Sound Off: January 7, 2026
Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics.
Upside-down logic
President Maduro should have been removed. But President Trump’s Venezuela policy exposes a blatant contempt for both Congress and coherence. He bypassed constitutional oversight while consulting oil executives, then turned around and demanded subsidies for an industry already swimming in record profits. In this upside-down logic, government intervention is evil—unless it fattens oil companies; subsidies are “socialism”—unless they go to corporations; and profits prove success—until the same companies hold out their hands for public money. This isn’t policy. It’s crony capitalism wrapped in nationalist slogans, where ideology is disposable and power answers only to profit.
A good thing
There sure are a lot of people (Democrats) worked up over the Trump Administration doing something that needed to be done in Venezuela. It’s a good thing. It’s OK to not be mad about it.
Running Venezuela
Oddly, President Trump has chosen not to support the opposition leader in his effort to democratize Venezuela. She has publicly thanked him for his capture of Maduro and has the support of Venezuela’s wanting democracy. But, she won the Nobel Peace Prize, which he so publicly sought. Is he allowing petty vanity to dictate U.S. foreign policy?
America First
For all the screaming the red hats did about “America First,” we sure do seem to be spending a lot of time, effort and energy on other places.
Stephen Miller interview
Please watch the recent CNN interview of Stephen Miller by Jake Tapper. Miller describes the real world as being governed by strength, force, and power. He makes no mention of the rule of law and just seems to call them “international niceties.”. He more or less declared the United States government position as might makes right. Forget the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and all that international legal mumbo jumbo, the USA rules the Western Hemisphere because we have the best military. Our military takes an oath to the Constitution and exists to protect it.
A nation of laws?
Have we just given up on being a nation of laws? Because our president sure seems to be acting that way.
Venezuela attack
Back in the day, if it was learned that oil executives were briefed on a major military operation before Congress, it would be a major scandal.
That school bus
Glad to read that I’m not the only one who has been repeatedly stuck in traffic on Highway 90 behind school bus No. 62 when it refuses to turn into the Chateau Bayou Apartments in Ocean Springs in the mornings. It’s not only completely ridiculous for the driver to be so inconsiderate of other drivers in an already congested area, but it’s also dangerous for the children who have to wait for the bus so dangerously close to the highway. Especially when the apartment complex has basically an entire square block of driving room.
Walz-ing away
The fraudster in Minnesota is bowing out. Just 1 year running for vice president, Gov. Tim Walz is running for the Dakota badlands, and not for reelection.
Great pick
Aside from Hunter Biden, I honestly can’t come up with a worse pick for president of vice president than the Democrats trotted out in 2024. And they had four years to come up with a plan.
No more
I deleted my Facebook app and don’t feel like I have lost one thing. This social media that was supposed to connect people has done the opposite.
Disgrace
Secretary Hegseth, the Fox News Anchor, and SecDef has shown an embarrassing ignorance of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He is now attempting to strip a sitting Senator, who is a National hero and astronaut, of his military rank and retirement. The retired Navy Capt (O-6), Senator Mark Kelly, has simply told the truth to the public.
Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.