Virginia Beach National

Re “Virginia Beach National development invests in opportunity” (Other Views, July 26): The July 26 guest column by Helen E. Dragas explains why every resident of Virginia Beach should support the idea of the city selling the Virginia Beach National Golf Club to private enterprise.

The course opened in 1999 — 27 years ago. To maintain course playability and desirability, the golf industry has identified that course renovation needs to occur in 25-year cycles. This is to promote a better playing experience but also embrace new technologies to mitigate environmental issues, including water quality and wildlife habitat. Selling the course to a private developer that proposes to invest millions of dollars to renovate and maintain public access to the course to enjoy a quality golf experience, and to enhance the tourism component to our economy, is a no-brainer.

Virginia Beach is the most populous city in Virginia and is in dire need of workforce housing that offers homeownership opportunities. Our teachers, first responders, retail, restaurant, hotel associates, military and civil employees all need affordable housing to live and work in Virginia Beach while contributing to our local economy and bring a sustainable tax revenue stream to our city.

Larry Hazelwood, Virginia Beach

SAVE Act

Re “Forget the SAVE Act. There’s a better way to fix US voting laws” (Other Views, July 28): Bloomberg Opinion columnist Ronald Brownstein argues that requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote is unnecessary because documented cases of noncitizen voting are rare. That conclusion, true or not, overlooks something important.

Virginia voters have accepted photo identification at the polls for years. Requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote is not a fundamental departure from that principle. It is an incremental step that applies verification at the beginning of the process rather than only at the end.

Opponents argue the additional documentation is burdensome. Every verification process imposes some burden. Americans routinely provide documentation to obtain a passport, start a new job or receive government benefits. The question is whether that burden is proportionate to the public interest being served.

Preventing ineligible voting is one objective; establishing bipartisan confidence in elections is another. Confidence has value. Elections function best when citizens trust both the outcome and the process.

When my children feared a monster under the bed, I did not tell them that, statistically, a monster was unlikely to be there. I turned on the light, looked under the bed and verified nothing was there. Transparent verification is more persuasive than repeated reassurance. Turning on the light has a cost. Living in the dark has one too.

Thomas Hobert, Williamsburg

Cleaning up

Re “Buffoonery” (Your Views, July 21): Yet another letter demeaning those of us who voted for President Donald Trump. Well, how about presenting better Democratic candidates?

First Democrats had former President Joe Biden that they refused to admit was incapable of serving in office. Then he is replaced on the Democratic ticket with former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is a joke. Her attempts to speak have accurately been described as lettuce salad run through a blender.

No, I don’t like everything Trump does, but what a mess he is cleaning up. Millions of illegals crossed into America during Biden’s term. More than 200,000 immigrant children were lost and, I believe, are probably being exploited in sex trades. It has been reported that millions in tax dollars are being swindled by phony health and education agencies. I could go on but it obvious to any thinking citizen there was and is a lot of messes to clean up.

So until Democrats clean up their own socialist party, don’t expect wins.

Ken Brown, Virginia Beach