RESPONSE: Economy, border and crime

Mr. Olson is not particularly well-informed about the current state of the economy, the border, crime, or really any of the things he declared in his letter printed on Jan. 21.

ECONOMY: The current inflation rate in the U.S. is 3.4%, less than half of what it was when our previous president left office. In fact, the United States currently has the lowest inflation rate and the highest GDP of any of the G7 countries. Price increases in America are much lower than in other countries. Biden has added 13.9 million jobs since taking office; unemployment is at its lowest rate in 54 years. Trump is the only president since Hoover to lose jobs — 2.9 million.

THE BORDER: As of Dec. 27, 2023, the current administration is deporting individuals at a rate 3.5 times higher per month than the previous administration. Note: None of those several hundred thousand deported people will be voting Democrat.

CRIME: The national murder rate has dropped since Biden took office. Under Trump it rose to its highest level since 1997. The most recent “defund the police” actions were taken by Republicans not Democrats in the Idaho House and Senate when 19 of them voted not to fund Idaho police. As for criminals not being held accountable for their crimes, our previous president might disagree with Mr. Olson on that count.

FENTANYL: The fentanyl surge started and peaked under Trump. Biden and Harris are leading a global effort to address and fight addiction, trafficking and supply chains, and the number of deaths are going down.

I recommend Mr. Olson (and everyone) consume real news.

RICHARD SAUNDERS

Coeur d’Alene