is slanted

I find humor in the recent volley of Trib letters accusing the Republicans and Democrats of slanting the news. The Republicans always talk about the Democrats being slanted in their views, and the Democrats claim the same about the Republicans. Neither side takes any responsibility for its part in anything wrong, but each is quick to take credit for the few things that may be right.

Nonwillingness to work with the other side — solely for the reason that they are the other side and don’t agree with us — is why things are in the proverbial toilet. That’s the way it is, always has been and always will be, until people change.

Hopefully, they will see their errors before it’s too late, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. It’s a lot easier to point fingers than find a solution.

Clint Ford

Waco

Treat ’em like a lady

Forget it, Bob Vickrey. Who says a “lady” cannot be hotheaded, feisty, aggressive and still be a lady above all else?

I disagree with Vickrey’s March 14 column [“We don’t say ‘Man Bears’ ”] advocating a name change for the Baylor Lady Bears women’s basketball team.

Regardless of what some might think in this unisex world, there still is a big difference in the female and male forms. Let’s not get so tied up in the game that we forget to protect the sensitivity of that which is feminine.

As for our Lady Bears and Brittney Griner in particular, I’m with you, ladies.

John Nottingham

Waco

* * *

I don’t have a strong feeling about whether the Baylor women’s basketball team should be called the Lady Bears. But I’m sure they would prefer that to being called the Sows ( female bears), however.

But what does bother me is the regular referral to any accused child molester or other criminal as a “gentleman” in many media outlets.

Rita Haws Plemmons

Waco

Presidential question

Here’s a question no one has so far asked in writing: Is President Barack Obama a socialist, and, if so, how does it affect his presidency?

Jim Skinner

Waco