Abusing federal workers isn’t formula for prosperity

While we can all agree some trimming or pruning of the federal government may be prudent, the Trump administration’s policy toward federal employees just doesn’t make much sense (“Trump administration says Education Department cuts will help transfer oversight to states,” March 14). Not only does it rile up public opinion, but it really doesn’t save all that much money.

I worked for 16 years in the private sector in several consulting companies and at a time when mass layoffs were the norm to solve economic downturns. Most of my work was in aircraft and the nuclear power field. This was the heyday of “America Builds It.” I was a partner in a consulting company and lived through the ups (and finally downs) of the business cycle. That’s partly the reason I was attracted to federal service.

There was a guy named Jack Welch in the 70s and 80s who was the CEO of General Electric whose nickname was “Neutron Jack” because once he came on board, nobody was left standing.

I can appreciate the underlying theme from Elon Musk and other tech billionaires to return to this arena — perhaps tariffs are also part of this — but the approach of using artificial intelligence to sort out and fire public officials is misguided.

By adopting a reasonably balanced and nuanced approach to trade and economic creativity or the last decade or so, we have witnessed one of the most robust economies ever created — despite what a certain television network likes to claim. I have been part of it for the past 60 years — with a front row seat, so to speak — but I think the facts bear this out. Spoiler alert: I am not one of our nation’s 800 or so billionaires and I suppose they beg to differ.

I sense anger and revenge from President Donald Trump because the more than 2 million federal employees he wants to leave are largely — and only with a few exceptions — protected from dismissal and he can’t stand that. Spoiler Alert 2: No boss or client or CEO ever likes to be wrong. I worked for three consulting companies and the motto was always: The customer is always right.

Now for Spoiler Alert 3: My former company and many large companies have gone bankrupt. I landed on my feet a few times and am better off (or so I keep telling myself). The United States should not go bankrupt because of misplaced anger and hurt feelings. We won’t recover from that.

— David Pyatt, Mount Airy

Some grateful vets want to thank a stranger

I want to share something that happened recently when I and my two good friends were were having lunch at The Essen Room, a popular deli in Pikesville. While we were eating our lunch, another gentleman was waiting for his carryout order and we got into a conversation with him.

It was the 98th birthday of one of my friends and somehow this gentleman asked him if he was in the service during World War II and my friend replied that he had served on a U.S. Navy ship. My other friend and I responded that we were in the U.S. Army in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

What happened next? Well, the gentleman grabbed our dining check off the table, thanked us for our service and paid for our meals. We did thank him but were not able to get his name.

Our hope now is that he might somehow read this letter to the editor and realize that he made a few old men proud that there are good people in this world despite our trying times (“5 reasons veterans are especially hard-hit by federal cuts,” March 9).

Again, thank you, friend.

— Harvey Caplan, Baltimore

Most crime not related to immigration status

Two incidents involving the criminal prosecution of some local residents that were reported in The Baltimore Sun recently struck me. Here are the headlines: “Alleged leader of West Baltimore criminal organization sentenced to 5 years of prison after plea” (March 12) and “Severn teenager charged with 22 counts of attempted murder after two shootings in Annapolis” (March 12).

None of these perpetrators were immigrants. Because if they were, you can be certain it would have been noted in the news coverage.

Why? Because the media will always note crimes committed by immigrants even though there is no evidence that recent arrivals, documented or not, are breaking the law so often or so seriously that their immigration status needs to be noted.

— Angela Beltram, Catonsville